No, the Steelers don’t have the worst starting RB in the NFL

A CBS analyst recently ranked the Steelers RB room as the worst in the NFL, and frankly, it is one of the offseasons silliest takes

Adam Schein of CBS Sports recently commented and claimed that Steelers RB James Conner is the worst starting RB in the NFL. The media sleeping on the Steelers has become a common trend this offseason, with stories ranging from the team hoping that Ben Roethlisberger would retire to the team being doomed because they didn’t add a backup QB. Now, the Steelers seeming find their season doomed because Conner, a former pro bowler, is scheduled to be their starter.

Now, let’s state the basic facts: Conner is a talented all-around player. He runs with a lot of power, can catch the ball out of the backfield, and can block incoming defenders. That is the definition of an all-around back, and he proved that in 2018. Conner produced 1470 total yards along with 13 TD’s, showcasing just how effective Conner can be when healthy.

That health is the key issue, as Conner has yet to play in more than 14 games in a season. Last year in particular was a rough one, as Conner suffered through early injuries and never seemed to truly play healthy. He would come in for the first few plays, reaggravate the injury, and then leave midway through the game. This in part contributed to his mediocre year with the Steelers.

The Steelers have a backfield filled with untapped potential

Schein didn’t just claim that Conner was the worst starting RB, he also went on to say that the Steelers have the worst RB room in the NFL. As stated above, Conner is good when healthy and Benny Snell ran with a lot of power last year as a rookie. Anthony McFarland should provide a good change of pace option for the team. While I personally don’t see a lot of talent with Jaylen Samuels, he can at least serve as a pass-catching option out of the backfield. Altogether, the Steelers have a capable starter when healthy and a decent crop of backups to rotate in with.

Do the Steelers have the best RB group in the NFL? No, and it probably isn’t even top ten. That said, they don’t have the worst group in the NFL. Take the Rams for example, who are set to be led by Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson. Brown has never run for more than 255 yards in a season and Henderson struggled as a rookie. While they do have a rookie in Cam Akers joining the roster, he is unproven and facing a long road to significant playing time.

Even worse, the Buccaneers are set to be led by draft bust Ronald Jones and aging veteran LeSean McCoy. Neither are top options and while the Buccaneers did add to the position with Ke’Shawn Vaughn in the draft, they have arguable the worst group of RBs in the NFL. Again, the Steelers aren’t rostering an elite RB group, but it could be much worse.

Even if Conner struggles with injuries again, the Steelers still have a better RB group than some other teams in the NFL. To say they have the worst and that Conner is the worst starter is yet another example of the media sleeping on the Steelers in 2020. Don’t be surprised when the Steelers take the field and a lot of media members have to eat their words they said this offseason.