The Arizona Cardinals are now 12 days away from opening up the 2026 regular season.
Head coach Mike LaFleur and staff are now fully leaning in on game prep for the Los Angeles Chargers. Unfortunately, one major piece of the game planning is still working towards a return from injury.
While there are reasons to be optimistic that the 2026 first-round pick will be back for week one, nothing is definitive quite yet.
Read more about Love’s impending status ahead of the season opener below.
Arizona Might Play Without Love in Week 1
NFL insider Mike Garafolo’s segment on “Good Morning Football” on Tuesday touched upon Love’s tenuous status.
While it seems as if Love is “trending” towards being ready, Garafolo mentions that the sentiment from a source is more “50-50” at the moment.
Love, 21, suffered an ankle sprain in the Aug. 13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Opinions on how long the recovery process will be have been all-encompassing, but the fact that Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort only chose to roster three running backs is an encouraging sign.
If Love is unable to go in week one, expect free agent signee Tyler Allgeier to take the lion’s share of snaps. Allgeier, 26, is a bruising back that averages 2.0 yards after contact and has broken 36 tackles in his career (Pro Football Reference). Second-year Cardinal Bam Knight is also a factor if Love is unable to go.
Perhaps the most important sign of Love’s status is whether Arizona signs another running back in the next week-plus.
Love Still Facing High Expectations in Rookie Year
The third overall pick in April’s draft is certainly facing sky-high expectations, even through injury recovery.
Love’s fully guaranteed salary figure of $53,022,816 (Spotrac) is a record for the running back position. This instantly places onus on the Notre Dame product to be a top 10 player at the position, with room to grow into the top five.
The general expectation for Love’s rookie season seems to be 1,000 rushing yards and showing effectiveness as a receiver. Beyond this, the 6’0″ back is facing pressure to be effective in pass protection as well.
All in all, Love is fully positioned to face expectations that are rarely ever seen in a rookie year. There are reasons to believe he will reach these heights, even if it doesn’t seem so at the surface.
Perhaps the most overlooked factor is that Arizona rosters three above-average offensive lineman. Free agent signing Isaac Seumalo is the 12th ranked guard in the NFL from the 2025 season (PFF). While Seumalo is stronger in pass protection, he is above average in the run block game as well. Paris Johnson Jr. is coming off of a 72.9 run block grade (PFF), and is an absolute anchor.
Center Hjalte Froholdt is perhaps the most consequential player for Love’s growth this season. The fourth-year member of Arizona is quietly one of the most effective communicators at the position in the league.
Whether Love is active or not for week one is a mystery at this moment. However, he will have a chance to be great whenever he makes his NFL debut.
Arizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love Week 1 Status in Question Amid Injury Recovery