Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is trending toward playing in his team’s 2026 season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers despite dealing with a high-ankle sprain suffered during the preseason, according to head coach Mike LaFleur and reporting from ESPN.
The Arizona Cardinals head into their season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers facing immediate questions about the health and availability of their draft choice.
Preseason Injury Shakes Up Arizona Backfield
The path to Week 1 has not been entirely straightforward for the organization’s prized rookie. The first running back selected in the 2026 NFL Draft suffered a high-ankle sprain during Arizona’s preseason debut on August 13 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Before exiting that matchup, the former Notre Dame star flashed the explosive playmaking ability that convinced the front office to make him the highest-paid running back in the league in guaranteed money, securing a rookie deal worth $50.5 million.
In that lone preseason appearance, he rushed 11 times for 58 yards and caught three passes for 14 yards. Coaches initially believed he escaped serious injury, but the physical toll set in the following morning. Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said he came in yesterday a little bit more sore than he left
and noted that the team kept him sidelined for the remainder of the preseason as the joint healed.
Coach and Insider Updates Point to Sunday Availability
Despite being listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday of game week, the rookie’s status has steadily improved. Reporting from NFL insider Mike Garafolo on Friday indicated that LaFleur confirmed the player was trending well
toward playing against the Chargers. That assessment aligned directly with ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, who reported that a source confirmed the expectation is for Love to suit up.
“If they want to put me out there, I’m going to go out and play, whether my ankle feels 100 percent, 50 percent, 70 percent, I just want to play football.”
Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals running back, via ClutchPoints
The player made it clear during media availability that his competitive desire remains absolute, though he ultimately defers to the coaching staff regarding his clearance. Speaking to reporters including Bo Brack, the running back emphasized his eagerness to experience regular-season football for the first time.
High Expectations and Backfield Dynamics
The stakes for the Cardinals’ offense are high. Coming off a collegiate stretch where he won the Doak Walker Award, led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 35 rushing touchdowns and 40 total scrimmage touchdowns over two seasons, and set a Notre Dame program record with 3,014 yards from scrimmage, the rookie enters the professional ranks as a favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Even so, managing his workload remains a critical storyline. Observers note that Tyler Allgeier is listed as first string on the official depth chart, raising fair questions about how heavily the coaching staff will lean on the recovering rookie in his debut. Analysts suggest the team could deploy him on a pitch count to protect his ankle over the course of the long season.
What to Watch on Sunday
As game day arrives, all eyes turn to pregame warmups at the stadium to verify whether the rookie clears his final medical hurdles. How the Cardinals divide snaps between their backfield options against the Chargers will offer the first concrete look at how this new offense intends to establish its identity under LaFleur.
