PFF Praises Elite Arizona Cardinals' Position Group

The Arizona Cardinals have enjoyed high levels of success as a run-first team. But that isn't simply a product of scheme. Arizona's running back room may be one of the best in the NFL, even if it's mostly led by one workhorse back.

Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman released his ranking of all 32 NFL teams' running back rooms. The Cardinals ranked in the top 10, coming in ninth. They trailed the Buffalo Bills, and came in one spot ahead of the Carolina Panthers.

According to Wasserman, the Cardinals' group of running backs is headlined by the one and only James Conner, unsurprisingly. Conner was given almost the entirety of Wasserman's praise.

Arizona Cardinals' RB Room Ranked Among NFL's Best

For a ranking that's based on the entirety of the RB room, it's impressive that Conner can nearly singlehandedly push this group into the top 10.

"James Conner’s brilliance over the past two seasons simply cannot be overstated. During that time, he ranks second in the NFL with a 92.2 PFF rushing grade and 128 missed tackles forced. The next closest running back on the team in carries last season was Trey Benson with 63, though he averaged a solid 4.6 yards per attempt," Wasserman wrote.

"Emari Demercado has also flashed decent production in his first two seasons, but Conner will continue to dominate this backfield until someone else steps up."

James Conner Has Been Crucial Piece of Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have made their way behind Conner's powerful strides in some of their toughest recent seasons. Even when Arizona's offense could hardly put together any amount of competent performances, Conner was rumbling down the field.

And the desert has been good for the veteran, as well. Not only has Conner been ranked extremely high in nearly every PFF metric, he's put up some of the best seasons of his career in Arizona.

In fact, he's thrived.

In 2023, Conner recorded his first career 1,000-yard season, despite playing for a Cardinals team that won only four games. He followed that up in 2024 with yet another 1,000-yard campaign, as Arizona doubled their win total.

Granted, the Cardinals' offense would do well to not bd entirely one-dimensional. But Conner is the backbone of everything Arizona has done offensively, and has been one of the lone bright spots in a very inconsistent offense.

If some of the others behind him, such as young RB Trey Benson, begin to excel as well, the Cardinals' ground game could become one of the most formidable groups in the NFL. In turn, that can also help QB Kyler Murray and the passing attack.

The Cardinals have what many NFL teams wish they had: a true workhorse stud at RB.

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