The Arizona Cardinals received plenty of criticism after spending the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft on a running back. That lofty draft status only heaps pressure on Jeremiyah Love to have a big year if his team harbors any hopes of making a surprise run to the postseason.
The team's hopes of a big campaign from their highly touted rookie took a hit when Love suffered an ankle injury in the preseason. That injury had his status for the team's Week 1 matchup with the Chargers in doubt all the way up until Sunday. Fortunately for Arizona, news broke on game day that despite his questionable injury designation, Love will be active against Los Angeles to start his rookie campaign.
And #AZCardinals rookie RB Jeremiyah Love, questionable with an ankle sprain, is expected to play. https://t.co/GpcTaChidZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 13, 2026
Is Jeremiayh Love playing today? Latest injury update on Cardinals running back situation
Love being active is good news for the Cardinals and fantasy football owners heavily invested in his services. It's still unclear how much work he'll get in the opener against a stingy L.A. defense. It's reasonable to assume the coaching staff will keep his workload in check as he works his way back to full health, and there are other options in a crowded backfield.
The Cardinals do have other quality options available to them at the running back position. Tyler Allgeier should be in for a significant amount of carries in tandem with Love. The franchise brought him in from the Falcons via free agency to help build a running back room capable of withstanding an injury to a key player like Love.
Arizona Cardinals running back depth chart as injuries mount
Position | Player | Week 1 Status |
|---|---|---|
RB1 | Jeremiyah Love | Questionable but Active |
RB2 | Tyler Allgeier | Active |
RB3 | Bam Knight | Active |
Bam Knight could also get a few carries if Love shows any signs of struggling with his injury. He does not have a ton of NFL experience, but the Cardinals should be wary of giving Allgeier all the work in relief of Love if that scenario plays out on game day.
The real key for the Cardinals' running back rotation will be the game state against the Chargers. If they can keep things close, they could try to lean on the ground game to lower the pressure on their questionable group of quarterbacks. That would mean a lot of work for Love and Allgeier if both appear to be healthy enough to handle it.
If, on the other hand, Arizona gets down early, they may be forced to try to go to the air to try to keep up with Justin Herbert and Co. Their chances of succeeding in a game like that are slim, but it would lower the need for Love to absorb a bunch of carries when his body is not fully healed.
What to know about Cardinals backup running back Tyler Allgeier
Allgeier was a productive member of the Falcons' backfield, but his role was minimized after Atlanta started to give Bijan Robinson more and more responsibility. The Cardinals acquired him in free agency after Allgeier's worst season with the team, when he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry.
He thrives when he's able to get downhill quickly and use his 225-pound frame to deliver blows to opposing defenders. Allgeier won't give Arizona a big-play threat in the backfield, but he can keep the chains moving by falling forward on a consistent basis.
The simple truth in Arizona is they should not jeopardize Love's health in his first game as a pro. His long-term development is more important than their success this year. They can lean on Allgeier for one game without much concern about the long-term implications.
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