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Is Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, or James Conner the Cardinals' starting running back? Should I draft Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, or James Conner for fantasy football drafts?
The Arizona running back depth chart has undergone quite the facelift this summer.
Michael Carter led the Cardinals with 333 rushing yards last season. The runner-ups? Emari Demercado (312) and Bam Knight (269). Those names make it abundantly clear why the Cardinals led the league in pass attempts last season.
Third-overall pick Jeremiyah Love appeared to be the clear favorite to lead the backfield, over free-agent addition Tyler Allgeier and veteran holdover James Conner, until the rookie suffered a high-ankle sprain during the preseason. Which Arizona running back is the best fantasy football draft value now?
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Jeremiyah Love 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
Concerns about the Arizona offense pushed Jeremiyah Love from a second-round pick down into the third. The high-ankle sprain is dropping him even more.
The injury itself isn't enough to keep Love from playing in Week 1. It's a question mark, sure, but there is still a chance he makes his NFL debut then. But those types of ankle sprains can linger far past initial availability.
So, I get the trepidation about selecting Love as your RB2 (or RB1 if you begin with a WR-WR-WR approach), especially given the injury uncertainty. But he's also young, and one of the best running back draft prospects of the last decade.
The Heisman Trophy finalist totaled 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry in his final season with the Fighting Irish. He also averaged double-digit yards per reception and tacked on three more scores through the air. All of that, while splitting time with fellow first-round pick Jadarian Price.
Jeremiyah Love making a couple of guys miss 👀
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0zWxy27wgW
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
Everything about his profile points to a featured, every-down NFL running back. How quickly that'll come to be and whether he has enough talent to overcome a projected below-average offense are the primary questions.
Tyler Allgeier 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
Before Arizona spent their highly valuable draft pick on Love, Tyler Allgeier was signed in free agency to stand atop the depth chart. The 26-year-old has a 1,000-yard season under his belt before what happened in Atlanta happened in Arizona. The Falcons drafted Bijan Robinson with a first-round pick, and Allgeier's usage diminished.
There isn't much of a ceiling for Allgeier in his new home, but there's room for an elevated floor. If Love misses time, Allgeier is almost guaranteed for double-digit touches and whatever goal-line work Arizona musters. He did, after all, punch in six of his eight rushing touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line.
Other than that, Allgeier won't give fantasy managers any bonuses through the air. For now, though, his ADP remains in the double-digit rounds. That may rise once more details emerge about Love's Week 1 status.
James Conner 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
We all love a good comeback story, but it'll be a surprise to witness one from James Conner this season.
That's not to say the 31-year-old won't have some sort of role with the Cardinals, but a lot has to break in his favor for any fantasy relevance.
Last week, Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said Conner doesn't have a timetable to participate in 11-on-11 work in training camp. The veteran's 2025 season ended in Week 3 after a devastating foot/ankle injury. Even if he was healthy, Conner is on the wrong side of the running back age cliff, and he averaged a career-worst three yards per carry in his limited action last season.
Who Should You Draft in 2026 Fantasy Football?
It's also worth noting that third-year Trey Benson (knee) is still not a full go in training camp, and his spot on the final roster is at risk. With running backs 1, 3, and 4 on the injury report, there's a world where Allgeier is the Week 1 bellcow. Granted, it may not matter much against a strong Los Angeles Chargers' run defense, but it'll be difficult to turn the other way with that kind of volume.
Allgeier is worth a look in those double-digit rounds, but Love is still fair game at the 3/4 turn. It may be a slow start, and you'll need to attack the position in the later rounds to ensure a Week 1 starter, but he could pay dividends toward the end of the season.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Football Tool
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