James Conner exceeded expectations in 2024 with the Arizona Cardinals, finishing as the RB11 in PPR leagues. Conner will be 30 years old next year. How much does he have left in the tank? Here is the James Conner dynasty outlook for 2025 and beyond.
Dynasty Outlook for James Conner
Current Production
Conner was around the 18th running back drafted in fantasy drafts for the 2024 season. He exceeded those expectations, finishing as the RB11 in PPR leagues and playing in a career-high 16 games. The only game he missed was the final game of the season when the Cardinals were out of playoff contention. Conner was a solid performer, finishing as a top 15 running back eight times on the year. He only finished outside of the top 25 three times, and one of those was when he left early.
Conner left the Week 17 game early, which was a shame because he finished the year on a tear, scoring at least 22 points in Weeks 14 through 16. He would have been a league winner if he could have stayed healthy, but the strong finish is a great sign leading into 2025.
This season was the fourth straight year that Conner finished as a top-20 fantasy running back. It seems like he goes into the draft underrated every year, and then he outperforms expectations. This was the third-best fantasy finish of his career, behind his 2018 and 2021 seasons.
Conner Dynasty Price
According to KeepTradeCut, Conner is currently the RB29 in dynasty leagues. He is behind Alvin Kamara, Travis Etienne, and Isiah Pacheco while ahead of the rookie Devin Neal and fellow Cardinals running back Trey Benson. Conner is worth a mid-second-round pick in the 2025 rookie draft in dynasty leagues. That seems like a good value for the aging Conner, and a 2nd round pick is worth it.
Conner Dynasty Outlook
Conner signed a two-year contract extension during the 2024 season to stay with the Cardinals in 2025 and 2026. Arizona wants Conner to be a part of their plans, but they also want to get the second-year player Trey Benson involved. Benson saw 63 rushes, but just six carries in 2024 during his rookie campaign. Expect him to get more touches in 2025. Additionally, there is a deep running back class in the NFL Draft this year, meaning the Cardinals could draft someone who will take even more carries away from Conner.
Additionally, Conner will be 30 years old and has never played a full season in his NFL career. Before 2024, he failed to play in more than 13 games in five of six seasons. He has always struggled with injuries, and that trend will probably continue as he ages.
What to Do With James Conner in Dynasty Leagues?
It is time to sell the almost 30-year-old running back away. Conner was great last year and survived the injury bug. It is unlikely that he will play in that many games and be that productive again in 2025 and Benson will get more touches. Try to trade Conner away for a second-round pick and get a younger player for the future.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – Imagn Images
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