Cardinals’ rookie RB Jeremiyah Love is battling a high ankle sprain, report says

The Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, the team’s No. 3 overall draft pick, is dealing with a high ankle sprain that could sideline him for the Cardinals’ final two preseason games, according to ESPN reporting carried by Yahoo Sports on Aug. 17. The report also frames Love’s status for the start of the regular season, including Week 1, as uncertain if the sprain does not respond quickly.

In the Cardinals’ preseason picture, Love’s absence would be more than a simple snap-count adjustment. As a top selection, he arrived with expectations to earn offensive workload and provide a spark in a unit that needs playmaking reps. Preseason games also function as a proving ground for pass protection assignments, routes out of the backfield, and timing in the run-pass game. A high ankle injury often complicates those aspects because it can affect lateral movement and acceleration, even when a player can still work some running.

The report suggests Love is currently in “battled” territory rather than routine soreness, which matters because high ankle sprains typically require a cautious approach before a player returns to full speed. That is especially true for a running back who must close on gaps quickly, change direction in traffic, and absorb contact while stepping through the interior of the run. If Love does miss additional preseason work, the team’s staff will likely lean on that time to evaluate other options more heavily.

Arizona’s offensive depth chart in the preseason becomes the immediate storyline. With Love potentially limited or out for multiple games, the carries and targets that come free can be used to separate backup options and to confirm which complementing backs can handle third-down roles. Even when starters do not play, preseason workload affects rhythm, blocking chemistry, and the confidence that quarterbacks develop with their check-down and run-game reads.

The timing also creates a second-order question: whether Love can get enough practice time to be ready for the early weeks of the regular season. While teams do not always decide Week 1 health based solely on preseason availability, a sprain at the ankle that has already pushed a rookie toward missing late exhibition games raises the risk of a slow ramp. Cardinals coaches will have to balance the medical timeline with the need for continuity in a young player’s transition from draft-day anticipation to weekly execution.

For now, the only firmly stated item is that Love is battling a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss the Cardinals’ last two preseason games, per the report. The Yahoo Sports item does not provide additional specifics such as practice status, imaging results, or an official game-by-game designation. As the Cardinals move deeper into preseason, the key updates will be any official team confirmations about his availability window and whether his practice participation changes.

The next watch point is the Cardinals’ final preseason stretch and, following that, the first week of the regular season. If Love returns to practice and progresses normally, his workload may be eased in order to manage the sprain. If setbacks emerge, Arizona could be forced into a longer look at alternative rushing and pass-catching combinations at the start of the campaign.

Source reporting indicated Love’s absence is likely for the final two preseason contests, but until Arizona provides its own injury status language, it remains a projection rather than a guaranteed timeline. Fans and beat reporters will be looking for the type of designation that typically precedes a return to full participation.