Why Trey Benson did not play in Week 13? Full injury report and recovery timeline for the Cardinals RB

If you’re a Cardinals fan, Week 13 probably left you scratching your head. Trey Benson finally opened his 21-day return window, he was back at practice sort of and people were actually excited to see him suit up again. Then suddenly, he wasn’t playing. No snaps, no activation, no late surprise. Just silence and panic on the timeline. So now the big question everyone’s asking is simple: did Trey Benson suffer a setback, or was this just the Cardinals being extra cautious with their rookie running back?Let’s start with the facts. Benson is coming off arthroscopic meniscus surgery, so the Cardinals were already walking a tightrope with his recovery. Even though he returned to “limited” practice early in the week, he didn’t practice again after that. And once a player stops practicing right before a game? That’s usually a big red flag.By Friday, Arizona officially ruled him out for Week 13. The injury report still listed the same knee, but there was no confirmation of a new injury, just a clear sign that the knee wasn’t ready for game-speed work. Instead of risking long-term damage, the Cardinals shut it down and rolled with their remaining backs.So yes, it felt like a setback but medically, it’s more of a “not yet” than a disaster.Arizona still has Benson in his 21-day practice window, which means they can activate him anytime if he shows improvement. His timeline depends on one thing: how the knee responds when he ramps up again.Here’s the simplest breakdown:Nothing right now suggests the Cardinals are shutting him down for the season. They’re clearly being cautious, and Benson is too valuable to rush back.For the Cardinals, this is a patience game. They’re still juggling their running back depth, and Benson was expected to bring fresh legs and explosive speed. Without him, Arizona leans heavier on the rotation safe, but less dynamic.For fantasy players? The message is: hold, don’t panic. Benson isn’t dealing with a confirmed reinjury, but the Cardinals aren’t likely to give him a heavy workload immediately after he returns. If he’s activated in Week 14 or 15, expect a slow build rather than instant RB2 magic.Also read - Did Stefon Diggs accidentally reveal a secret marriage to Cardi B in his viral video calling her “wife” in Spanish?