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JAMES CONNER

Lions vs. Cardinals fantasy preview: Who to start, who to sit and sleepers to watch in Week 15

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions (1-11-1) should have some fantasy football eyes on them this weekend, with the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals (10-3) coming to town. Lions players to sit:Everybody else: Craig Reynolds, Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson could have nice days, but it’s tough as heck to predict. Reynolds, fresh off the practice squad, ran 11 times for 83 yards last week. What to do with Lions players in the fantasy football playoffs:-- Hang onto D’Andre Swift. -- Keep Josh Reynolds and Brock Wright on fantasy football radars, but they aren’t worth an add just yet.

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Steelers, Roethlisberger agree to new deal for 2021 season

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, late Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Don Wright)PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. Financial details were not immediately available, though the Steelers made no secret of the need for Roethlisberger to take a pay cut to ease some of the burden of his NFL-high $41.25-million salary-cap hit scheduled for 2021. NFL Network, citing anonymous sources, said Roethlisberger's new deal will essentially pay him $14 million this season and adds four voidable years to spread out the dead money. “We know that Ben can still play at a high level and do special things for this team,” Colbert said.

Same old Browns? Hardly. Cleveland drills Steelers 48-37

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates as he walks off the field following a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. The Cleveland Browns overcame all of it. The Browns dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37 in the wild-card round Sunday night, picking up the franchise’s first postseason victory in more than a quarter-century and earning a trip to Kansas City next Sunday to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The kick bounced into the end zone for a touchback and Mayfield calmly took Cleveland 80 yards in six plays. So much for the Browns being the Browns, a winking assessment Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made about Cleveland in the middle of the week.

Browns short-handed as they face Jets

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)The Cleveland Browns are short-handed as they try to clinch the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2002, the longest active drought in the NFL. They learned Sunday morning they will be without starting rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills against the New York Jets because of an illness. The Browns will be missing receivers Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge and linebacker Jacob Phillips. The Indianapolis Colts will be without both starting offensive tackles when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers. This comes after they placed LB Whitney Mercilus on the COVID list on Christmas.

Bills improve to 10-3 with 26-15 win over sloppy Steelers

(AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes )ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and safety Taron Johnson returned an interception 51 yards for a score in the Buffalo Bills' 26-15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. You come to play with a little extra fire.”Smith-Schuster and the Steelers weren't asked about what happened following the game. The Steelers also finished with 47 yards rushing despite the return of James Conner, who missed the past two games on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The game was decided midway through the fourth quarter after Buffalo’s Tyler Bass hit a 23-yard field goal to put the Bills up 26-15. Roethlisberger finished 21 of 37 for 187 yards with touchdown passes to Washington and JuJu Smith-Schuster and two interceptions.

Steelers overcome rust, short-handed Ravens to move to 11-0

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell (24) runs away from Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker L.J. So while the Steelers stayed perfect with a disjointed 19-14 win over the undermanned Ravens in the first NFL game on a Wednesday in eight years, their play was anything but. “To be bluntly honest, I’m really disappointed in our performance tonight,” he said after Pittsburgh improved to 11-0. But the Steelers were able to drain the clock behind a third-down grab by James Washington, eliminating the Ravens from repeating as AFC North champions. “The way the game went, obviously we wanted to win,” Griffin said.

Steelers stay unbeaten with 28-24 comeback win over Ravens

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. Ben Roethlisberger threw two second-half touchdowns, and the Steelers beat error-prone Lamar Jackson and the Ravens 28-24 Sunday to match the best start in franchise history. “I put that on me.”Beyond losing ground in the division, Baltimore lost All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley for the season with a severe ankle injury. The Steelers led 28-24 when the Ravens (5-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Pittsburgh 8 with 2 minutes left. That left Pittsburgh thin up front after DE Chris Wormley went on IR Saturday.

Steelers dominate early, hold off Titans for 27-24 win

The Steelers won 27-24. I mean, I was surprised he missed it,” Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. It’s good for us.”The Steelers improved to 6-0 for their best start since 1978, when Pittsburgh won its first seven on the way to the Super Bowl. Roethlisberger had his 1-yard TD pass to James Conner wiped out by penalty so he hit Johnson for an 11-yard TD and a 7-0 lead. UP NEXTSteelers: Visit Baltimore in a game rescheduled because of the Titans' outbreak with the Ravens coming off their bye.

