Top 11 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates in 2026: Jeremiyah Love’s award to lose?

I’m not going to overreact to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s viral recent comments that seemed to pour cold water on the excitement about Love. Hyping rookies is anathema to a lot of coaches. I’m not sure there’s anything more to those remarks. It’s true, a running back hasn’t won OROY since Saquon Barkley in 2018. So, it would only be fitting if Love — the first RB drafted in the top five since Barkley — becomes the next rusher to take home the honor. He gives Arizona an instant centerpiece. Love is electric as a ball-carrier, a fireball with a devastating spin move, and he’s versatile enough to function like an extra wide receiver in the passing game. The Cardinals want some excitement outside of TE Trey McBride on offense, and now they have someone who can provide it in bunches. The franchise is even hungrier for wins, though, and those could be hard to come by. Mike LaFleur is in rebuilding mode in his first year as a head coach. The offense as a whole could be a work in progress, and that might lead to some painful stretches against — as I mentioned earlier in this piece — the toughest schedule in the league this season. Also, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported the Cardinals’ plan to avoid overloading Love, with James Conner and Tyler Allgeier involved in the RB rotation. We saw Allgeier take red-zone touches away from Bijan Robinson in Atlanta, and he could do the same to Love. If things really go sideways, Love could have a hard time finding openings with a questionable offensive line blocking for him. Overall, I believe he deserves his front-runner status because of his talent and the opportunity before him, but the road to OROY glory could still be a bumpy one.