PFF: Cardinals RB One of NFL's Best

The Arizona Cardinals have a weapon on offense, and it's no secret. Workhorse RB James Conner has thundered his way down the field, laying the groundwork of a run-first offensive scheme for the Cardinals for the past several seasons.

While he may not carry the splashy name of a Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley or a Christian McCaffrey, Conner has been a reliable, bulldozing force in Arizona's backfield, racking up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in the desert while appearing to only improve with age.

Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema listed his top 32 running backs in the NFL, and Conner was given top-10 honors, placing eighth among all active running backs.

"Conner’s 92.1 cumulative PFF rushing grade over the past three years is tied for fifth best in the league. His 0.20 PFF WAR mark in 2024 ranked seventh among running backs, and he forced 68 missed tackles," Sikkema wrote.

It's not just the arbitrary grades that sing Conner's praise. His numbers have been excellent, and he's truly sprung to life under HC Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.

Conner rushed for 1,040 yards and seven TDs in 2023, despite missing four games with injury and playing for a team that struggled to a 4-13 record in year one of their rebuild phase.

In 2024, he racked up 1,094 yards, eight touchdowns, and another 414 yards and score through the air. Along with star TE Trey McBride, Conner made up a large portion of the Cardinals' offense, and picked up an impressive 4.6 yards per carry.

2024 was also his healthiest season to date, despite getting a career-high 236 carries. Conner's production, locker room leadership and overall powerful consistency have seen him take form from a gamble signing of the previous regime into a true stud, and the life force of the Cardinals.