Jeremiyah Love was one of the more controversial picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Only his performance in an Arizona Cardinals uniform can turn the conversation from overpay to genius pickup. He didn't play in the Hall of Fame Game against the Panthers, so Thursday night is the first chance he'll get to show the NFL what he's got.
Is Jeremiyah Love playing tonight? Latest Cardinals update
Head coach Mike LaFleur confirmed this week that all the Cardinals' starters will play as Arizona takes on the Raiders in Las Vegas. That may involve only one or two series of action, but Love and quarterback Jacoby Brissett (who also sat out the Hall of Fame Game) will suit up and take the field.
Love's preseason debut will be as closely watched as No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The reasons are two-fold. First and foremost, he was a gamewrecker at Notre Dame. In 2025, he rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry. However, for all his college accomplishments, the Cardinals' selecting him at No. 3 overall resulted in plenty of criticism.
Why is Jeremiyah Love under so much scrutiny?
Because of his draft position, Love has more guaranteed money on his contract than any other running back in the NFL this year. His rookie deal was the most valuable at his position until extensions for Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson and Devon Achane moved them ahead of him. He's still the fourth-highest-paid RB in the league without playing a snap.
Love was also the highest-drafted running back at third overall since Saquon Barkley in 2018. In an era when high draft picks aren't commonly spent on running backs, it was a significant risk for the Cardinals.
The skepticism around the pick is only helped by Ashton Jeanty's rookie performance with the Raiders. Selected No. 6 overall in 2025, Jeanty hasn't exactly set the league on fire. While he rushed for 975 yards in 2025, he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and 57.4 yards per game.
What can fans expect from Jeremiyah Love's debut?
There will be a lot of people watching to see if Love will prove the doubters wrong or right. And way-too-early conclusions will certainly be drawn from that first impression.
As far as preseason debuts go, he doesn't have to do much to outshine other top 10 running backs. Jeanty had three carries for -1 yard in his debut. Bijan Robinson had four carries for 20 yards.
On the other hand, Saquon Barkley's first touch in the preseason was an impressive 39-yard gain, one that displayed all the traits that would turn him into one of the league's most dangerous players.
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