Fantasy Index

Factoid

A whole lotta Love?

LaFleur indicates rookie back should be ready

Mike LaFleur indicates there’s a good chance Jeremiyah Love will be playing on Sunday. For those who selected him, that probably means Love should be in lineups in Week 1.

Love injured his ankle while being overused in a preseason game on August 13. But LaFleur indicates Love is returning to health. “He was out there moving around today,” LaFleur says. “We’ll see on Wednesday. I’ll have a better idea for all those guys [who are injured]. … I feel good.”

The Cardinals also have Tyler Allgeier, making a one-two punch backfield look likely, particularly early in the season. But Love was the No. 3 overall pick of the draft and flashed some big-play ability in his one appearance in the preseason. In typical fantasy leagues, those who drafted Love did so because they believe he’s going to be a difference-making kind of guy, and sooner rather than later.

Love hasn’t yet played in a regular season game, of course. So there could be a learning curve of sorts. But plenty of other rookie backs over the years have been able to hit the ground running.

In the last 30 years, 24 running backs have been selected with top-10 overall picks. Nine of those guys put up big numbers in their very first games. LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Edgerrin James and Saquon Barkley – it was clear the NFL landscape had changed from the moment they stepped on the field.

Another three backs put up initial numbers that can be considered not great but credible – Christian McCaffrey (who shared time with Jonathan Stewart), Ezekiel Elliott (who went on to have a phenomenal rookie year) and Ashton Jeanty.

At the same time, half of these 24 top-10 backs didn’t finish with great numbers initially – 12 of the 24 finished with single-digit production in their first games (in PPR formats).

While I’m not a big Love fan myself (I’m not expecting him to have a crushing rookie season) it’s not really logical for those who invested in him to now leave him parked on their benches. If LaFleur’s words are accurate, then the play will be to toss him out there and see how it goes.

TOP-10 RUNNING BACKS IN FIRST GAME
YearPlayerPkOppResultRushRecTot YdTDPPR
2001LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.5Was.W, 30-336-113-21-12-0125225.5
2007Adrian Peterson, Min.7Atl.W, 24-319-103-01-60-1163123.3
1999Edgerrin James, Ind.4Buff.W, 31-1426-112-14-14-0126122.6
2017Leonard Fournette, Jac.4at Hou.W, 29-726-100-13-24-0124121.4
2005Cadillac Williams, T.B.5at Min.W, 24-1327-148-10-0-0148120.8
2018Saquon Barkley, NYG2Jac.L, 15-2018-106-12-22-0128120.8
2023Bijan Robinson, Atl.8Car.W, 24-1010-56-06-27-183120.3
2006Reggie Bush, N.O.2at Cle.W, 19-1415-67-07-52-0119018.9
1996Lawrence Phillips, St.L.6Cin.W, 26-1621-46-20-0-046216.6
2017Christian McCaffrey, Car.8at S.F.W, 23-313-47-05-38-085013.5
2016Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.4NYGL, 19-2020-51-11-1-052112.2
2025Ashton Jeanty, L.V.6at N.E.W, 20-1319-38-12-2-040112.0
1998Curtis Enis, Chi.5Jac.L, 23-2412-77-01-7-08409.4
2000Thomas Jones, Ari.7at NYGL, 16-2112-16-04-18-03407.4
2005Ronnie Brown, Mia.2Den.W, 34-1022-57-01-4-06107.1
1996Tim Biakabutuka, Car.8Atl.W, 29-626-69-00-0-06906.9
2008Darren McFadden, Oak.4Den.L, 14-419-46-01-11-05706.7
2012Trent Richardson, Cle.3Phi.L, 16-1719-39-01-5-04405.4
2010C.J. Spiller, Buff.9Mia.L, 10-157-6-04-8-01405.4
1999Ricky Williams, N.O.5Car.W, 19-1010-40-00-0-04004.0
2015Todd Gurley, St.L.10Pitt.L, 6-126-9-01-5-01402.4
2000Jamal Lewis, Balt.5at Pitt.W, 16-05-16-00-0-01601.6
2005Cedric Benson, Chi.4at Was.L, 7-93-10-00-0-01001.0
1998Fred Taylor, Jac.9at Chi.W, 24-231-2-00-0-020.2
2026Jeremiyah Love, Ari.3at LAC??????

—Ian Allan

Older
Newer

Fantasy Index