The Arizona Cardinals are heading into 2026 with rebuilding-year expectations, but the offense still has enough pieces to make things interesting. Trey McBride is there at tight end, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson are on the outside, and the running back room already has a wrinkle worth watching.
That wrinkle showed up in the Cardinals’ first unofficial depth chart for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. As Tyler Drake of AZSports shared on Twitter/x, Jeremiyah Love is not listed first at running back. That spot belongs to Tyler Allgeier.
For a player drafted No. 3 overall and carrying the most guaranteed money of any running back in NFL history, that’s a notable development. Instead of opening the season as RB1, Love is penciled in behind a free-agent addition who spent most of his NFL career as a backup with the Atlanta Falcons.
It’s not exactly a total shock, since Love had already been working in the RB2 role during the preseason and offseason. Even so, seeing a high pick at a premium position miss out on the top spot still stands out.
Love may still have a significant role in Week 1 if he plays, though that part remains uncertain. But the message from this first depth chart is pretty clear: the Cardinals plan to use Allgeier in a real way, either as the lead back or in a committee with Love.
For now, Love is not the bell cow of the 2026 Cardinals offense. Not yet.
In Other News...
Cardinals Depth Chart Sends An Early Message About A Former First-Round Pick
The first depth chart of the season offered an early snapshot of where the Cardinals stand heading into the week, and one of the clearer messages came at defensive line. Dante Stills is listed ahead of former first-round pick Zachary Robinson, a sign that Arizona is sorting out its rotation with the opener approaching and rewarding the players who have earned the first crack at snaps. Elsewhere, cornerback Christian Williams has made it back from his Achilles injury earlier than expected, though he is listed behind other defensive backs as the team manages his return.
There is also some movement at linebacker, where Gibbens and Simon are expected to play and Simon is the starter for this week. Outside linebacker features the lone "or" on the card, with Zaven Collins and Baron Browning sharing the spot for now, which leaves a little room for the picture to settle as the week unfolds. For a roster still taking shape, the initial chart does not settle every question, but it does make one thing clear: a few jobs are already becoming harder to claim. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Captain Choices Just Revealed A New Locker Room Reality
The Cardinals have settled on their leadership group for the 2026 regular season, with the players voting Jacoby Brissett, Hjalte Froholdt, Mack Wilson, Budda Baker and Casey Kreiter into captain roles. It is the kind of announcement that says as much about the locker room as it does about the roster, since captain votes tend to reflect who teammates trust when the pace picks up and the season starts to tighten.
Head coach Mike LaFleur pointed to the leadership qualities of the group, and the mix itself is notable for what it suggests about the room around him. There is established presence, there is line-to-line responsibility, and there is a veteran core that has clearly earned the respect of the team, even as the Cardinals keep building toward what they want this season to become. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Camp Has One Encouraging Sign Fans Still Need To Monitor
Training camp has delivered at least one encouraging note for Arizona: head coach Mike LaFleur continues to sound upbeat about the wide receiver room, and the early reviews from Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. have only added to that sense of optimism. For a team trying to build a more reliable passing game, positive reports from its top targets matter, especially when they come alongside praise for the coaching staff and a camp atmosphere that seems to be trending in the right direction.
There is still one storyline worth watching, though, because the Cardinals are not fully healthy yet. Running back Jeremiyah Love is still working back from a high-ankle sprain, and his progress will be part of the bigger evaluation as camp moves forward. Arizona can feel good about the energy around its receivers, but the rest of the offense still has to prove it can stay on track when the pads come on and the real tests begin. [Read more 🡒]