The Arizona Cardinals do not have a locked‑in, clearly announced every‑down starting running back for 2026 yet, but the best current answer is: expect Michael Carter to be the nominal RB1 on the depth chart going into the offseason, with a strong chance the team adds serious competition via the draft or free agency.

What we actually know right now

  • Late in the 2025 season, Bam Knight had been starting, but he suffered a season‑ending injury, and the team shifted back to Michael Carter as the lead back, using him on about 80% of snaps in at least one game after Knight went down.
  • Emari Demercado has mostly been used as a passing‑down/change‑of‑pace option, not the primary early‑down starter.
  • The official Cardinals depth chart currently lists Michael Carter first at running back, with Emari Demercado behind him.

So if the question is “who would start if the Cardinals played a game today?” the most realistic answer is Michael Carter atop the depth chart, operating as the early‑down lead with Demercado in sub‑packages.

Context: injuries and committee chaos

The Cardinals’ backfield has been a bit of a revolving door:

  • In 2025, they lost multiple backs (James Conner, Trey Benson, Bam Knight) to season‑ending injured reserve, forcing them into a committee of Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Corey Kiner late in the year.
  • Knight had previously been announced as the starter in 2025 before his injury, with the team openly talking about a “hot‑hand” approach among Knight, Carter, and Demercado.

That history shows the staff is willing to ride whoever is healthy and playing well, rather than locking into a single bell cow.

How 2026 could change things

There are a few moving pieces that make “who will be the Cardinals starting RB” more of a projection than a fact:

  • James Conner’s contract and age
    • Conner’s deal runs through 2026, but his 2026 salary (around 8M) and age curve have sparked speculation he could be a cut or restructure candidate, with local coverage explicitly listing him among players at risk in the 2026 offseason.
* History and early‑2025 efficiency (around 3.0 yards per carry on a small sample) have been cited as reasons the team might move on or at least reduce his role.
  • Draft buzz
    • The Cardinals are openly described as “searching for a true No. 1 running back,” with multiple injuries in 2025 reinforcing that need.
* Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love declaring for the 2026 draft has already triggered speculation that Arizona could spend a premium pick on a young feature back to reset the position.
  • Depth chart flexibility
    • Even articles and analysis pieces about the “Cardinals RB depth chart” emphasize that any current projected starting lineup is a prediction and subject to change, not a definitive answer.

Put together, that means the current “starter” label is soft: Carter is first in line on paper, but the team appears highly likely to add competition.

Fantasy / forum‑style takeaway

If this question is from a fantasy or forum angle (“who will be the Cardinals starting RB?”):

  1. Short term (right now / very early 2026)
    • Most likely lead back: Michael Carter , with Demercado handling passing‑down work.
  1. After the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency
    • There is a real chance a rookie (like a prospect in the Jeremiyah Love tier) or a notable veteran free agent jumps to the front of the line and becomes the actual Week 1 starter, pushing Carter into more of a complementary role.
  1. Certainty level
    • Beat‑writer and fantasy discussion from 2025 already reflected confusion and “no one knows” vibes around the Cardinals’ starting RB situation, and that uncertainty will likely carry into 2026 until after the draft, camp, and preseason.

In other words: on paper today, Carter is “the guy,” but in practice this backfield is one of the NFL’s shakiest and most fluid situations heading into 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.