5 questions Steelers must answer to have a successful season

Can Conner stay healthy in 2020?

James Conner had a Cinderella season in 2018, filling in for Le’Veon Bell and having a pro bowl season. Last year turned out to be more stepsister than Cinderella, as Conner struggled with injuries and a lacking passing game which aided him in churning out a disappointing season. With the Steelers roster healthier, Conner needs to have a healthy season for the Steelers to succeed.

Realistically, Conner needs to play 14 games to prove he isn’t injury prone. The RB position is naturally physical, thus a ding here and a missed game here is expected, but so far, Conner has not been able to consistently play due to nagging injuries. While the Steelers have capable backups, their RBs typically need to consistently see snaps to build a groove. If Conner can’t stay healthy, the Steelers have to consider other starting options.

The 14-game mark isn’t a set number either, but the key here is healthy games. While Conner did technically play in ten games last year, quite a few he was playing injured, which caused him to not finish said games. Conner needs to play fully healthy in games this year. If not, it will be hard for the Steelers to have a consistent rushing attack. Injuries have been Conner’s biggest weakness so far, and his health will likely determine if the Steelers can re-establish the ground game.