James Conner put up big numbers last year, but he also has missed at least two games in all five years he’s been in the pros. That makes the backup running back job in Arizona one of the more important camp battles in the league.
There are three viable contenders. The team signed Darrel Williams. He’s their most experienced option, having played extensively for Kansas City last year. In seven games filling in for Clyde Edwards-Helaire, he averaged 50 rushing and 39 receiving yards, with 5 TDs. Williams also played some on passing downs last year, but KC moved away from him late in the year and had no interest in re-signing him.
And there’s holdover Eno Benjamin. He hasn’t played much in his first two seasons, but he was mentioned a couple of times in the offseason as a back who’s looking to take a nice step forward. Chase Edmonds is gone, and Benjamin could step into that kind of a role.
The Cardinals also selected Keontay Ingram in the sixth round. He ran for 911 yards and 5 TDs at Southern Cal last year.
Maybe he does something in the preseason that changes my mind, but for now I don’t see Ingram as a likely possibility. He has modest physical traits, and it’s rare for good running backs to be selected at that point in the draft.
In the 32-team era (the last 20 years), there have been 70 running backs selected in the sixth round (plus four more this year). Only three of those players put up top-30 numbers in their rookie season. Only nine had a top-30 season at any point in their career (using PPR scoring).
I think we’ll be looking Benjamin or Williams in that backup role, with Ingram perhaps beginning his career on the practice squad. It’s early, but I’m leaning Benjamin right now.
| SIXTH-ROUND BACKS WITH TOP-30 NUMBERS (last 20 yrs) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Run | Rec | Total | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2007 | (the other) A.Peterson, Chi. | 510 | 420 | 930 | 3 | 166.5 | 25 |
| 2012 | • Alfred Morris, Was. | 1,613 | 77 | 1,690 | 13 | 258.0 | 7 |
| 2013 | Alfred Morris, Was. | 1,275 | 78 | 1,353 | 7 | 186.3 | 20 |
| 2014 | Alfred Morris, Was. | 1,074 | 155 | 1,229 | 8 | 187.9 | 17 |
| 2013 | • Andre Ellington, Ariz. | 652 | 371 | 1,023 | 4 | 165.3 | 26 |
| 2014 | Andre Ellington, Ariz. | 660 | 395 | 1,055 | 5 | 181.5 | 19 |
| 2006 | Chester Taylor, Min. | 1,216 | 288 | 1,504 | 6 | 228.4 | 14 |
| 2007 | Chester Taylor, Min. | 844 | 281 | 1,125 | 7 | 183.5 | 19 |
| 2021 | • Elijah Mitchell, S.F. | 963 | 137 | 1,100 | 6 | 165.0 | 26 |
| 2015 | James Starks, G.B. | 601 | 392 | 993 | 5 | 172.3 | 21 |
| 2015 | Latavius Murray, Oak. | 1,066 | 232 | 1,298 | 6 | 206.8 | 10 |
| 2016 | Latavius Murray, Oak. | 788 | 264 | 1,052 | 12 | 210.2 | 13 |
| 2017 | Latavius Murray, Min. | 842 | 103 | 945 | 8 | 157.5 | 25 |
| 2019 | Latavius Murray, N.O. | 637 | 235 | 872 | 6 | 157.2 | 29 |
| 2016 | Spencer Ware, K.C. | 921 | 447 | 1,368 | 5 | 199.8 | 16 |
| 2015 | Theo Riddick, Det. | 133 | 697 | 830 | 3 | 181.0 | 19 |
| 2016 | Theo Riddick, Det. | 357 | 371 | 728 | 6 | 161.8 | 25 |
| 2017 | Theo Riddick, Det. | 286 | 444 | 730 | 5 | 156.0 | 26 |
—Ian Allan