Pittsburgh Steelers expected to use running back by committee

The Pittsburgh Steelers had big things planned for rookie rusher Le’Veon Bell this year, but a preseason injury derailed those plans.

Now out for the foreseeable future (though, speculation is he’ll return during the first few weeks of the season assuming all goes well in rehab), the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to use the dreaded running back by committee approach:

Per Steelers.com:

"Until Le’Veon Bell is healthy enough to return from his mid-foot sprain, the division of labor will be divided among Isaac Redman, Jones, and LaRod Stephens-Howling. It would make sense for Redman and Jones to share the bulk of the carries from scrimmage, while Stephens-Howling is used in situations that take advantage of his quickness and receiving ability. Too much pounding on his 5-foot-7 body ultimately would limit his effectiveness over the course of a 17-week season."

Some reports have linked Bell to returning as early as Week 3 while others have suggested it’ll be more like Week 6 to Week 8.

Either way, it’s not a favorable situation for the Steelers or fantasy football players, so here’s to a speedy recovery for Bell.