While Kenneth Walker is undoubtedly the running back everyone wants to add off the waiver wire for Week 6, another intriguing option is the Cardinals’ Eno Benjamin.
James Conner (ribs) and Darrel Williams (knee) both sustained injuries in Arizona’s last game, which gave Benjamin an opportunity to show his stuff.
How aggressively should fantasy managers go after Benjamin? Our experts weigh in below.
Sean Koerner: Benjamin will be in the RB2 discussion this week if both Conner and Williams miss time due to the injuries they picked up in Week 5.
However, I wouldn’t go overboard on the waiver wire considering Conner and/or Williams may end up playing this week, leaving Benjamin as a RB3/Flex option, at best.
If you have a losing record, desperate at RB, and out of other options, then I would be a bit more aggressive rolling the dice on Benjamin.
Chris Raybon: Benjamin will be a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 if Conner is unable to suit up.
Benjamin faces a Seahawks defense allowing the second-most rushing yards (130.8) and third-most receiving yards (55.6) per game to opposing backs.
The second-year back's underlying metrics are strong. He is averaging 3.13 yards after contact per carry, which is 24th out of 60 qualified RBs and over a half-yard better than Conner (2.50), per PFF.
Benjamin is also second on the team in targets per route run (21%), behind only Marquise Brown (23%). If Conner is out but Williams is active, I would still expect a 2-to-1 split in favor of Benjamin, which is enough to put him in the top 15.
Mike Triplett: Benjamin could be a great Week 6 option if Conner is out of the lineup. He has proven to be effective as both a runner and a pass catcher — and he’ll be facing the NFL’s 32nd-ranked defense in Seattle.
But I don’t see great long-term potential in a backfield that will become crowded again when healthy. Rookie Keaontay Ingram could finally get a chance to become part of that mix this week, too.
