Jeremiyah Love Hits IR as the Cardinals' Rookie Curse Continues

The Arizona Cardinals' 2026 draft class is officially cursed, and Jeremiyah Love is just the latest casualty.

According to Ian Rapoport, the rookie running back is heading to Injured Reserve with a high-ankle sprain that will knock him out for four to five weeks.

"Ian Rapoport reported that Love is headed to IR because of a high-ankle sprain that knocks him out 4-5 weeks."

The kicker here is that this is not even the same ankle issue that already cost him time earlier this season. Having two separate ankle sprains on two different legs in your rookie year is the kind of lower-body luck usually reserved for guys who try to take up skateboarding in their thirties.

Before his ankles decided to unionize and strike, the No. 3 overall pick was seeing a solid 16.2 opportunities per game. But that volume had not exactly translated to fantasy dominance, as Love only managed two top-24 PPR finishes before hitting the shelf.

Arizona just pulled off a 33-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys, but their backfield depth chart is now looking thinner than a single-ply napkin. The entire 2026 draft class has been a walking medical tent for the Cardinals, and losing their top pick for a month is a brutal blow to an offense trying to find its rhythm.

If you were holding out hope for a mid-season rookie breakout to save your fantasy season or cash a Rookie of the Year ticket, it is time to pivot. You cannot rack up yards from the trainer's room.

Love is out until at least December, meaning the Cardinals will have to patch together a running game while hoping their prized first-rounder can finally get both of his feet healthy for the final stretch of the season.