Every draft season in fantasy football, attention often shifts to rookies and breakout candidates, leaving proven veterans undervalued. A recent feature discusses James Conner of the Arizona Cardinals as an example of a veteran running back who continues to deliver despite advancing age.
Conner, now 30 years old, is entering the 2025 season being drafted as the No. 19 running back. This comes after finishing the previous year as the No. 10 running back with 1,094 rushing yards, nine touchdowns, and a career-high 1,508 total yards from scrimmage. He also caught 47 passes and played a lead role for Arizona.
Despite his output in 2024 and continued role with the Cardinals—who extended his contract through 2026—Conner’s draft position reflects skepticism due to his age. In terms of durability, he played 16 games last season for the first time in his career and has appeared in 29 out of a possible 34 games over the past two years.
Efficiency remains a strong point for Conner. According to data cited in the analysis, he led all running backs in juke rate and evaded tackles while averaging 5.3 yards per touch and posting double-digit fantasy points in eleven games.
The presence of other playmakers such as Kyler Murray at quarterback and Marvin Harrison Jr., along with tight end Trey McBride, may impact Conner’s volume but is expected to help open opportunities for him within Arizona’s offense. While rookie Trey Benson is set to mix into the backfield rotation, Conner’s experience and usage near the goal line support expectations that he will remain productive for fantasy managers.
The discussion encourages fantasy players to weigh consistency over hype when drafting: “Drafting James Conner might be boring. But boring can be good for fantasy football. He’s a veteran RB with low hype and consistent production, who is being drafted even lower than his floor. He’s not flashy, but he’s exactly the kind of pick that wins you several weeks.”
The feature concludes by advising drafters to consider Conner late in drafts as a stable option capable of contributing throughout the season.
