The Arizona Cardinals suffered a devastating blow last year when lead back James Conner went down with a season-ending injury in Week 3 against the 49ers. Conner twisted his right leg awkwardly on a tackle near the line of scrimmage and had to be carted off the field. It turned out to be a severe foot injury that required surgery.
Things seemed positive early in training camp — Conner wasn't placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and has been a limited participant in practice throughout camp. But with the 2026 NFL season just two weeks away, concern is beginning to grow as he still hasn't taken part in full-team or 11-on-11 drills. On Wednesday, head coach Mike LaFleur addressed Conner's status, saying he's "still progressing" but that the team isn't sure whether he'll be ready for Week 1.
"It's starting to creep up," LaFleur said. More news: Packers GM Drops Honest Admission on Tucker Kraft’s Contract Status The Cardinals open the regular season on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Chargers in Los Angeles — giving Conner just under three weeks to ramp up his activity. But given that he hasn't returned to full practices or appeared in any preseason games, the chances of him sitting out the opener are rising by the day.
The issue for Arizona right now is that if Conner can't go, they may need to lean on Tyler Allgeier to carry a heavy workload to start the season. Jeremiyah Love was supposed to handle that role, but the rookie running back is currently nursing a high ankle sprain — a concerning injury to deal with this close to the regular season. More news: Falcons OC Weighs In on Tua Tagovailoa vs Michael Penix QB Battle More news: Dave Canales Sends Pointed Message on Bryce Young’s Future in Carolina If neither Conner nor Love is cleared by Week 1, that leaves just Allgeier and Bam Knight to handle carries — not exactly the sight Cardinals fans were hoping for.
Allgeier has proven to be a capable back, having handled a heavy workload at times in Atlanta, but he doesn't have the juice of Love or the receiving talent Conner brings when healthy.
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