James Conner

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner was able to return to a full practice on Wednesday.

Fantasy Impact

A full practice on a Wednesday is a great sign for Conner's chances of suiting up for an important Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. There is no word yet regarding if he has regained full strength in his shoulder, which is the second hurdle to clear for a back that missed Week 14 despite logging limited practice sessions. Conner should operate as the lead back, but will likely still find himself in a timeshare despite Jaylen Samuels looking doubtful.

James Conner was a full practice participant Wednesday after suffering a shoulder injury back in Week 11.

Fantasy Impact

With this latest news, Conner appears to be trending in the right direction towards starting this week against the Buffalo Bills. Conner automatically slots in as a starting option in fantasy especially with the playoffs getting underway in many leagues this week. He is currently RB10 averaging approximately 15.9 fantasy points per game.

James Conner (shoulder) is expected to practice this week.

Fantasy Impact

Conner got in some practices last week but still wasn't able to play. We'll have to see how his practice reports look later in the week but for now fantasy owners need to have a backup plan in place.

James Conner has been ruled out for Week 14 due to his shoulder injury.

Fantasy Impact

Conner will miss another week due to the injury. He's been out since Week 11 when he tried to return from the injury but aggravated his shoulder. With Conner out again, Benny Snell should continue to get a majority of the early-down work with Jaylen Samuels chipping in as the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield. Snell is the No. 26 RB in standard leagues based on our expert consensus for this week, but that ranking could rise with Conner now out considering Pittsburgh's prime matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner was a limited participant in the team's Wednesday practice.

Fantasy Impact

Conner returned to limited practice last week, but that is only step one in his return to the lineup. Step two is regaining strength in his shoulder. Conner admitted to being worried about an aggravation leading to the need for surgery, so he will not return to the field until he feels he is fully healthy. Benny Snell has been playing well in his absence, and offers RB2 upside for the fantasy playoffs.