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Tyler Allgeier Has Four Games to Change the Cardinals' Backfield Plan, and It Starts in Seattle
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- Tyler Allgeier Has Four Games to Change the Cardinals' Backfield Plan, and It Starts in Seattle
Tyler Allgeier signed a two-year, $12.25 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals in March, a month before they drafted Jeremiyah Love third overall. Eight weeks into the season, the backfield is his. With Love headed to injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain, Allgeier is Arizona's lead back for at least four games, and Mike LaFleur should give him the job without hedging.
Sunday in Dallas made the case. Allgeier ran 11 times for 147 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown, and caught five passes for 44 yards and another score in the 33-30 overtime win. He played 48 of 81 offensive snaps after Love left in the first half and posted a 77.8 rushing grade, according to PFF.
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Why the Cardinals should lean on Tyler Allgeier
Nov 1, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier (22) is interviewed after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Love's rookie year hasn't gone the way anyone in the Valley hoped. He's run 76 times for 268 yards, 3.5 yards per carry, across six games, and this is his third ankle injury since August. His earliest return is the Dec. 6 home game against Philadelphia.
Allgeier now leads the team with 323 rushing yards, per CBS Sports . The fair caveat is that Dallas accounts for nearly half of it. He had 176 yards on 61 carries before Sunday, under 3 per attempt, much of it in a rotation with Love and Bam Knight. That's the argument for giving him volume. Backs who run like Allgeier tend to get better as the carries pile up, and he showed it in Atlanta, where he ran for 1,035 yards as a rookie in 2022.
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One thing to watch is pass protection. PFF graded his pass blocking at 32.5 in Dallas, though that came on four snaps.
Seattle's run defense is the real test
Oct 18, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) hands off to running back Tyler Allgeier (22) for a first down against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The first stop won't be easy. The Seahawks held D'Andre Swift to 2.6 yards per carry on 27 attempts Monday night, according to NFL.com , even though Chicago won by 17. Seattle did lose Leonard Williams to a stinger in the third quarter, and his status for Sunday will matter.
The Cardinals also have a new quarterback. Gardner Minshew gets the start at Lumen Field , and the easiest way to protect him in a loud building is to stay ahead of the chains. That means 18 to 20 touches for Allgeier, not a committee.
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If he looks like the Dallas version over the next four games, Arizona will have a real decision when Love is healthy. The No. 3 pick will get his carries back eventually, but Allgeier can make the split a lot less automatic.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
