Michael Carter

RB ARI

College: North Carolina | 4 years
Height: 5'8" | Weight: 201 lbs
Birth Date: 1999-05-07
Depth Chart: RB.4
2025 Bye Week: 8

Rostered: 21.9%
Started: 3.1%
Total Pts: 60.8
Avg Pts: 5.07
Rank: 55 RB

Fantasy WeekPts
Scoring
Week 10.40Michael Carter 4 rushing yds (0.40 pts)
Player Notes
Dec 1 5:30am CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter had five carries for 17 yards in Sunday's crushing 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13. Carter also had five catches for 47 yards on six targets. The 26-year-old was able to get involved in the passing game in Sunday's matchup to stay fantasy relevant in Half-PPR and Full-PPR leagues. Week 13 marked the first time Carter had gotten double-digit touches in a game since Week 6. Carter's fantasy value will be left up in the air with Trey Benson (knee) potentially coming off injured reserve and Emari Demercado (ankle) potentially returning in Week 14. If Benson or Demercado returns, Carter will fall to RB3 duties in the Cardinals offense.

From RotoBaller

Nov 28 9:00pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter figures to remain in the mix for at least one more game. Fellow back Trey Benson (knee) is working his way back in the mix, but has been ruled out for the Week 13 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That being said, Bam Knight figures to operate as the lead back with Carter getting mixed in as well. Last week, Carter rushed the ball five times for 28 yards in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He should once again see a handful of carries this weekend, but should fall to RB3 duties once Benson returns. Fantasy managers are unlikely to get much out of Carter after this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Nov 24 11:30pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter had five carries for 28 yards in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. Carter also had three catches for 30 yards on three targets. The 26-year-old had his most efficient rushing game of the year in Sunday's matchup, gaining 5.6 yards per carry. Carter will need to continue to maximize each carry he gets in this pass-heavy offense to stay relevant in fantasy in his limited rushing role. Carter has also not seen double-digit touches in a game since Week 6. Fantasy managers should consider Carter a desperation flex option in deeper leagues heading into Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He'll fall to RB3 duties if Trey Benson (knee) returns from Injured Reserve.

From RotoBaller

Nov 22 1:00pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter saw a spike in targets during Week 11, with a season high of seven targets in Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He finished with six yards on two rushing attempts while catching five of seven targets for 22 yards in Week 11. The 26-year-old will remain the change of pace back with teammate Bam Knight (ankle) suiting up in Week 12 despite battling an ankle injury all week. Carter is RotoBaller's 43rd-ranked running back in PPR Leagues heading into a tough Week 12 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars have allowed the fewest rushing yards and the fourth fewest rushing touchdowns this season. In a limited role, Carter will need to see a heavy workload in the passing attack to stay fantasy-relevant for fantasy managers. Carter is a desperation flex option in deeper PPR Leagues in Week 12.

From RotoBaller

Nov 20 8:50pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter is trending up ahead of Sunday's Week 12 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 26-year-old was factored out of the Cardinals' plans in the two games following their bye week, but he returned to a larger role last Sunday, catching five of seven targets for 22 receiving yards. While the sample size is too small to make any guarantees, it certainly appears that Carter could be in line to operate as the Cardinals' top receiving back going forward. He'll earn some carries, too, and managers have to be intrigued after he edged out Bam Knight for the highest snap share in Arizona's backfield last week. Knight and Carter will split most of the opportunities on Sunday after Emari Demercado (ankle) was already ruled out for Week 12. Both backs will rank as RB3/flex options, with Carter gaining a slight advantage over his backfield-mate in full-PPR leagues.

From RotoBaller

Nov 18 8:50pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter recorded a season-high five receptions on seven targets in his team's 41-22 Week 11 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. With Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) likely to miss the team's Week 12 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carter could be in line for a sizable role for a second straight week. The 26-year-old is unlikely to factor much on early downs, as Carter has fallen behind Arizona back Bam Knight in the pecking order for carries. However, Carter has recorded at least five targets in three out of six games played for the Cardinals this season. One wrinkle for Carter is the potential return of Trey Benson (knee), who could be returning soon from the knee injury that has kept him on Injured Reserve since Week 4. However, if Benson and Demercado are out in Week 12, Carter could have some deep-league fantasy appeal.

From RotoBaller

Nov 8 6:20pm CT

The Arizona Cardinals promoted running back Michael Carter to the active roster from the practice squad ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Carter was cut by the Cardinals the week leading into their Week 9 matchup against the Cowboys, but was quickly signed back to the practice squad soon thereafter. The 26-year-old has fallen out of favor after operating as Arizona's lead back in Week 5 against the Titans, when he handled 18 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown to go with five catches (five targets) for 22 yards. Carter has since fallen behind Bam Knight and Emari Demercado in the pecking order for touches and didn't play a single snap in Week 9 versus Dallas. It appears to be trending toward a two-man backfield in Week 10 against Seattle, but things could change. Carter can likely be left on the waiver wire.

