UPDATE: Arizona Cardinals Starting Running Back OUT for Sunday’s Battle with the Cleveland Browns – Week 9

Demercado did not practice this week while tending to a toe injury. Arizona will turn to the duo of Keaontay Ingram and Tony Jones.

Emari Demercado: The Main Beneficiary of the James Conner Injury Now Dealing with Toe Issue

The Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Emari Demercado has played a large portion of the snaps after starter James Conner went down with a knee injury in Week 5. He has 195 yards and one touchdown on 49 attempts while catching 16 of 12 targets for 64 yards. Demercado had 20 carries for 78 yards in his team’s 31-24 loss last Sunday but gave way to teammate Keaontay Ingram in the second half. It is most likely his current toe injury was the culprit for missing game action. 

Arizona Cardinals: Running Back Room for Week 9 

The Cardinals will dress Keaontay Ingram and Tony Jones on Sunday. Ingram had two carries for nine yards in Week 8 while playing 38% of the snaps. A sixth-round draft pick in 2022, Ingram averages a lowly 2.4 yards per rush attempt in the NFL. Meanwhile, Jones has been a practice squad mainstay this season. However, he had 21 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns with the New Orleans Saints earlier this season.

The Cardinals also have Hassan Hall and Corey Clement on the practice squad. Hall is a rookie who has never played in a regular season game, while Clement had 15 carries for 55 yards with Arizona in 2022.