Jeremiyah Love or Juwan Johnson: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Love’s explosiveness just edges Johnson’s steadier TE role

Love gets the narrow nod: his breakaway speed and receiving upside offer the better ceiling, though his broader-board verdict remains a sit. Johnson’s TE1 role and stronger scoring environment counter most of that edge, so Love’s projection advantage means less than it might on its own. Love’s rookie committee role is the fragile point; verified early usage remains shared [azcardinals.com 2026-09-25], and Arizona’s low total and underdog script could choke off his big-play chances. Johnson is a credible alternative, but his limited target share and tough matchup leave Love narrowly ahead.

What flips it: A further reduction in Love’s committee work.

Sources: azcardinals.com · Sep 25, 2026

AI editor

Jeremiyah Love

Jeremiyah Love

RB11ARIvs SF

Projected Points

Sit
Juwan Johnson

Juwan Johnson

TE16NOvs LV

Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium

Jeremiyah Love’s market

RUSH YDS
O/U 41.5
-113 / -113
REC
O/U 2.5
-105 / -122
REC YDS
O/U 15.5
-108 / -116
ATD
Anytime TD
+165

Juwan Johnson’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
+111 / -142
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 35.5
-114 / -110
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+285
Anytime Touchdown Props →
ARI@
SFSun, Sep 27, 4:05 PM ETView the game →
LV@
NOSun, Sep 27, 4:25 PM ETView the game →

Why Jeremiyah Love

Sit

Rookie RB in a committee backfield. Explosive big-play back with breakaway speed and pass-game receiving upside.

Sit — RB11 consensus, projects RB23 this week: 17.5 implied team total caps the ceiling, 11% target share.

  • Breakaway speed gives even a committee workload a path to a game-changing play.
  • Pass-game ability adds another way to produce if Arizona falls behind.

Latest on Love

Role

Love has played 43 percent of Arizona's offensive snaps through two games.

Jeremiyah Love As 'CMC', Tight End Stars, And Friday Before The 49ersazcardinals.com · Sep 25, 2026
Jeremiyah Love embraces his transition to the NFL

Josh Weinfuss on Cardinals rookie RB Jeremiyah Love's adjustment to the NFL.

VideoESPN · Sep 25, 2026
Jeremiyah Love adapting to the NFL pace

Josh Weinfuss reports on how Jeremiyah Love can adapt to pace of the NFL ahead of Week 2.

VideoESPN · Sep 18, 2026
The 'Looong Season' And Jeremiyah Love Workload

LaFleur reiterates how rookie running back fits into plan

azcardinals.com · Sep 18, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Juwan Johnson

Toss-Up· medium

TE1 and high-volume pass-catcher. Big-bodied converted receiver who is a red-zone and intermediate mismatch.

TE16 with a locked 69% snap role, but a 13% target share and a top-11 tough DvP matchup keep him on the streamer bubble.

  • As New Orleans’ TE1, Johnson has a more dependable weekly role than a rookie in a backfield committee.
  • His red-zone mismatch profile gives the better-scoring offense a useful way to finish drives.

The call

  • Role is secure — 69% snap share as the No. 1 TE and no injury designation after the Week 2 illness cleared, so volume isn't in question.
  • The 13% target share is modest for a position that lives on volume, and the 9.2-point projection lands him at TE16, just outside the 12-team starter line.
  • Game script is fine: 23.0 implied total as a 3.5-point favorite means a normal, competitive script rather than a pass-heavy comeback or a run-out-the-clock blowout.
  • The DvP composite ranks this defense 11 of 32 against tight ends, but it's a 2-game sample at 0.00 confidence — if the target share ticks up toward 18-20%, he's a clear start; as is, he's a coin flip against a similar TE2.

Latest on Johnson

Status

Johnson practiced in full for the first time that week ahead of Week 2 after dealing with an illness and carried no injury designation.

Yahoo Sports/Heavy · Sep 18, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricJeremiyah LoveJuwan Johnson
Projected points
Consensus rankRB11TE16
Opponent vs positionSF · 15 of 322-game sampleLV · 11 of 322-game sample
Rushing Yards18 of 32—
Rushing TDs10 of 32—
Rushing Attempts22 of 32—
Receptions11 of 329 of 32
Receiving Yards19 of 328 of 32
Anytime TD9 of 3213 of 32
Receiving TDs—15 of 32
Targets—11 of 32
Target share11%13%
Reception share11%11%
Implied total · spread17.5+11.523.0-3.5
Depth chartRB1TE1
Snap share42%69%
Start/Sit record—0–0+3 toss-ups

Recent form

Jeremiyah Love — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs SEA
Week 1vs LAC

Juwan Johnson — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs BAL
Week 1vs DET

Signal breakdown

  • 12.8 vs 9.2 projected PPR pointsJeremiyah Love +
  • Rank 11 vs 16Jeremiyah Love +
  • Opponent DvP rank 15 vs 11 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 17.5 vs 23.0 team pointsJuwan Johnson +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 42% vs 69% snap shareJuwan Johnson +

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