Steelers RB Kerrith Whyte proving to be a solid option in the backfield

The Steelers have been looking for help in the run game this season. Here’s why they may have found it in the form of Kerrith Whyte.

Without Ben Roethlisberger stretching the field against defenses this season, teams have been able to stack the box often against the Steelers. As a result, their rushing attack has not been a threat like it has been in years past.

James Conner was a Pro Bowl running back as a rookie in 2018. Though he has barely played since suffering a shoulder injury against the Dolphins in Week 8, the second-year running back hasn’t been nearly as effective this season. Conner has managed just 3.8 yards per carry on the ground over 102 rushing attempts.

Jaylen Samuels has struggled even worse. Samuels averaged a respectable 4.6 yards per carry last year, but with an increased workload in year two, that number is down to just 2.6 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, Benny Snell has had some promising performances as a rookie, but his 4.0 yards per attempt are still just average compared to other running backs around the league.

Three weeks ago, the Steelers received some unexpected help at the position. Former Bears 7th round draft choice, Kerrith Whyte, was signed by Pittsburgh, and the team felt his impact right away.

Though Whyte only has 14 career rushing attempts under his belt (all with the Steelers), he has provided a much-needed spark to a team lacking speed and quickness at the position. Whyte’s suddenness, burst, and ball-carrier vision have allowed him to chew up 6.7 yards per carry in the early going for Pittsburgh. He even pitched in a touchdown through the air on his lone target in the passing game.

Dating back nearly a decade, the Steelers always seemed to have a love for big, powerful backs that could carry the load. Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell, James Conner, and Benny Snell have all fit that mold – players with ideal size and contact balance to run between the tackles.

While Kerrith Whyte isn’t the type of runner Pittsburgh typically covets (just 5’10” and 204 pounds), he may be exactly what they have been searching for. Whyte is electrifying with the ball in his hands and he possesses a wiggle and burst that no other back on the team has.

The rookie also shows potential to help out in the return game – managing a 34-yard runback on one of just six attempts so far.

Whyte had his best game to date against the Cardinals this past week, and he is proving to be a solid option for the Steelers on the ground. If he continues this progress, the rookie running back could see an increased role moving forward.