Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Closes season with quiet showing

Demercado rushed twice for 29 yards and caught his lone target for 28 yards in Sunday's 37-20 loss to the Rams. He finished the season with 44 rushes for 312 yards, adding 13 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets across 13 games.

Demercado had an underwhelming 2025 campaign despite being given more opportunities than expected when both James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) were lost early in the season. The third-year running back shared backfield duties with Michael Carter and Bam Knight for most of the season, limiting his fantasy production. Demercado will enter the 2026 offseason as a restricted free agent, giving the Cardinals the opportunity to match any potential offers from other teams in free agency. With Knight also set to become a restricted free agent and Carter becoming an unrestricted free agent, it remains to be seen how this backfield will shake out and if Demercado will be back with the team next season.