The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team, or more specifically an offense, which asks a lot out of their running back. This is by design, considering Le’Veon Bell, the NFL’s most versatile running back, has been the one in the backfield since he was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
However, when Bell elected to sit out regular season games and not sign his franchise tag tender, it opened the door for second year running back James Conner to step in, and step up.
Before the season, with heavy expectations on his back, the ongoing narrative surrounding Conner was his inability to pick up the blitz, and his lack of prowess in the receiving game — both areas Bell excelled in.