The Chiefs are about to run into a softer-looking part of the schedule, and the timing of Arizona’s latest injury only makes that stretch look friendlier. Kansas City has the Jets next, then the Falcons in Week 10 and the Cardinals in Week 11, and the trip to Arrowhead now comes with one less dangerous weapon on the other sideline.
Arizona placed Jeremiyah Love on injured reserve after he was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain coming out of Week 8. That keeps him out for at least the next four games while he recovers, which is a major hit to a Cardinals offense already trying to piece things together in the backfield.
Love entered the league with plenty of buzz after being the top running back in this year’s draft class. Arizona took him No. 3 overall, and he arrived off a monster season at Notre Dame, where he won the Doak Walker Award in ’25 after piling up 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
But his rookie year has been slowed by health issues from the start, with an ankle injury surfacing in the preseason before this latest setback. Through the season so far, he has 76 carries for 268 rushing yards and one touchdown.
The Cardinals’ backfield picture gets even murkier beyond Love. Bam Knight, listed as the team’s RB3, was struck in the helmet by Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and exited Arizona’s surprising Week 8 win over Dallas. James Conner is still on injured reserve too after suffering a foot injury early in 2025.
There is at least a chance Conner could be back by the time the Cardinals visit Kansas City in three weeks. Plenty can change before then, but right now Tyler Allgeier is the one keeping the ground game afloat. His performance against Dallas gave Arizona a much-needed lift, and he appears to be the lead back moving forward until Conner and/or Love are healthy enough to return.
Allgeier has 323 rushing yards on 72 carries this season and 451 yards from scrimmage through eight games. But the number that jumps off the page is what he did against the Cowboys: 191 total yards, a stunning outburst after the way he had been used earlier in Mike LaFleur’s offense. For now, he’s the clear centerpiece of Arizona’s rushing attack while the Cardinals sort through the injuries around him.
For Kansas City, the immediate focus stays on the Jets and Falcons. Still, the Cardinals’ trip to Arrowhead is now set to arrive without Love, and that matters. It removes one of Arizona’s biggest threats before the Chiefs even have to deal with him.
In Other News...
Chiefs Suddenly Face A Bigger AFC Question Than Fans Expected
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Even with the losses, the market is not treating the Chiefs like a team in crisis. DraftKings still has Kansas City among the AFCs top contenders, but the path back to the conferences top spot looks less straightforward now, with Buffalo and Jacksonville sitting ahead in the odds and Denver holding the AFC West lead. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Trade Deadline Pressure Is Building Around Brett Veach
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A receiver upgrade is the most obvious place for the front office to look, especially with the market offering a mix of younger playmakers and proven veterans. There are also offensive tackle possibilities in the conversation, which gives the Chiefs a few different ways to attack the deadline, but the next move will say plenty about how much urgency Veach feels to keep this team on track. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Secondary Has Another Immediate Question Fans Need To Watch
Kansas Citys secondary is already dealing with another early-season health question, and this one centers on cornerback Mansoor Delane. The shoulder issue that has followed him since the offseason flared up again in practice, and it was enough to keep him out of the Week 8 matchup with Denver. For a defense that has leaned on depth and flexibility in the back end, any absence at cornerback is worth monitoring closely.
Andy Reid said Delanes status will be handled day to day, which leaves the door open for a return as soon as Week 9 if the shoulder responds well. For now, the Chiefs are waiting to see whether the injury calms down enough for him to get back on the field, and that uncertainty is the part fans will want to track as the week goes on. [Read more 🡒]
