PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers couldn't pick a better time for a rookie running back to be "on the rise."
Those are the words coach Mike Tomlin used to describe fifth-round pick Jaylen Samuels, whose pass-catching ability should pay off Sunday in Oakland as James Conner misses time because of an ankle sprain.
Maybe that rise coincides with Samuels' weekly preparation, which leaves him feeling comfortable running with the first-team offense.