The Arizona Cardinals are moving on from one of their running backs.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team released Michael Carter after three seasons in Arizona. Carter had 97 rushing yards and a touchdown in four games this year.
With Carter now out of the mix, Bam Knight should be the No. 1 option for the Cardinals in the backfield, at least until Trey Benson returns from the injured list.
Knight, who is in his third NFL season and first with the Cardinals, hasn’t been too productive so far, recording just 102 yards and a touchdown, but his fantasy football production should increase tremendously with Carter now off the team.
Knight was upgraded to RB1 a few weeks ago, but he was still mostly splitting carries with Carter. Now that he’ll be the focal point of the backfield, he should get more carries, especially if starting quarterback Kyler Murray is still unable to suit up.
That makes Knight a strong candidate to be a waiver wire pickup this week. At this point in the season, many fantasy managers have had their rosters depleted by injuries and need fill-ins during bye weeks.
What’s more, the Cardinals will face the Dallas Cowboys, who have one of the worst run defenses in the league. Dallas is currently allowing 146 rushing yards per game, which is the fourth-worst mark in the league. Expect Knight to take full advantage of that.
Knight is widely available in most fantasy leagues, so if you need a running back this week, he’s an easy choice on the waiver wire.
As far as long-term production, it’s hard to say how much of an impact Knight will have going into the final stretch of the season just yet. Benson landed on the injured reserve on Oct. 1 because of a meniscus injury that required surgery, and he’s expected to miss four to six weeks.
For now, fantasy managers in need of a running back should give Knight a chance, and it could end up paying off beyond just this week.
