Pittsburgh Steelers: Predicting statistical leaders for 2019 season

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PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 30: James Conner #30 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals in the third quarter during the game at Heinz Field on December 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

Rushing yards

Stat leader: James Conner

While I won’t say he’s as good as Le’Veon Bell, James Conner has his own charm. Last season, he turned a bleak running back situation into an optimistic view of the future. That being said, the Steelers still have a long way to go when it comes to developing their running game. The team finished 31st in rushing yards per game last season.

I’m looking forward to seeing how Conner has developed this offseason. Hopefully, he’ll take a big step forward in his second year as a full-time starter. He performed at a Pro Bowl level in 2018, finishing eighth in rushing yards per game among running backs with at least 50 carries. Conner’s nine runs of 20 yards or more tied for the seventh-most in the league. He also finished tied for third in rushing touchdowns, trailing only Todd Gurley and Alvin Kamara.

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Outside of Conner, the Steelers will give some carries to Jaylen Samuels and rookie Benny Snell. However, both of those backups will serve as complementary players to Conner. When healthy, Conner is an elite weapon and he will only continue to develop.

Receiving yards

Stat leader: JuJu Smith-Schuster

Several wide receiver battles are going on in Pittsburgh’s camp, but no one is questioning who the team’s top receiver is. JuJu Smith-Schuster showed incredible potential as a rookie, but he exceeded every expectation in 2018. He caught 111 balls for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished fifth in the league in receiving yards and tied for sixth in receptions.

The biggest knock against Smith-Schuster is that all of his success paralleled Antonio Brown‘s play. Brown, the best wide receiver of the last five or six years, routinely drew double or triple coverage, giving Smith-Schuster opportunities he might not have as a team’s top wide receiver.

Smith-Schuster finished with more receptions and yards than Brown in 2018, but that doesn’t mean he surpassed AB. He benefitted from playing alongside an assassin like Brown. While Smith-Schuster is a true Pro Bowl talent and will get the call to visit Orlando again in 2019, he does have something to prove this season.

We’re about to learn a lot about the young USC product.

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