The Cardinals selected Jeremiyah Love with the #3 overall draft pick. What is his realistic 2026 fantasy outlook, and how might his presence impact the fading fantasy values of James Conner, Tyler Allgeier, and Trey Benson?
First, a prediction: Arizona will do everything it can to unload Conner or Benson. They don’t need four bell-cow-caliber running backs. Conner will be a free agent after this upcoming season, while Allgeier and Benson are signed through 2027. If any of them are sent packing, then at least one of the remaining RBs would be fully rosterable. At only 23 years old, Benson is the most intriguing and perhaps undervalued backup. He has excelled when healthy.
Love won’t need their help, but that might not matter for a rebuilding franchise that’s earned only one winning season in the past 10 years. It would behoove this team to work in Love before potentially turning him loose in October or November. He’s still only 20 years old and topped out at 199 carries in his final collegiate campaign. It seems like a stretch to expect a sudden jump to 325+ touches.
Love also will be running behind a much worse offensive line than he enjoyed in college. Some managers will overreach for him because he’s one of the most talented rookie RBs in years. He’ll almost certainly be a top-18 option. But the top 10 would require the kind of volume we might see in 2027 or 2028 — not as a rookie.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Jeremiyah Love rookie fantasy outlook and impact on RB teammates