The Pittsburgh Steelers are on a bye this week and they could certainly use it as they are dealing with an abundance of injuries. Coming off an upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Steelers will use this week to get re-charged for the second half of the season. Here are all the Steelers that are riding high off an electric performance and those that could use a spark.
RB Benny Snell Jr. – Stock Up
Did rookie running back Benny Snell Jr. convert a few doubters into believers with his performance last Sunday? ‘Snell Yeah’ he did!
Snell led the Steelers with 75 rushing yards against the Chargers and embodied the next man up mantra that this team has embraced over the years. The rookie running back has worked his way up the roster thanks to opportunity and good play. First it was an injury to Jaylen Samuels that gave Snell more carries which he took full advantage of and then after an injury to James Conner, Snell became the workhorse back for majority of the second half. His efforts helped the Steelers close out the clock on the Chargers and there is much to like from the rookie’s performances in limited duties this season. The arrow is definitely pointed up on his development.
DE Stephon Tuitt – Stock Down
Let’s just be clear here, Stephon Tuitt is receiving a stock down grade not for his play on the field but for his inability to stay on the field. There is no doubt that the defensive lineman is very talented but his health issues have been a concern since he entered the league. A torn pectoral muscle will cause Tuitt to miss the rest of the season but he is no stranger to the medical clinic. Tuitt has now failed to play a full season in six of his seven seasons and his lone healthy year came during his rookie season, when he played just 397 defensive snaps.
RB James Conner – Stock Up
James Conner’s rushing numbers are not the prettiest but his overall contributions to the Steelers’ offense has been very impressive. After a slow start, Conner has eclipsed over 100 yards from scrimmage in two of his last three games with 125 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals and 119 yards against the Chargers. It is very likely that the Steelers’ running back would have stacked up even more yardage had he not been removed with an injury last Sunday. Before exiting, Conner had scored two touchdowns and has proven himself to be a valuable asset for a team that has shuffled quarterbacks this season.
CB Cameron Sutton – Stock Up
It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that cornerback Cameron Sutton is on his way to being named the Steelers’ breakout player of the year. Sutton has been making plays week after week and he finally capped off an impressive month stretch by recording his first interception of the season on the game’s final pass last Sunday. Over the last three weeks, Sutton has recorded five pass breakups and one interception. It took only 106 snaps but the third-year corner has already set a new career high in pass breakups and there are still ten more games to go. No other way to put it, Sutton has been nothing short of a stud this season.
S Kameron Kelly – Stock Down
If there is an obvious weakness in what is an otherwise stout Steelers’ secondary, it is safety Kameron Kelly. Alex Kozora went over some of the issues the Steelers have faced in their dime package this season and Kelly has been a pretty big part of the issue. It’s been an unfortunate rollercoaster season for the former AAF superstar as Kelly has seen his stock continue to fall ever since his week one start against the New England Patriots.
WR Donte Moncrief – Stock Up
The boomerang sure did come back around for Donte Moncrief and the veteran wide receiver made sure to catch it this time around. Moncrief had just one catch against the Chargers but it was a very impressive grab as he dove for a pass near the sideline and was able to come down in bounds as well. While one catch does not mean that Moncrief’s horrendous start is forgotten, it is a step in the right direction at the very least.
