PHX Reporter

It was confirmed on Wednesday morning by Jonathan Gannon that veteran running back James Conner would not participate in the season finale against the 49ers. The Arizona Cardinals later placed Conner on Injured Reserve due to his ongoing right knee injury, and promoted running back Michael Carter from the practice squad to fill his spot.

The Cardinals will face their last game of the season without their top three running backs. Trey Benson was placed on IR earlier this week, and Emari Demercado has been out since December 14.

James Conner concludes his season with a career-high of 1,094 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also contributed with 47 receptions for 414 yards and a touchdown. During the season, he signed a two-year contract extension through 2026.

Michael Carter has already stepped in as Conner's replacement over the past two games following Conner's knee issues. Previously a starter for the Jets, Carter spent this season on the practice squad before being called up recently. He accumulated 88 yards on 18 carries with an average of 4.9 yards per attempt and made seven catches for 41 yards.

DeeJay Dallas is expected to be one of the backups, while Tony Jones Jr., another practice-squad member, is likely to be elevated for additional depth during game day.