Arizona’s Thursday Night Football backfield shifted after James Conner's season-ending injury. Emari Demercado was active but played sparingly, with Trey Benson handling the lead rushing duties. Michael Carter logged a few carries behind Benson, while Demercado appeared mainly as a pass-blocking option and Greg Dortch was deployed in the backfield at times. The outcome tightens the depth chart and hints at how Arizona might distribute touches going forward, especially in favorable game scripts.

Fantasy takeaway: Benson is the safest weekly RB2 floor given the workload, while Carter offers a speculative, dart-throw option in deeper leagues. Demercado's role remains murky and unlikely to deliver consistent fantasy value unless Arizona leans into pass protection duties or injuries shift the pecking order.

Thursday Night Football in Week 4 pairs the Arizona Cardinals with the Seattle Seahawks, spotlighting Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a premium captain and Kyler Murray in a game ripe for aerial volume. Trey McBride stands out as Murray’s favorite target with a high target share, while Trey Benson steps into a full-time role for the Cardinals with James Conner sidelined. Value plays Greg Dortch and Tory Horton offer flexible, low-cost upside.

Lineup construction leans on Seattle’s likely pass-heavy game plan and Arizona’s passing-game leverage, with Darnold and Murray generating potential stacking/contrarian paths. Premiums and values alike hinge on how the coaching staffs exploit matchups, especially against a Seahawks defense that has yielded big receiving outputs to tight ends and peripherals in recent weeks.

The Arizona Cardinals face a short week with a thinned offense. Zay Jones is in concussion protocol and unlikely to play against Seattle, leaving Arizona to lean on Greg Dortch as the top option behind the top two receivers. James Conner’s season-ending injury tightens the backfield vacuum, while Paris Johnson’s knee issue could cloud pass protection on a quick turnaround. With Jones out, Simi Fehoko or Xavier Weaver could see increased snaps, making Thursday’s game a dart-throw for fantasy depth players.

Seattle visits in a Thursday night matchup that amplifies the risk for Cardinals pass-catchers but also creates speculative value for the team’s depth options. Fantasy managers should monitor injury reports closely, lean on early-week projections, and consider Dortch as a potential flex play if Jones remains sidelined, while Fehoko/Weaver offer upside in deeper formats depending on practice news.