Cardinals Prepare Jeremiyah Love for Lions After Ankle Recovery

Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to receive an increased workload against the Detroit Lions in Week 5 after recovering from an ankle issue that limited his playing time against the New York Giants. The Cardinals will host Detroit on October 11, 2026, with Love seeking a larger role in the offense while the coaching staff manages his health and season-long workload.

Love entered the matchup with 223 rushing yards on 55 carries through four games, according to Yahoo Sports. He has recorded 11 receptions for 36 yards and accumulated at least 45 yards from scrimmage in each of his first four NFL appearances.

The rookie was removed from Arizona's final Week 4 offensive series against New York, including four consecutive plays from the Giants' 4-yard line. The decision renewed questions about his role, although the coaching staff cited pass protection and injury management as important considerations.

Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur explained that veteran running back Tyler Allgeier offered a more established option in pass protection. Allgeier played 36 offensive snaps against the Giants, compared with 30 for Love, according to the Cardinals' official website.

Love nevertheless led Arizona with 14 carries for 63 rushing yards in that game. Allgeier recorded eight carries for 42 yards, while Love played only 11 offensive snaps in the second half.

Love acknowledged his frustration with the limited role while emphasizing his desire to contribute. He also recognized that the coaching staff was considering his longer-term health during his first NFL season.

"It's frustrating because I'm the type of guy who is willing to do whatever I can to help the team have success. I want to be out there regardless how I am feeling but my coaches care about me. They're not going to put you out there if you're not in a position to be yourself.

It's frustrating for me personally, not even with the coaches, I'm really frustrated with myself because I just want to be good. I want to be 100 percent." Love said.

He also described the physical demands of his rookie campaign and the need to manage fatigue as the season progresses.

"It's been a long year for me. Body sometimes is down, sometimes it's tired, It's managing those things. Coaches know that.

This is probably going to be the longest year of my life, and I want to manage that workload. So today, making sure they are managing me. They are doing what they need to do to keep me up for the rest of the season."

Love said.

Arizona's final Week 5 injury report listed Love without an injury designation, according to NBC Sports. LaFleur described the ankle situation as something the team was monitoring while noting that Love was doing well.

"It's a maintenance thing with ankles, you guys see the way he cuts...I don't know what he's totally feeling, only he knows...but he's doing good." LaFleur said.

Love's workload has varied considerably across his first four games. He carried the ball 11 times in Week 1, nine times in Week 2, 21 times against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3 and 14 times against the Giants in Week 4.

His Week 3 performance produced 90 rushing yards on a season-high 21 carries. His rushing averages also improved to 4.3 and 4.5 yards per carry in his last two appearances, according to Yahoo Sports.

Detroit's defense presents an opportunity for Arizona to maintain its ground game. The Lions were allowing 119.8 rushing yards per game entering Week 5, while Detroit head coach Dan Campbell acknowledged that defensive run fits had contributed to problems against Carolina.

Detroit nose tackle Tyleik Williams was listed as questionable for the game with a foot injury. The Lions had also been allowing 31.8 points per game, according to Yahoo Sports' pregame analysis.

Love's potential role near the goal line remains another important consideration. Next Gen Stats figures cited by the Cardinals showed that he played two red-zone snaps against the Giants, compared with 10 for Allgeier. Love's only rushing touchdown had come in Week 1.

Arizona also faces concerns along its offensive line. Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. suffered a torn left biceps against New York and was expected to miss the remainder of the season, according to azcentral.com. Starting right guard Isaiah Adams was also dealing with an ankle injury, leaving the Cardinals potentially needing two replacement offensive linemen against Detroit.

Despite those concerns, Love's early production has kept him central to Arizona's offensive plans. Yahoo Sports reported that his 72.6 rushing grade through Week 4 reflected solid performance, while his 71.0 pass-blocking grade exceeded Allgeier's 52.8. Those pass-blocking grades covered different workloads: 16 snaps for Love and 37 for Allgeier.

Cardinals analysts cited by azcentral.com also noted that Love had handled 52.9% of the team's rushing attempts and played 49.8% of its offensive snaps. Their assessment emphasized balancing his development with the physical demands of the running back position, particularly given Arizona's injury problems up front.

Love said before the Detroit game, "This week, I feel really, really good," after completing a full practice Friday. His availability gave Arizona the option to expand his role while continuing to monitor his ankle.