James Conner

Free-agent and former Pittsburgh Steelers RB James Conner (toe) will reportedly undergo a physical during his visit with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Fantasy Impact

Conner underwent surgery to repair a turf toe injury he sustained recreationally this offseason and is expected to make a full recovery by June. His visit with the Cardinals on Monday will include a physical, revealing how far along the 25-year old running back is with his recovery to allow them to feel comfortable with a potential signing. Conner totaled 169 carries for 721 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games for the Steelers in 2020 despite being featured on one of the league's worst rushing offenses. The Cardinals' addition of C Rodney Hudson could be the offensive line upgrade that will allow Conner to return to his full 2018 potential that saw him rush for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns. Continue monitoring one of the biggest names in free agency as he spends his time at the Cardinals' facility on Monday.

Per Jay Glazer, the Cardinals are bringing RB James Conner in for a visit.

Fantasy Impact

Currently a free agent, Conner, 25-years old, has struggled to find a new home up until this point. The veteran RB played 13 games for the Steelers in 2020 and finished with 721 rushing yards for six TD's along with 35 receptions for 215 receiving yards. After not re-singing Kenyan Drake the Cardinals are expected to add a RB to pair with Chase Edmonds either via free agency or the draft. For fantasy purposes adding a proven veteran alongside Edmonds would be a big blow to his standalone value and probably result in a shared backfield limiting fantasy upside for everyone.

In a radio spot on 93.7 The Fan, NFL's John Clayton reported that the Dolphins are showing interest in likely free agent running back, James Conner.

Fantasy Impact

The Dophins are expected to head into free agency with approximately $33M in cap space. Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed were more than serviceable in their roles last year, but NFL insiders are expecting the Dolphins to make a push at a free agent running back. While rumors about Aaron Jones and Chris Carson were prevalent, it appears as if Conner could also be in the mix. In 2018, Conner was handed the keys to the starting role in the wake of Le'Veon Bell's holdout. He racked up 1,470 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns. Since then, Conner has missed nine games due to various injuries and is averaging 51.5 rushing yards and 20.3 receiving yards per game. Clayton said that he expects Conner to receive $3-4M per year, which would probably be less than the contracts Jones and Carson are expected to draw. The NFL's legal tampering period begins on Monday at noon and free agency officially opens on Wednesday.

Per Steelers’ ESPN beat reporter Brooke Pryor, Pittsburgh is “unlikely” to re-sign RB James Conner and will likely be in the market for a running back come draft day.

Fantasy Impact

The Steelers will head into the 2021 season with Benny Snell Jr., Anthony McFarland Jr., and Jaylen Samuels in the running back room. None of these guys have shown an ability to consistently handle a full workload in Conner’s absence, so it’s likely the Steelers look to add a running back during the Draft. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Conner, but it’s unlikely that future lies in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner carried the ball 11 times for 37 yards and a touchdown and added five catches for 30 yards in a 48-37 loss to the Browns in the Wild Card round.

Fantasy Impact

Conner found the end zone on a one-yard run in the second quarter. The veteran running back is a restricted free-agent this offseason and many believe he will not be re-signed by the Steelers.