Details on Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love's ankle injury are a bit more specific three days after his preseason debut.
Love is dealing with a high ankle sprain and is unlikely to play again this preseason, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday. Schefter added that the team is hopeful the No. 3 overall pick can return for the regular-season opener on Sept. 13 against the Chargers.
Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur previously announced that Love would miss a week due to the ankle injury he sustained in Thursday night's outing against the Raiders. Prior to Schefter's reporting, LaFleur declined to specify in his Sunday news conference whether Love had a low or high ankle sprain.
The latter takes longer to get back to 100 percent from, which poses a challenge to the rookie as he looks to build off a strong first impression.
Love logged 14 touches against Las Vegas, going for 58 yards on 11 carries and bringing in three receptions for 14 yards. After a slow start to the contest, he put together some impressive gains of 9, 14 and 16 yards on the ground, exhibiting the ability to break big ones that made him a coveted pick in April's draft.
The injury to Love further thins a running back room that seemed to be quite crowded during the offseason, but now is dealing with a number of ailments. James Conner hasn't made it to full 11-on-11 work since last year's season-ending foot injury, and Trey Benson is dealing with a knee injury.
The tough-running Tyler Allgeier remains healthy atop Arizona's unofficial depth chart, with Bam Knight, Corey Kiner and Evan Hull also available.
After Love showcased what he can do in one touch-heavy half of preseason play, the focus now moves to recovery as the regular season inches closer.