James Conner Fantasy

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (ankle) and wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) and Diontae Johnson (toe) all returned to practice on Thursday. Conner, who was an injury disappointment in 2019, was injured in the season opener and gave way to an efficient Benny Snell Jr. If Conner can avoid setbacks on Friday, he should be ready to go for Week 2 against the Broncos, although it's fair to wonder how much time he'll split with Snell. Snell will be the more attractive RB3/flex for fantasy managers until the Steelers show that they're willing to go back to Conner as the featured back. Smith-Schuster and Johnson should both be fine and could both feast against a young and inexperienced Denver secondary. Smith-Schuster had two touchdowns in Week 1 and is a must-start WR1. Johnson is more of a WR3/flex with upside now that Ben Roethlisberger is back and healthy.

Sep. 17th • 11:40 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Conner left Monday night's win over the New York Giants during the second quarter after injuring his ankle and did not return. Head coach Mike Tomlin did indicate to reporters on Tuesday that they weren't ready to rule Conner out of Week 2's matchup against the Denver Broncos but the running back is certainly trending in the wrong direction. It is looking unlikely that the injury-prone running back will be able to play in that contest. Benny Snell Jr. saw 19 carries in Conner's absence and would be a solid RB2 if Conner is ruled out.

Sep. 16th • 6:43 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't ruling out running back James Conner (ankle) for Week 2 against the Broncos, with head coach Mike Tomlin saying the team will "leave the light on" for him. Conner's sprained ankle will be evaluated further on Tuesday, and fantasy owners will need to keep a close eye on his progress this week. But the injury-prone 25-year-old will be a shaky RB3/flex if he suits up, especially since Benny Snell Jr. looked completely adequate in relief while rushing for over 100 yards against the Giants on Monday night. Snell will be a popular waiver target this week, regardless of whether Conner is able to play this weekend.

Sep. 15th • 12:49 PM