Which backup running back will rise to the occasion?
There are only two true locks at the running back position in my mind this year: Najee Harris and Anthony McFarland. The three players who follow on the depth chart at the moment all have some questions.
I thought Kalen Ballage has had a really good camp with the Steelers, but his showings in the preseason haven’t been strong enough to secure the spot as the team’s third running back yet. Likewise, Jaylen Samuels played much better last week than he did against the Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game, but we know who he is as a runner at this point.
Benny Snell is the key factor here. Snell has missed each of the first two exhibition games while nursing an injury. With it being such a tight race as it is, he needs to show that he is healthy and up to speed if he’s going to stick around this year.
Of the three, the Steelers may give Snell the most opportunities, as he was a former fourth-round draft choice they were very high on. This game against the Lions should be very telling, and it will be interesting to see if one running back can noticeably outperform the rest and get a leg up on the third running back spot.