The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking a cautious approach with James Conner's ankle injury, and that means he could miss multiple weeks before returning to the gridiron.
Doctors will re-evaluate Conner's injury Monday and there's a chance he could sit out next week's AFC showdown with the New England Patriots, a source told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Conner was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders earlier this week after tests revealed his injury was more serious than initially diagnosed.
The second-year running back out of Pitt has filled in well for Le'Veon Bell, who is sitting out the season after not signing his franchise tender. Conner's blend of power, speed and pass catching ability fit perfectly into the Steelers' offense. In 12 games, the 23-year-old galloped for 909 rushing yards on 201 carries. He also has 467 receiving yards on 52 catches with 13 total touchdowns (12 rushing).
With Conner out against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, rookie Jaylen Samuels will get his chance to prove what he can bring to the Pittsburgh offense. The N.C. State product took over late versus the Chargers last week and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass. Stevan Ridley and Trey Edmunds also could see some snaps.
As for Conner, the Steelers are hoping Monday will provide good news ahead of next week's game against their longtime conference adversary.