From RotoBaller

Nov 3 5:10pm CT

The Arizona Cardinals announced on Monday that they elevated running back Michael Cater to the active 53-man roster from their practice squad for the Week 9 game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals cut Carter from the active roster early last week as a procedural move before quickly adding him back to their practice squad. The Cardinals are expected to "start" Bam Knight on Monday against Dallas, but head coach Jonathan Gannon said the team is going to ride the hot hand in the backfield after that. Emari Demercado is back from an ankle injury that knocked him out before the team's Week 8 bye, but the majority of backfield looks on Monday night should go to Knight and Carter. The 26-year-old will have a good matchup against the Cowboys, but he's averaging only 2.8 yards per carry in four games in 2025 and won't be a recommended DFS option.

From RotoBaller

Nov 2 7:50am CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter is heading into a plus matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. A defensive unit that has struggled to stop anyone all season long. That being said, it should be a good night on the ground for the Cardinals running backs. However, this is a frustrating situation for fantasy managers given the three-back committee. Bam Knight was announced as the starter, which means Carter and Emari Demercado will see work behind him. Last week, Carter struggled as he rushed for 11 yards on seven carries in the loss to the Green Bay Packers. Despite that, the Cardinals figure to continue giving Carter the ball as the change-of-pace back. For desperate fantasy managers, Carter could offer flex value for Week 9, but is probably better off on the bench in most formats.

From RotoBaller

Nov 1 7:30pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter has rejoined the team and looks to split most of the carries with Bam Knight again. In their last two games before the bye, Carter saw 20 touches compared to Knight's 29, so he should still see some action even though Emari Demercado has been cleared from the injury report. Especially after it was reported that he was getting first-team reps in the last two days of practice. Despite the three-headed committee in the backfield, Carter gives some low-end flex value since the Dallas Cowboys allow the second-most fantasy points to opposing backfields. Plus, he usually tends to see more work on passing plays than Knight.

From RotoBaller

Oct 31 2:50pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter has "been the first RB working with the starters both days this week," according to Theo Mackie of azcentral.com. Arizona re-signed Carter to a practice squad contract earlier this week after releasing him on Monday in a procedural move. With presumed RB1 Trey Benson (knee) sidelined for at least one more week due to a knee injury, Carter and Bam Knight should see the team's carries in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys. Emari Demercado (ankle) could factor into the backfield mix as well. In Arizona's final two games before its Week 8 bye, Knight earned 29 touches compared to 20 for Carter. Still, it appears Carter will remain a part of Arizona's offensive game plan. He profiles as a low-end flex option for fantasy managers in a favorable Week 9 matchup against Dallas.

From RotoBaller

Oct 28 2:10pm CT

The Arizona Cardinals announced on Tuesday that they re-signed running back Michael Carter to their practice squad and released running back D'Ernest Johnson in a corresponding move. The move to add Carter back to the team was made after they released him on Monday. Coming out of their Week 8 bye, the Cardinals currently only have Bam Knight and Emari Demercado (ankle) on the active 53-man roster at the RB position, so if Demercado cannot play in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys, Carter will most likely rejoin the active roster this weekend. The 26-year-old was Arizona's lead back for the first game after Trey Benson (knee) landed in Injured Reserve, but Knight took over lead-back duties the following week and hasn't looked back. Carter is only averaging 2.8 yards on the ground on 35 rushing attempts in his four games in 2025 with the Cardinals and is only a bench stash for RB depth in deeper fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Oct 27 10:30pm CT

The Arizona Cardinals plan to re-sign running back Michael Carter after releasing him on Monday, a source told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. Carter initially took over as the team's lead running back for one game after Trey Benson (knee) landed on Injured Reserve, but it didn't take long for Bam Knight to take over lead-back duties. The Cardinals are coming off their bye in Week 8 to face the Dallas Cowboys this weekend, and the 26-year-old Carter is expected to return to his duties as the RB2 behind Knight. In the Week 7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Carter had just seven carries for 11 yards. It's hard to even recommend Carter as an RB3/flex in deeper leagues as long as he's playing second fiddle to Knight in what has been a very inconsistent Cardinals offense, even in a plus upcoming matchup against Dallas.

From RotoBaller

Oct 27 5:10pm CT

The Arizona Cardinals released veteran running back Michael Carter on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. It comes as a surprise with the Cardinals coming off their Week 8 bye. James Conner (foot) is already out for the year, and Trey Benson (knee) isn't eligible to come off Injured Reserve until Week 10. Bam Knight became the team's RB1 several weeks before the Cardinals went on bye, but Emari Demercado (ankle) was unable to play in Week 7, so Arizona's RB depth was already a bit thin. With Carter now on the street, D'Ernest Johnson and Jermar Jefferson would be the next men up behind Knight in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys if Demercado misses another game. In his four games with the Cardinals, Carter averaged just 2.8 yards per carry for 97 rushing yards and a touchdown on 35 carries.

From RotoBaller

Oct 18 10:10am CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter is set to receive more opportunities after a third member of the backfield went down with an injury in Emari Demercado (ankle). During the Week 6 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, Carter saw 44% of the snap share after getting 58% against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. Against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7, Carter and Bam Knight will split the backfield work, but Carter is likely to see some more opportunities in the passing game. He received five targets in each of the last two games and turned them into seven receptions for 52 yards. The Packers are ranked fifth against opposing running backs, however, and have given up just two touchdowns on the ground this season. Carter does hold some low-end flex value in deeper leagues, but he'll be hard to trust since the Cardinals will likely go with the hot hand.

