Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner missed Thursday's practice with an ankle injury.

Conner has emerged as a touchdown machine for the Arizona Cardinals and will remain the lead back when Chase Edmonds returns from injury. Conner will need to practice in some fashion on Friday to be active for Sunday's contest against the Lions, but the team remains optimistic. If he cannot go, Chase Edmonds, who has been practicing but has no participation level listed due to still being on injured reserve, will be back in a lead back role with Eno Benjamin backing him up. Conner is currently our 21st ranked running back for Week 15.

Kliff Kingsbury said DeAndre Hopkins is having an MRI for a leg injury. No further information.

Kingsbury also said RB James Conner will get an MRI on his ankle.

Related players: A.J. Green, Rondale Moore, Chase Edmonds

Urban's tweet added that Kingsbury said Conner probably has played too many snaps in Edmonds' absence but that Conner has held up to this point. Hopefully for the Cards and for fantasy owners, Conner will be OK for his Week 15 matchup. The good news is the team plays an early Sunday game at Detroit so owners will know Conner's status in advance if he's a game-time call. The team could be close to activating Edmonds as well, as reports said he was close to going in Week 14 against the Rams.

The Cardinals did NOT activate RB Chase Edmonds before tonight's game.

Related players: James Conner, Eno Benjamin

Three of the last four weeks Conner has logged 20 or more carries, and in that span he's recorded six touchdowns, including two receiving TDs He has 17 targets over the last four games as well. Benjamin will be the backup to Conner and has averaged about six touches over the last four games, that includes just three touches in Week 13. As the tweet said, this is shaping up to the James Conner Show vs. the Rams.

The status will hold Edmonds out until Week 14 following three games and one bye week. Eno Benjamin and James Conner will handle the backfield for the Arizona Cardinals in the meantime.

James Conner should see a bump in work but Eno Benjamin figures to be the biggest beneficiary of this loss. He recently posted 39 yards and a touchdown on nine carries in a win over San Francisco.

Cardinals RB Chase Edmonds is feared to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, source said.

Related players: James Conner, Eno Benjamin

The tweet went on to say short-term IR could be in play for the dreaded high ankle sprain if today’s MRI confirms the injury. Edmonds hurt his ankle on the first play. Generally, these are 4-6 week injuries, according to Rapoport. Conner stepped up this past week and looks like he'll get an increased workload but Benjamin also got some work and scored a TD. With Edmonds potentially out a while, those in deeper leagues will note Benjamin is a Conner injury away seeing significant time.

Cardinals RB Chase Edmonds (shoulder) was limited during Wednesday's practice.

Related Player: James Conner

Edmonds continues to play through pain and looks to do so against one of the worst teams in football Week 7.

Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Friday that RB Chase Edmonds (shoulder) is a game-time decision Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers.

Related Player: James Conner

Edmonds would miss a good matchup against the 22nd ranked defense against running backs according to schedule-adjusted points allowed (aFPA). Conner has already been busy near the goal line and would be an RB3 if Edmonds misses Week 5.

The Cardinals announced several roster moves on Monday, notably activating running back James Conner off the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Related players: Chase Edmonds

Conner went on the list on Aug. 12 as a high-risk close contact. This season, only players who have not been vaccinated are placed on the COVID-19 list for being in proximity with someone who has tested positive. Conner is expected to split the workload with Edmonds this season.

Chase Edmonds, the fourth-year pro out of Fordham, who will get every opportunity to prove he can be Arizona’s bell cow and primary running back.

Related players: James Conner

The story said Conner will get his share of carries as well, but it looks like the team will at least give Edmonds a chance to be the primary back. The story added there has been speculation from outside critics that he won’t be able to last a full season as a No.1 running back because of his smallish, 5-foot-9 stature. Edmonds added a few pounds of muscle this offseason, bulking up his legs and upper body. Even in a split, it should be Edmonds getting the passing down work giving him the edge in fantasy leagues.

The @AZCardinals continued to pick up veteran free agents as they have signed former Steelers RB @JamesConner_ one day after he flew in for a visit.

This signing certainly takes some of the wind out of Chase Edmonds' sails. Conner has missed 12 games over the last three seasons, but when he's been healthy, he's been effective, averaging 4.0-4.5 YPC and averaging at least 71.5 total yards per game in each of the last three seasons. He's a dual-threat, soon-to-be 26-year-old back who is still in his prime. We'll see if he'll have a shot at the starting job, but at a minimum, he's going to be a headache for Edmonds' owners.