Analyze Micahel Carter's matchup for week 11
Michael Carter is unstartable in Week 11 after logging zero offensive snaps in Week 10 and falling to third on the Cardinals' depth chart behind Emari Demercado and Bam Knight; even with James Conner and Trey Benson still hurt, Carter’s role has vanished, making him a clear sit and a recommended drop in all redraft formats.
The Cardinals host a middling 49ers run defense that ranks in the middle of the league in rushing yards allowed per game, but the matchup is irrelevant for Carter. Arizona is down both James Conner and Trey Benson again, yet instead of turning to Carter, the staff fed Emari Demercado 14 carries and gave Bam Knight 9, while Carter never left the sideline on offense. That pecking order appears locked in, so Carter’s path to touches requires multiple injuries plus a game script that still forces a third-string back into action.
Carter’s 2025 usage has plummeted from 18 carries in Week 5 to zero snaps by Week 10, averaging a meager 2.7 yards per carry over his last three games and ceding work to Demercado and Knight even when the team is desperate for healthy bodies.
The most telling indicator of Carter’s fantasy demise is not his per-carry efficiency but his complete disappearance from the game plan. In a Week 10 contest where the Cardinals were without both Conner and Benson, Carter dressed but never saw an offensive snap—an almost unheard-of outcome for a running back who had handled 18 carries just five weeks earlier. Head coach decisions speak louder than depth-chart listings, and the staff’s willingness to ride Demercado and Knight while keeping Carter stapled to the bench shows they no longer trust him in any role, including passing downs or goal-line work.
Off-season optimism that Carter could recapture the pass-catching juice he showed with the Jets has also evaporated. Over his three most recent games he logged only five total receptions, failing to top 30 receiving yards in any contest, and quarterback Kyler Murray has instead checked down to wide receivers and tight ends when pressured. Without a defined early-down or receiving role, Carter offers no standalone value and would need a 20-plus-point blowout or additional injuries to even re-enter the conversation.
Finally, even if catastrophe strikes ahead of him, Carter’s 2025 efficiency offers little hope for spike-week upside. His 2.8 yards per carry against Tennessee in Week 5 was actually the high-water mark of his recent stretch, and his 1.6 YPC versus Green Bay in Week 7 underscores how easily defenses have diagnosed and stuffed his runs. Against a disciplined 49ers front that flows well to the perimeter and limits explosive plays, any hypothetical touches would likely produce another sub-3.0 YPC line and minimal fantasy points. In redraft leagues of any size, roster spots are too valuable to waste on a third-string back with no special-teams juice, no goal-line role, and no historical profile of breaking 50-yard touchdowns. Cut him and chase higher-upside handcuffs or receivers who at least see special-teams snaps and could inherit target volume on short notice.