Pat Fitzmaurice urged win-now managers to kick the tires on James Conner, noting that his sellers are fully aware the cliff is coming and therefore motivated to cash out. Conner is still a clear three-down back in Arizona and averaged 17.4 PPR points over his final six healthy games in 2024, yet Fitzmaurice has routinely acquired him for less than a 2027 second-rounder—far cheaper than using a future first on a younger, unproven back. With the Cardinals’ offensive line ranking 10th in adjusted line yards and Kyler Murray’s dual-threat profile freezing linebackers, Conner has an easy path to another 240-touch season and red-zone dominance (29% team share inside the 10 last year). Fitzmaurice labeled the current rookie-hype period as the perfect window because Conner’s value will harden once redraft content reminds the market he is still a locked-in RB2.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound advised scooping James Conner after Cardinals coaches reiterated that Conner is "ready to carry the workload again." Pat mocked early projection systems that slotted rookie Trey Benson ahead of Conner, reminding viewers that Conner has survived similar challenges each of the past two off-seasons and still handled 70-plus percent of Arizona’s backfield touches when healthy. The fresh coach-speak confirms there is no committee on the horizon, yet Conner’s price continues to hover in the sixth round of Underdog’s Sprint and Pug lobbies. Pat views the veteran as a rare mid-round bell-cow who pairs nicely with zero-RB or hero-RB structures and expects him to beat ADP simply through volume and red-zone equity in Kyler Murray’s offense.

Davis Mattek pointed out that James Conner is still priced almost exactly where he was last summer—even after dropping 230.8 fantasy points in 2024. Conner’s closing ADP last year was 72.8, and Mattek was able to grab him at pick 65 with a current ADP of 67.9. Mattek said this shows drafters remain stubborn about fading 29-year-old backs, creating a clear value pocket for anyone willing to ignore the age narrative and lock up Conner’s every-down role in Arizona.

Chris Raybon ranked James Conner RB20 versus an ADP of RB23 and reminded listeners that Conner has never finished worse than RB33 despite missing 23 career games. Under OC Drew Petzing, Conner has logged his two best fantasy seasons (RB11 last year, RB17 in just 13 games the year before) while posting career-high yards-after-contact marks of 3.3 and 3.9. Raybon is baking in a 5-7 percent workload dip due to age but still projects a safe RB2 floor because Arizona left the backfield untouched, retained the same run-centric scheme, and could field an improved offensive line. Conner even increased his receiving role late in 2023, signaling continued three-down trust. Raybon likened him to “Frank Gore aging in reverse” and will scoop up the discount wherever possible.

Mike Wright called James Conner the easiest value pick among so‑called dead‑zone running backs. He argued that Arizona—projected for 7‑9 wins—has no incentive to replace Conner after Trey Benson failed to seize a larger role. The Cardinals have not hosted any top‑30 running‑back visits, and Kyler Murray routinely praises Benson as a change‑up rather than a starter, reinforcing Conner’s status as the "running back room." Over the last two seasons Conner has averaged 17.4 half‑PPR points in games he finishes, ranking eighth among backs, while soaking up 78% of the team’s red‑zone carries. Wright sees no path to that workload evaporating and intends to roster Conner everywhere as an underpriced RB2 who could flirt with top‑12 numbers if Arizona’s improved defense helps secure more positive game scripts.