3 things you need to know before the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason opener

James Conner has been a nightmare for the defense

James Conner’s role once Le’Veon Bell returns is a mystery. Everyone expected him to have some sort of impact in the backfield in his rookie season, but a humbling campaign didn’t show much potential for the Pitt star.

This offseason, Conner came back leaner and more versatile. He’s dominated the Steelers defense time and time again during workouts. With another unsuccessful ending to the Bell contract negotiations, many believe Conner is the future at running back.

That all starts tonight. He’ll see a decent amount of reps in his first game. If he can find holes and break a few long runs, he’ll begin establishing reps behind Bell. But all of this depends on his productivity in their preseason opener.

All his work this offseason means nothing without a strong preseason. He should be one of the most electric players to watch, tonight, but only if he can continue to play like he has all summer.