Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love ultimately suited up in a Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, recovering from a high-ankle sprain suffered in the preseason. Though he was outcarried by veteran Tyler Allgeier 17-11, Love predictably made the most of his relatively limited volume coming back from injury.
He finished with 41 rushing yards (3.7 yards per carry) and even scored his first NFL touchdown on a five-yard run! You could already see the flashes of upside to justify a top draft selection, even at a running back position that's not typically valued that highly around the league.
That's really all the Cardinals could've realistically wanted to see from Love, as they wisely continue to play the long game by preserving their draft investment.
Grading Jeremiyah Love's Week 1 performance
Even when Love is fully healthy, Allgeier will continue to play a key part of this rushing attack. That's by design for a Cardinals team that ranked 31st in rushing yards last season and hopes to find better balance this year with its newest offseason additions.
The fact that they carried just three running backs on the 53-man roster, the final being Bam Knight, suggests that both Allgeier and Love should continue to have solid volume going forward. In this case, that concentration works in Arizona's favor, as they suddenly have a case to make among the league's best rushing duos.
That said, even Week 1 showed that the duo's ceiling will ultimately come down to Love. In those 13 total touches, Love displayed the footwork, speed, and general "it factor" you see in elite running backs around the league. The Saquon Barkleys that look different with the ball in their hands. That's already a positive sign for Love's combination of floor and ceiling to justify the No. 3 overall pick.
All things considered, the debut couldn't have gone much better for Love and the Cardinals. Even coming off a high ankle sprain and stuck in a timeshare with Allgeier, Love looked like a strong three-down back who could contribute in whatever way the moment required. That well-rounded aspect of his game was already on display, though we're still waiting on the explosive plays he had at Notre Dame.
That should come in due time, but for now, it's an encouraging start not only for Love but also for this rebuilding Cardinals roster as a whole.
Grade: B+
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