Fantasy Football Discussion: Who is James Conner?

With news coming from Pittsburgh that Le’Veon Bell didn’t show up today for practice we need to have a Fantasy Football Discussion: Who is James Conner?

First things first, James Conner is no Le’Veon Bell. They look similar height wise but Conner at 230 pounds has a little more meat on his bones than Bell.

If this holdout is real, James Conner as the starting RB for the Pittsburgh Steelers and your fantasy team is very much a reality. Unlike when DeAngelo Williams stepped in for Bell and played lights out, Conner offers a different skill set and may not fare as well. Williams was a savvy veteran when he came to Pittsburgh. Conner is a 2nd year player with only 32 professional carries under his belt. The two backs are completely different runners.

James Conner was drafted by the Steelers in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL draft. He ran a 4.65/ 40 and benched 20 reps at 225 despite his massive frame. Conner played his college ball at Pitt University.

He began his college career playing 12 games as a freshman. He followed that up with a 13 game sophomore season. Conner was impressive in his first two collegiate seasons. 444 carries, 2564 yards and 34 touchdowns. 26 came his sophomore year. Everything was looking up for Conner, a battering ram of a runner. The type of runner that hits you before you hit him.

The 1st game of Conner’s 2015 junior season saw him tear his MCL. An injury that would leave him sidelined for the entire season. While getting tests done in December of 2015, doctors discovered Conner had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Five long months, which he still spent practicing with his team, and 12 chemo therapy sessions later Conner announced on May 23rd, 2016 that he was cancer free, cleared to play football. During his bout with cancer he displayed tremendous drive and deservedly earned himself a lot of fans and admirers.

Conner, a team captain, rushed for 1092 yards and 16 touchdowns his senior season at Pitt. He declared for the draft in 2016. His final rushing totals at Pitt were an impressive 3733 rushing yards, 52 touchdowns, 5.6 yards per carry and countless defenders ran over or stiff armed out of their cleats.

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Conner is a large man. He’s not the fastest to the edge. This could definitely be a hindrance. Watching his tape he hesitates at times when his best option would be to hit the hole hard. On the bright side if any team’s line gives their running back time before 1st contact, it’s the Steelers. Conner was an adequate blocker at Pitt and plays scrappy in the passing game. That being said, Conner and Bell are polar opposites when it comes to catching the ball. Look for Steven Ridley to garner snaps on passing downs.

The Steelers selected Jaylen Samuels out of NC State in the 5th round of this year’s draft. Samuels, like Conner is another very large back. Samuels is more of a tweaner H-back/ fullback/ tight end type of player. He can catch the rock like Ridley so seeing Samuels on the field more than any Steeler fan could ever have imagined is not out of the question.

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I think James Conner could have success as a traditional 2-down back in this high powered Steeler offense. To think he can be Le’Veon Bell is unfair to Conner. He can be LeGarrette Blount or Latavius Murray. Two guys who are very hard to stop near the goal line.

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