Benny Snell may be forcing Steelers' backfield committee

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell could be "used more often" even when James Conner (ankle) is healthy, writes Ed Bouchette of The Athletic.

What It Means:

Snell ran 19 times for 113 yards against the New York Giants on Monday night after Conner exited with an ankle injury. "What Snell did Monday night, if nothing else, made a strong case for being No. 1A and used more often with a healthy Conner," Bouchette said. "These things also often evolve as the season progresses" He added that Snell could wind up taking over as the lead back if Conner is ineffective upon return. Conner practiced in full on Thursday and is on track to play Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, but it's not clear whether he will retain a workhorse role.

Snell added 0.06 Rushing Net Expected Points per carry in Week 1 while Conner only averaged -0.40 on 6 carries. They will take on a Broncos team on Sunday that ranks 10th in numberFire's advanced rushing defensive metric through one week of games.