Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Players who must step up in 2020

2. James Conner, RB

James Conner‘s situation parallels Smith-Schuster’s. The soon-to-be 25-year-old Pittsburgh product entered the NFL as a third-round pick in 2017. He served behind Le’Veon Bell as a rookie before taking the reins in 2018. During Bell’s holdout, Conner racked up 1,470 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns in 13 games. He made the Pro Bowl.

However, Conner’s injuries persisted in 2019. He only appeared in ten games, and at times it seemed like fans had to hold their breaths every time he took a hit. Conner couldn’t even get through the ten games he appeared in. Several times, he left the field before the final whistle.

While Pittsburgh’s miserable quarterback play and poor run blocking didn’t help Conner, his production fell off dramatically. A year after averaging 74.8 rushing yards per game, Conner only managed 46.4 yards on the ground per contest. His receiving totals took a significant hit as more than a quarter of his receiving production vanished.

Conner needs to restore order to Pittsburgh’s backfield this season and establish himself as a reliable lead back. Otherwise, the team might not give him a contract extension after the 2020 season.

1. Ben Roethlisberger, QB

Even with one of the best defenses in the NFL, the Steelers were dead in the water the moment Roethlisberger walked back to the locker room against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. The wear and tear of dragging Pittsburgh’s offense through several seasons finally hit the aging quarterback, and Roethlisberger underwent elbow surgery.

In 2018, Roethlisberger led the NFL in pass attempts, completions, and passing yards. When he’s fully healthy, the 38-year-old can play at a borderline elite level. Roethlisberger can also pioneer comebacks and game-winning drivers with a clutch gene he developed during his vaunted career.

The two-time Super Bowl champion is rehabbing and expects he’ll be ready for the 2020 season. Steelers fans hope the team can get one or two more years of vintage play out of Roethlisberger. The future Hall of Fame quarterback built up a lengthy injury history during his career, so assuming Roethlisberger will play past the age of 40 seems like a stretch.

If Pittsburgh’s offense scored 25 points in every game last season, the team would’ve won 12 games. Even if the offense only averaged 20 points per game, the team still would’ve won nine games. Hopefully, Roethlisberger can provide the Steelers with the push they need to make it back to the playoffs.