Jeremiyah Love was regarded as the clear-cut top running back in the 2026 draft class, and he didn’t have to wait long before the Cardinals chose him with the No. 3 pick on Thursday night. Love will immediately join forces with Tyler Allgeier to form a high-end RB duo in a fairly strong skill-player nucleus in Arizona. Let’s break this pick down from a fantasy standpoint.
JEREMIYAH LOVE
- Love is the unquestioned top running back in this year’s class. He never topped 199 carries in a single college season while sharing the Notre Dame backfield with fellow high-level prospect Jadarian Price, but Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry in each of his final two seasons in South Bend, finding the end zone 35 times as a rusher as well. Love is a high-level receiver, reeling in 55 catches over the last two years and averaging 9.4 yards per catch throughout his collegiate career. Lance Zierlein compared him to Jahmyr Gibbs, and Daniel Jeremiah noted he might be the best slot receiver in the class. Of course, we know better: Running backs translating into high-level slot receivers is a trope repeated ad nauseam each offseason, but the point remains that Love is a major threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Between his multi-pronged production and elite draft capital, Love is immediately in the RB1 conversation in fantasy leagues this season.
- Arizona signed Tyler Allgeier to a two-year, $12.3 million contract in March and now invests even more into the running back position by taking Love No. 3 overall. Allgeier is a unique archetype who offers nothing in the passing game, but he ousted Bijan Robinson for goal-line carries last year, so it’s fair to question whether Love will get short-yardage looks immediately. Love’s aptitude as a pass catcher locks him in as the primary pass-down back, and he’s a clear favorite for the bulk of early-down carries as well, given the investment Arizona just made in him. The primary question from a player-usage standpoint will be who gets the carries inside the 5-yard line.
- From a team-level perspective, major questions remain about the Cardinals’ ability to score points in 2026. Love is an outlier talent, but the fact remains that running back is not a premium position in the NFL, and adding Love to an offense that currently has Jacoby Brissett atop the depth chart doesn’t materially change the scoring expectation. Love will get plenty of volume, and his combination of draft capital, talent, and pass-catching outlook locks him in as an early-round fantasy pick, but the ARI offense still projects to struggle.
OTHER CARDINALS RUNNING BACKS
- Trey Benson‘s career is in bad shape. Arizona restructured James Conner‘s contract this offseason rather than simply cutting ties, and they obviously signed Allgeier in free agency before adding Love in the draft. Benson, a third-round pick in 2024, is now the RB4 on the Cardinals’ depth chart and may play his next NFL snap somewhere besides Arizona.
- Conner agreed to a reworked deal earlier this offseason but now falls to RB3 at best on the depth chart. The Cardinals have no ties to him beyond this year, and he turns 31 in early May with a new coaching staff coming to town. He’s likely competing with Benson for one roster spot.
- Allgeier goes from backing up Bijan Robinson to now backing up Love; he can’t catch a break. Love should lead this team in carries with the draft capital invested in him, and Allgeier has never been much of a pass catcher. Allgeier may compete for goal-line work, but Arizona likely won’t generate many goal-line opportunities. If Love goes down, Allgeier steps into a double-digit-carry role with a goal-line role, but he likely still doesn’t get passing downs, and the Cards’ offense remains a concern.
