Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to return to action after missing two weeks with an ankle injury. His Cardinals are in a favorable matchup against the Cowboys in one of the potentially higher-scoring matchups this Sunday, but can you add Love right back to your fantasy football lineup, or should you wait until he proves he’s ready for a full workload?
Let’s take a look at the latest on Jeremiyah Love’s status and fantasy football outlook for Week 8 against the Cowboys, and make a call on whether to start or sit the rookie this week.
Jeremiyah Love Start or Sit Advice for Week 8
The Cardinals drafted Love with the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft, and he was expected to be a huge part of the team’s offense this season. To manage the rookie’s workload, the team brought in free agent Tyler Allgeier to share the responsibility in the backfield, but Love was expected to be a regular fantasy contributor.
In his only preseason action, Love sustained a high ankle sprain, and the issue has lingered into the season. He tried playing through his ankle issue, but he injured the other ankle sometime early in the campaign. The team opted to give him a few weeks to recover after Week 5. Before that, Love did have a big game in Week 3, showcasing his upside with 21 carries for 90 yards and adding five catches for 19 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers.
That Week 3 contest was the only game in which Love played more than 50% of snaps, with Allgeier getting more snaps in three of the five games they both played. In the two games that Love missed, Bam Knight was also very involved, playing almost half of the snaps and totaling 128 rushing yards on 22 carries and 33 yards on five catches in those two contests. Allgeier wasn’t quite as effective, so it will be very interesting to see how the Cardinals divide the workload with all three backs in the mix on Sunday.
The Cardinals are in a favorable matchup against the Cowboys’ run defense in Week 8. The Cowboys have allowed the eighth-most FPTS to RBs this season and gave up two rushing touchdowns and 120 rushing yards to the Eagles’ running backs on Monday night. They have allowed nine total RB touchdowns in their seven games this season, so there is definitely potential for one or more of these running backs to return value on Sunday in a game that is tied for the highest total on the slate at 54.5 points.
Love has a high ceiling, but he is very high-risk since his role is uncertain. In season-long leagues, he’s still best left on the bench if possible until he shows he’s ready for a substantial workload. If you are in a very deep league or a desperate situation, Love is startable in Week 8, but if you can wait to put him back in your lineup, that’s a much better option.
For DFS contests like the NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st, $50K Crown Cash Throne Eligible] on DraftKings, Love has a $5,400 salary, which is a little elevated given the uncertainty of how involved he will be. Allgeier has a $4,900 salary, and Knight is the most affordable option at $4,700. Each of the three does have touchdown-dependent upside, but are hard to trust given the uncertainty of how the time share will look. Love has a high ceiling if he’s ready for a major workload, but that is far from a certainty.
