Jeremiyah Love's path to bigger role facing 1 big snag
Love has had a quiet rookie season
The Arizona Cardinals surprised fans when they drafted Jeremiyah Love third overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite Love being a highly-rated prospect at Notre Dame, the Cardinals did not view running back as a pressing need, having just signed Tyler Allgeier earlier. Love's performance has not met expectations for a player of his draft value, primarily due to Arizona's reluctance to give him ample playing time.
Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur explained one factor limiting Love's role, revealing his concerns with incorporating Love into 'scat' protections and five-man pass protections. LaFleur expressed confidence in Allgeier's blocking, making him the favored back in passing situations. This poses a significant issue for fantasy football players who have invested in Love, as the Arizona Cardinals, one of the worst teams in the NFL, will likely utilize him extensively in passing game scenarios throughout the remainder of 2026.
Fantasy managers should consider selling Love now in redraft leagues, as he is unlikely to become a reliable running back2 (RB2) option this season, given LaFleur's perspective on his backfield.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
