The Arizona Cardinals are getting healthier and healthier as star running back James Conner came off of injured reserve yesterday.

Just a day prior, they got their quarterback Kyler Murray activated to the 53-man roster and is destined to start against the Atalanta Falcons on Nov. 12.

But, after suffering a knee injury a month ago, what should Cardinals fans expect from Conner as he is close to returning for the NFL franchise in the valley?

This Season

Currently, Arizona rookie Emari Demercado (toe) is injured and did not practice on Nov. 9, so it looks like he’ll be out of action this week on Sunday.

Furthermore, Cardinals running backs Keaontay Ingram and Tony Jones Jr. have shared the rushing reps during both Demercado and Conner’s absences.

Once Conner is fully ready, he should be able to slot straight back into the starting lineup as the No. 1 running back.

Before his injury, Conner started in the first-five games this season and was the focal point of the Cardinals offense.

On 68 carries, Conner ran for 364 yards or 5.4 yards-per-carry.

Additionally, Conner recorded two touchdowns and received eight passes for an additional 30 yards.

However, the quarterback in which he started the season with is gone and a familiar face has returned.

Josh Dobbs was the starting QB to begin Arizona’s season and now he has gone to the Minnesota Vikings.

In the four games Conner played before the fifth in which he was injured, Dobbs handed the ball off to him, on average, 11 times per contest.

Future Impact

There is a huge question mark as to what version of Kyler Murray the Cardinals will get once he makes his season debut in 2023 following an ACL injury he suffered almost 11 months ago.

Regardless, Conner should be able to pickup right where he left off before his injury and get back to his best when suiting up in the red and white once again.

The two-time Pro Bowler in Conner has amassed exactly 4200 yards on 984 attempts and scored 46 touchdowns.

Desperately, the Cardinals need Conner to come back sooner rather than later.

Especially after the 27-0 shutout loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 5 where they only had 58 total yards of offense, adding a superstar like Conner back into the fold can pay huge dividends going forward.

Now, there is no guarantee that Conner will play in Glendale on Sunday, but there is a chance he might.

This morning, Conner was a light-practice participant as he continues his recovery.

As they are 1-8 on the season, the Cardinals can use any help they can get at this point.

The battle of the birds clash as Arizona host Atlanta inside State Farm Stadium on Nov. 12 at 2:05 p.m.