Justin BooneFantasy AnalystFri, April 24, 2026 at 1:12 AM UTC·2 min readYahoo’s Justin Boone breaks down Jeremiyah Love’s fantasy football outlook after he was selected by the Arizona Cardinals third overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, including the running back’s projection and ranking moving forward. You can also read his reaction to every fantasy-relevant selection in the first round.
2026 projection (15 starts): 247 carries, 1,072 rushing yards, 6 TDs 45 receptions, 339 receiving yards, 2 TDs
Dynasty startup value (Superflex): RB4, Late 2nd-early 3rd round pick
The Titans, Giants and Commanders were all hoping Love would fall to them in the top-10, but the Cardinals put a quick stop to that by selecting the clear top running back in this class at third overall.
It’’s a surprising move given the massive contract that draft slot requires, which now locks Love into a clear lead-back role in an Arizona backfield that was decimated by injuries last year.
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Love might be a tier or two below the truly elite RB prospects from past years like Bijan Robinson or Saquon Barkley, but he is the total package and player who’s going to be an impact NFL starter right away. There’s an excellent chance that he'll post fantasy RB1 numbers as a rookie.
The biggest loser in this situation is Tyler Allgeier, who signed with the team in free agency. Allgeier was escaping the shadow of Bijan Robinson in Atlanta and now finds himself stuck behind another top prospect in Love, keeping him in the backup RB mix for the foreseeable future.
Prospect profile: Love has the size, skill and athleticism to be a three-down workhorse at the next level.
The 20-year-old displays good vision and patience, letting blocks develop in front of him, while also having the breakaway straight line speed necessary to create big plays. He’s also a comfortable pass-catcher (56 receptions over the last two seasons) who’s dangerous out in space.
Operating behind an elite Notre Dame offensive line certainly helped his production, but Love is a set-it-and-forget-it fantasy RB1 with a path to being a high-end producer.
Fantasy stock up: None Fantasy stock down: Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, Trey Benson