LaFleur's call and pregame signals
With the Arizona Cardinals set to open the season Sunday in Los Angeles, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will be a game‑time decision, head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters Friday. Love, the third overall pick in this year's draft, recently missed more than three weeks of practice with a high ankle sprain but has progressed enough to be considered for the opener.
Lufkindailynews adds that Love could make his NFL debut against the Chargers, but frames that possibility as not yet certain. Lufkindailynews also notes Love missed more than three weeks of practice after sustaining a high ankle sprain Aug. 13 in a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
On the practice field, Lufkindailynews quoted Mike LaFleur saying, "Still got another good day of work today to kind of figure that out, but he's trending well." That assessment, provided ahead of the final practice sessions, underscores why the Cardinals have kept the decision until game time.
What Love brings and how his workload could be managed
Love carries significant expectations into his rookie season. He was the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and enters the NFL after winning the Doak Walker Award and earning unanimous All‑America honors at Notre Dame in 2025. At Notre Dame he rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns while setting a single‑season school record with 21 total touchdowns.
Even if Love suits up, Newsweek cautions the Cardinals may be cautious with his snaps so soon after a high ankle sprain, noting that such injuries can take weeks or months to fully heal. That outlet also suggested the club might limit his workload early; Newsweek added that even on a snap count, Love's speed and breakaway ability would present a threat to the Chargers' defense.
The combination of Love's draft status and college production explains why the team has prioritized getting him involved, while the recent injury timeline explains the conservative language used by the organization this week. The team’s decision to hold off until game time preserves flexibility: it allows the staff to weigh how Love responds to final prep reps against the risk of overextending him in his first NFL action.
For Arizona, Love's presence — whether as a full participant or a limited‑snap change‑of‑pace weapon — will factor heavily into Sunday’s offensive game plan. The final determination will come only after the team's last pregame evaluations, leaving the Cardinals and their opponents to prepare for multiple possible looks depending on how the game‑time decision lands.
