James Conner injury update: Latest on Cardinals RB for Fantasy Football Week 8.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner has dealt with some injury issues this season. These come during a testing time for the Cardinals, as they are missing other top-end talent.

Here we take a closer look at Conner’s injury and potential return date for the skilled rusher.

James Conner Injury Update

According to Ben Rolfe of Pro Football Network, James Conner suffered a knee injury in Week 5 and was then placed on injured reserve.

According to league rules, Conner is to miss at least four weeks while on IR, and he is ineligible for selection till then. In the meantime, the Cardinals will have to rely on other players to temporarily replace his productivity.

What happened to James Conner?

James Conner hurt his knee on a 35-yard run in his side’s Week 5 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Upon hurting his knee, Conner trudged down the tunnel, and he was unable to return to the Gridiron.

Just a couple of days later, Conner was added to the injured reserve by the Cardinals’ coaching staff.

Following his addition to injured reserve, Conner’s injury updates have been few and far between. He’s not returning to the Gridiron before the mandatory four-week period, so there’s no urgency from the Cardinals’ end to report it.

According to Harvard-trained sports surgeon Deepak Chona, MCL sprains don’t cause “performance hits” and Conner can be expected to return in Week 10.

When will James Conner return?

Conner must remain on IR for at least four total games. Conner got hurt in Week 5, so that means he has missed two games out of his mandatory four-game cap.

The two-time Pro Bowler will still miss Week 8 and Week 9, so the earliest that he could return should be in Week 10 when the Cardinals face off against the Atlanta Falcons.

Conner’s injury is a huge blow for the Cardinals, as the star RB is averaging 5.4 yards per carry this season and has 364 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, eight receptions, and 30 receiving yards.

Conner is a big part of how the Cardinals play, and it remains to be seen how the team deals with his absence. In his absence, the likes of Emari Demercado and Tony Jones Jr. will need to step up to the fore, as they are the next running backs on the Cardinals’ depth chart.