Albert Breer of SI reports that Jeremiyah Love’s Week 1 workload is probably a good window into how they’ll manage his rookie year workload. Love had 11 carries and 2 catches, compared to Tyler Allgeier’s 17 carries and 2 catches in Week 1. After the game, Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur reiterated that Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier are “gonna rotate” this season.
While Love can be projected to eventually earn the majority of touches and snap share (Allgeier out-snapped Love 59-43%) by the end of the year, expectations of him matching his ADP should be tempered. James Conner also waits in the wings on IR to take some snaps away upon his return – likely not enough to be fantasy relevant himself, but perhaps enough to be annoying for fantasy football managers with Jeremiyah Love on their team. Accordingly, Love is PlayerProfiler’s No. 23 RB in redraft rankings, while we are still very high on his long-term potential, placing as PlayerProfiler’s No. 4 RB in dynasty rankings.
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (foot) has been...
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (foot) did not ...
Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett ...
Evan Hull put his 98th-percentile College Target Share (17.3-percent) and 36.1-percent College Dominator Rating on display, churning out 107 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and a target in Arizona’s preseason finale. Even with Trey Benson on injured reserve alongside ankle injuries sidelining James Conner and rookie top pick Jeremiyah Love, Hull’s audition cements him as a depth stash rather than a high-volume weekly fantasy asset.
Hull’s underlying efficiency and athletic profile should lock in an NFL roster spot without altering his ceiling in standard redraft formats. Hull has moved up to PlayerProfiler’s RB87 in fantasy football dynasty leagues.
Unfortunately, the injury was not minor as video evidence shows Jeremiyah Love‘s ankle being severely torqued during an open field tackle vs. Las Vegas. Expect the Cardinals to underplay the severity of the injury all season. His elite top-three draft capital and a 97th-percentile Speed Score backed by an 11.4-percent College Target Share positions Love to command high-value touches once cleared, but his timeline for a return to full efficiency is shrouded in doubt.
A rookie running back playing for a bottom-five team facing a potentially serious high ankle sprain and subsequent intense rehabilitation is absolute worse case scenario for Love enthusiasts in both best ball and dynasty league formats. Redrafters would be wise to sidestep this landmine in fantasy leagues this month.
The Arizona Cardinals added Evan Hull, a back possessing an astonishing 98th-percentile 17.3-percent College Target Share and an 82nd-percentile 4.47 40-yard dash, following brief stints with Indianapolis and New Orleans.
Hull’s arrival coincides with Trey Benson missing practice, and he will slot in as the RB4 on the Cardinals depth chart. With Trey Benson sitting on the 53-man roster bubble, Evan Hull has an immediate window to push James Conner backfield touches. A competent satellite back, Hull is likely destined for the practice squad unless he can win a special teams role in August.
Not good. While the Arizona backfield remains a crowded committee featuring veteran James Conner and newcomer Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson managing a knee flare-up after last season’s meniscus surgery just buries him further. The raw athletic profile highlighted by a 4.39 40-Yard Dash (97th percentile) and a 116.3 Speed Score (96th percentile) remains impressive, but Benson’s career now hangs in the balance.
Benson was a favorite to land with a new team before Week 1, but the Cardinals are now laying the ground to stash him on IR to start the season. Fantasy managers must now monitor his roster status and strongly consider cutting this tantalizing talent loose in fantasy football dynasty leagues.
It High draft capital and financial commitments make Jeremiyah Love, who posted a 6.9 College YPC, and Tyler Allgeier roster locks. James Conner and Trey Benson represent realistic trade candidates following injury-riddled campaigns, though Conner’s has the efficiency edge.
Bottom line: NFL teams rarely roster four running backs who do not contribute to special teams. This report was likely planted as a signal to other NFL teams that Conner and Benson are valuable assets and available.
