Team news: Arizona Cardinals

The current expectation is that the Cardinals will be without standout rookie running back Jeremiyah Love this week against the Broncos, sources tell @CBSSports.

Love (ankle) missed last week’s game vs. the Rams. Now expected to be out this week too.

Related Players: Tyler Allgeier, Zonovan Knight, Jacoby Brissett

Love managers should prepare a replacement. If he sits, Allgeier would remain a volume-based RB2 option, while Knight would be a viable FLEX and waiver addition. Knight outproduced Allgeier last week despite receiving fewer carries, giving him a chance to earn a larger share.

Zonovan Knight rushed for 80 yards on just 15 carries.

Knight might've had more. He suffered full body cramps much of the second half, limiting his playing time (and perhaps taking a piece from the Cardinals' red zone package.)
Related players: Tyler Allgeier, Jeremiyah Love

With Love out, Allgeier looked to be a decent fantasy play in a tough matchup against the Rams. But it turned out to be Knight who was a much more efficient back. Allgeier had just 38 yards on 18 carries. If this seems familiar, Knight had a few games last season where he averaged over 4 YPC for the Cardinals and was likely at least a fantasy flex option. He added four TDs last season as well. If Love remains out, it seems like Knight will have a chance to at least earn some carries away from Allgeier.

Arizona ruled Jeremiyah Love out for Sunday’s game against the Rams with an ankle injury. Tyler Allgeier will start, with Bam Knight backing him up. Mike LaFleur said placing Love on injured reserve has not been discussed.

Related Players: Zonovan Knight, Evan Hull

Allgeier moves into RB2 consideration with a clearer path to carries and goal-line work. Knight is a deeper-league stash or emergency FLEX, with his usefulness dependent on how much work Arizona gives him behind Allgeier. Love should remain rostered; the team has not announced a multi-week absence.

No Jeremiyah Love at #AZCardinals practice again today.

Related Players: Tyler Allgeier, Zonovan Knight, Jacoby Brissett

Allgeier should be added where available. If Love misses Sunday, Allgeier would have a clear path from FLEX territory into RB2 consideration as Arizona’s lead runner. Knight would become a deeper-league bench option behind him, but that is more in the "desperation" zone than recommended.

Jeremiyah Love wasn't practicing Wednesday, and whether he plays Sunday against the Rams is uncertain with his lingering ankle problem.

Coach Mike LaFleur said the right ankle sprain the rookie running back suffered against the Raiders in a preseason game is healed. But Love's left ankle has been a problem for a couple of weeks and will be monitored day-to-day and "we want to get this ankle right," LaFleur said.

Related Players: Tyler Allgeier, Zonovan Knight, Michael Wilson, Kendrick Bourne, Trey McBride, Jacoby Brissett

Allgeier is worth adding wherever available. If Love sits, Allgeier would have a real chance to move from a deeper FLEX into the RB2 conversation through additional carries and scoring opportunities. Knight would become a speculative option in deeper leagues, with his usefulness dependent on how Arizona divides the remaining work.

During his media availability, LaFleur said the Cardinals will have conversations on Tuesday about whether to make Carson Beck active against the Rams.

“If we think that’s what is best, [then that’s what we’ll do],” LaFleur said, via Darren Urban of the team website.

Related players: Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew

We reported Monday the Cards are planning to stick with Brissett has their starter. He struggled in the first half before a great second half to finish with 292 yards passing and three TDs. As we said, the writing could be on the wall for Brissett as the Cards have no real reason to continue to play the veteran. The story mentioned Brissett is 2-15 as the starter, but in terms of fantasy, Brissett's been a nice option most weeks. At some point, however, a switch to Beck seems to be inevitable. But, Beck hasn't been active on game days. If that changes, Brissett fantasy owners may have to rethink inserting him in lineups, because if he struggles like he did in the first half this past week, and Beck is active, the Cards have more reasons than not to give Beck a chance.

The Cardinals lost their franchise-record ninth straight home game on Sunday, in blowout fashion to the Lions. After landing on the wrong side of a 45-21 final score, first-year coach Mike LaFleur was asked whether he’s considering a quarterback change.

“I’ve got way too many other things, you know, that I need to correct right now,” LaFleur told reporters. “Jacoby Brissett was not the problem. We were a problem as a team today. And, again, that starts with me.”

Related players: Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck

Things aren't going to get better for the Cards in terms of their schedule. Brissett did struggle in the first half of the game before a pretty nice second half that saved fantasy owners. He finished with 292 yards and three touchdown passes. The run game really struggled as well and the defense gave up 45 points to the Lions. So while the blame isn't only on Brissett, his owners have to be honest with themselves and realize the end of the line could be near. The team doesn't really have a reason to stick with their 34-year-old QB, so a switch to Beck seems like it will happen sooner or later. The one thing Brissett owners may have going for them is the tough schedule, which includes the Rams twice, the Broncos, Seahawks and Chiefs over the several weeks. The Cards may not want to throw Beck in that kind of fire. But can Brissett produce for fantasy owners? The team's bye comes in Week 14 and they close out the season with the Jets, Saints, Raiders and 49ers. Any struggle like Brissett had in the first half against the Lions going forward, could result in him getting pulled.

Jeremiyah Love had 30 snaps on Sunday. Tyler Allgeier had 36. Love finished with 14 carries for 62 yards; Allgeier had eight for 42.

Whatever the reason, Love isn’t consistently where he’d like to be. It seems that the ankle is still something of an issue, even if he insists it isn’t.

Officially, it’s not the ankle. Although Love was limited throughout the practice week before the regular-season opener against the Chargers, Love has not appeared on the injury report since then.

UPDATE: After posting this news story from PFT, it's been announced Love tweaked his other ankle in Week 4.

When the game was on the line, it was Allgeier on the field instead of Love. Love had just 11 snaps in the second half the story said. Love seems frustrated with the management and wants to be on the field more and did dance around the ankle injury topic, indicating it may still be an issue even if it's not preventing him from playing. The days of Love being the workhorse back are probably coming in the future, and it seems to be part of the Cardinals plan all along to at least manage Love through his rookie season.

Through two games, there’s a statistical anomaly in the desert.

Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has just one catch for 33 yards.

Perhaps even odder, Harrison has received just four targets, despite playing 77 percent of the club’s offensive snaps.

Related players: Michael Wilson, Trey McBride, Kendrick Bourne

The team said it's not for a lack of effort, and acknowledged the team didn't pass well against the Seahawks with QB Jacoby Brissett having just 95 passing yards on 28 attempts. At the same time, Wilson has 14 targets in two games and McBride has 23. Bourne has 11. It's getting difficult for owners to put Harrison into fantasy lineups until this trend turns around.

Demond Claiborne is expected to receive an expanded opportunity while Jordan Mason misses at least four games following thumb surgery. The sixth-round rookie was inactive in Week 1. Minnesota has also promoted DeeJay Dallas to the active roster and added Jerome Ford to the practice squad, so Claiborne’s precise place behind Aaron Jones remains unsettled.

Jones should lead the backfield, but Claiborne is the most interesting longer-term addition because of his speed and receiving ability. He is a deep-league stash rather than a Week 2 starting option. Dallas could initially handle more passing-down and special-teams responsibilities.