Jeremiyah Love injury should make all teams reconsider RB preseason plans

Jeremiyah Love. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jeremiyah Love injury should make all teams reconsider RB preseason plans

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Aug 17, 2026 6:16 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals are rarely anyone's idea of a model NFL franchise, but they may have taught 31 other teams a valuable lesson during Week 1 of the 2026 preseason.

Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, selected third overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, suffered a high ankle sprain against the Las Vegas Raiders to overshadow a promising performance. The 2025 Heisman finalist had 11 carries for 58 yards and three receptions for 14 yards, offering a promising glimpse into his pro career.

But that may be on hold because of his injury, which will threaten his availability for Arizona's regular-season opener at the Los Angeles Chargers. As unfortunate as the setback is for Love and the Cardinals, it should serve as a warning to the rest of the league. When it comes to playing running backs in the preseason, it might not be worth it.

Jeremiyah Love injury could have serious impact upon first-rounder's return

Former Philadelphia Eagles game management coach and Jacksonville Jaguars director of coaching analytics Ryan Paganetti offered insightful data on social media Monday morning calling into question running back preseason usage.

Per Paganetti, from 2006-25, 74 running backs suffered diagnosed ankle sprains, and the average missed slightly more than four weeks (29 days). Upon return, their immediate production waned, with backs earning less expected points added, posting a lower success rate and fewer explosive runs in their first three games returning from injury.

Was 72 preseason yards worth it?

Jeremiyah Love got 14 touches against the Raiders. He finished with 72 yards and a high ankle sprain.

I found 74 confirmed incidents of NFL running backs suffering high ankle sprains over the past 20 seasons, so I looked at what happened next.…
— Ryan Paganetti (@RyanPaganetti) August 17, 2026

"Was 72 preseason yards worth it?" Paganetti asked. Most coaches, likely including Cardinals first-year coach Mike LaFleur, would probably answer no.

The analytics guru also shared illuminating overall running back injury data, noting that 14 touches — the number Love had against Las Vegas — equates to a roughly 1 in 37 chance of injury.

"Those rates are not specific to the preseason," Paganetti wrote, "but they put the decision in perspective."

As coaches determine how many reps to give players during the exhibition season, they may want to consider providing a smaller share to RB1s, if not sit them altogether.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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