The Arizona Cardinals just unleashed their first depth chart of the season, and if you’re like me, your jaw probably hit the floor. As they prep for their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, one detail jumps right out: rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, the *third overall pick* in the freaking 2026 NFL draft, is officially listed as a backup. Yeah, you read that right. A top-three pick, riding shotgun to start his career. What in the world is going on here, folks?
A Top Pick on the Sidelines? The Plot Thickens.
So, who’s the guy taking the lead? It’s Tyler Allgeier, who the Cardinals snagged in free agency this offseason on a sweet two-year deal. He’s firmly entrenched as the starting running back, according to this chart. Now, before anyone starts screaming about a bust or a terrible draft pick, let’s pump the brakes a bit. If you’ve been tracking the Cardinals’ moves at all this offseason, this isn’t a total shocker. Allgeier was consistently getting snaps with the offensive starters in practice and pretty much held down that No. 1 running back spot throughout training camp. This new depth chart? It just rubber-stamps what we’ve been seeing for weeks.
But let’s be super clear: just because Love is technically a backup doesn’t mean he’s going to be a ghost on the field. Far from it. He’s absolutely expected to play a *significant* amount. The big asterisk here is his health. Our guy is still recovering from a high ankle sprain, and his status for Week 1 is, let’s just say, a little up in the air. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur, though, is sounding optimistic, saying he believes Love will play. Listing a recovering player, especially one of this caliber, as the backup while he’s not quite 100%? That actually seems like a smart, strategic move by the coaching staff. You gotta protect your investment and let him ease back in.
Kick Returner Shocker and Sunday’s Real Test
The running back situation wasn’t the only head-scratcher on this depth chart, either. Get this: Love is also slotted in as the *third* kick returner. That puts him behind Devin Duvernay and cornerback Max Melton. Now, this one’s a classic example of “don’t believe everything you read on paper.” We’ve learned over countless seasons that the names listed on these depth charts as kick returners aren’t always the guys who actually line up to do the job come game day. Think back to last season: running back Bam Knight and receiver Jalen Brooks both returned kicks at different points, even if they weren’t necessarily the top-listed options. It’s a tricky position, and teams often shuffle players around.
So, here we are, staring down Sunday’s regular-season opener, and the biggest question isn’t just *who* is playing, but *how* the actual playing rotation will stack up against this initial depth chart. Will Love really be playing second fiddle? Will he even return kicks? We’re all gonna be glued to the TV, waiting to see if this “good plan” by LaFleur pays off or if it’s just a lot of noise. This is going to be wild, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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