5 reasons Steelers can win the Super Bowl this year
3. James Conner can be the team’s secret weapon
Conner will never make the number of big plays required to make Steelers fans forget about Le’Veon Bell’s prime. That doesn’t mean he’s not a really good NFL running back. On the contrary, when he’s healthy, he’s one of the most productive backs in the league.
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2019 was not a good year for the 25-year-old tailgate. He only played in 10 games and sported a very ugly average of four yards per carry. The franchise clearly protected him late in the year. They didn’t see the point in exposing Conner to a bunch of hits for a team that didn’t have a chance of making any postseason noise.
The upside to that conservative approach is that Conner should be fresh when the 2020 season finally kicks off. That’s hugely important for him due to his lack of size. He’s not a back built to take a ton of hits over the course of a full season.
Steelers fans should expect to see Conner’s workload managed carefully this season. That will allow his efficiency to increase dramatically. His raw numbers might not wow anyone, but his ability to make positive plays every time he touches the football will make him Pittsburgh’s secret weapon this year.