From RotoBaller

Oct 16 10:30am CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter had his snaps scaled back in the team's loss to the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, ceding work to teammate Bam Knight (knee). However, Carter could see his role expand again in Week 7, as he's currently the only active RB without an injury designation. The Cardinals' backfield has already taken significant hits with injuries to James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee). Now, Emari Demercado (ankle) and Knight have missed practice time with injury. Carter has been inefficient in his work thus far, but the team may be forced to utilize him more as they try to figure out a backfield rotation that yields dividends. Even if the fifth-year pro gets the lion's share of opportunities this weekend, he'll be a low-end option for his matchup with the league's No. 1 team against the run, the Green Bay Packers.

From RotoBaller

Oct 12 11:26pm CT

Week 6 Game-By-Game Recap: Is Rico Dowdle the New RB1 in Carolina? Adam Ronis recaps the highs and lows of the Week 6 fantasy football Sunday slate. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Oct 12 11:00am CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter is not expected to lead the team's backfield during Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Instead, Bam Knight will handle lead-back duties for Arizona. The Cardinals have been experimenting with personnel after losing James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee). Third-string running back Emari Demercado has remained in a third-down role, and it was Carter who led the unit with 18 carries last Sunday. However, he was relatively inefficient with just 2.8 yards per carry, which could be the reason why he's now in the backup role and Knight is getting an opportunity to lead the way. Knight, who had four rushes for 11 yards and a touchdown last week, hasn't started an NFL game since his rookie campaign with the New York Jets in 2022. The Colts represent a tough matchup, so Carter's reduced volume takes him off the fantasy radar in most formats.

From RotoBaller

Oct 11 12:20pm CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter leap-frogged the rest of the depth chart when he was elevated from the practice squad last week. After James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee) both went down for extended periods of time, Carter saw 23 touches and 57.4% of the offensive snaps. Leaving Emari Demercado and Bam Knight to pick up the scraps. He seems to be in line for a similar workload, especially if Kyler Murray (foot) can't play, but Week 6 presents a tough matchup. The Indianapolis Colts are ranked as the sixth-toughest unit against opposing backfields, allowing just 18.12 fantasy points per game. Carter seems to have a ceiling of a low-end RB2, which could be a decent flex play in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Oct 10 9:50am CT

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter appears poised to shoulder a significant portion of the team's backfield workload for the foreseeable future. The Cardinals are without veteran James Conner (ankle) for the remainder of the season, and second-year back Trey Benson (knee) is on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury. In the team's first full game without both players in Week 5, Carter logged 73 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 23 total touches. In contrast, fellow Arizona running backs Emari Demercado and Bam Knight combined for just eight touches. The Cardinals could be without starting quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts, potentially leading to a run-heavy game plan for the team. Carter profiles as a low-end fantasy RB2 in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Player Transactions
  • 08-Nov-2025: Michael Carter - SGN - The Arizona Cardinals signed RB Michael Carter to the active roster.
  • 04-Nov-2025: Michael Carter - PRA - The Arizona Cardinals assigned RB Michael Carter to the practice squad.
  • 03-Nov-2025: Michael Carter - ACT - The Arizona Cardinals elevated RB Michael Carter to the active roster.
  • 28-Oct-2025: Michael Carter - SGN - The Arizona Cardinals signed RB Michael Carter.
  • 28-Oct-2025: Michael Carter - REL - The Arizona Cardinals released RB Michael Carter.
  • 28-Oct-2025: Michael Carter - PRA - The Arizona Cardinals signed RB Michael Carter to the practice squad.
  • 27-Oct-2025: Michael Carter - REL - The Arizona Cardinals released Michael Carter.
  • 29-Sep-2025: Michael Carter - SGN - The Arizona Cardinals signed RB Michael Carter to the active roster from the practice squad.
  • 28-Sep-2025: Michael Carter - PRA - The Arizona Cardinals assigned RB Michael Carter to the practice squad.
  • 25-Sep-2025: Michael Carter - ACT - The Arizona Cardinals elevated RB Michael Carter to the active roster from the practice squad.
NFL Week
OppPtsRush
Att
Rush
Yds
Rush
TDs
100
Yds
RecRec
Yds
Rec
TDs
Rec
Tgt
Fum
Lost
2025 Season60.805015210221760280
Week 1@NO0.00000000000
Week 2CAR0.00000000000
Week 3@SF0.00000000000
Week 4SEA0.10110000000
Week 5TEN18.30185110522050
Week 6@IND8.4093400230050
Week 7GB5.6071100225020
Week 8bye
Week 9@DAL0.00000000000
Week 10@SEA0.40340000000
Week 11SF7.802600522070
Week 12JAX8.8052800330030
Week 13@TB11.4051700547060
Week 14LAR
Week 15@HOU
Week 16ATL
Week 17@CIN
Week 18@LAR