Steelers stay perfect, blow out Mayfield, Browns 38-7

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) pulls off his helmet on the sideline after being sacked by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. The passing game came next, quickly followed by the optimism that somehow things would be different for the Cleveland Browns. The result when the Steelers host the Browns does not. James Conner ran for 101 yards and a touchdown, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 169 yards and a score and Pittsburgh's defense chased aching Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in the third quarter. Pittsburgh sacked Mayfield four times and picked him off twice — including Minkah Fitzpatrick's 33-yard sprint to the end zone on Cleveland's first possession.

Steelers stay perfect, keep Texans winless in 28-21 victory

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers spent two quarters trying to hem in Deshaun Watson. Slicing into the backfield relentlessly, the Steelers put the clamps on the Texans in the second half to rally for a 28-21 victory that pushed them to 3-0 for the first time in a decade. Houston managed just 51 yards and two first downs over in the final 30 minutes to fall to 0-3. After opening the season with two relatively drama-free wins, the Steelers needed to overcome an early 11-point deficit to stay perfect. Steelers: Johnson exited in the second quarter due to a concussion on the play where Roethlisberger helped pave the way for a short gain.

Steelers knock out Lock, hold off Driskel, Broncos 26-21

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH – A game seemingly in hand suddenly on the cusp of slipping away, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't overthink things. Needing a stop to turn back the surprisingly resilient Denver Broncos, the Steelers dialed up one final blitz in an afternoon filled with them. So the Broncos (0-2) hung around despite losing starting quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) in the first quarter. The Steelers recovered and went downfield for a touchdown while Lock was in the blue medical tent getting evaluated. Still, he wasn't exactly thrilled on a day the Steelers never trailed but struggled to put the Broncos away.

Defense, Snell, Big Ben carry Pittsburgh over Giants 26-16

Roethlisberger, who missed the final 14 games last season after elbow surgery, threw for three scores in a 26-16 win over the New York Giants at an empty and eerie MetLife Stadium on Monday night. The defense, while not quite on the level of the famed Steel Curtain, was plenty stingy and physical. It not only held Saquon Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries, it also swarmed him in the backfield nearly all night. Even though the Pittsburgh defense broke down as the Giants marched 87 yards on 19 plays in just under nine minutes in the third quarter, it still came up with a major stop. Roethlisberger then took Pittsburgh 62 yards for the field goal and a 19-10 lead.

Crowded house: Steelers backfield eyes consistency in 2020

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2019, file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (30) plays against the Miami Dolphins in an NFL football game, in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers running back remains adamant he can thrive in the NFL if he stays on the field. Conner understands he can't run from his resume, which includes a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2018 as well as a string of injuries that have limited his effectiveness. As long as we are professionals, we will be fine.Maybe, but the Steelers coaching staff finds itself in a tight spot, particularly at the running back spot. Maybe, the Steelers know they need more from the running game after it finished 29th in the league last season.

Vikings, Cook present NFL's latest RB contract standoff

FILE - In this Oct. 24 2019, file photo, Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Minneapolis. The Vikings have centered their offense around running back Dalvin Cook and praised him at every turn, but now the bill has come due. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, FIle)MINNEAPOLIS Dalvin Cook logged off last week from virtual team activities with the Minnesota Vikings, no longer willing to participate until he has secured a new contract. The three-year, $39 million contract Arizona gave David Johnson, who's now with Houston, might be the most realistic model. Gordon took a two-year, $8 million contract with Denver.

Steelers RB Conner focusing on present, not uncertain future

PITTSBURGH James Conner didn't treat the quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as an obstacle, but an opportunity. While general manager Kevin Colbert has repeatedly stressed the organization still believes in Conner, the club also declined to approach him with a new deal. Im not going to ignore it, but as far as me being scared or taking extra precautions because of my health history. If Im the guy, or however this year works, the goal is to win, Conner said. Im going to give it everything I have.

NFL player told he had 'about a week' to live after cancer diagnosis

James Conner celebrates after scoring against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 2, 2018, in Pittsburgh. (CNN) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner expected 2015 to be a good year. As the starting running back for the University of Pittsburgh, Conner was poised for a breakout season as a junior. "The doctor told me I had about a week left," Conner said on Mike Seander's podcast. However, after Bell chose to hold out and sit out the entire 2018 season, it paved the way for Conner to take the starting job.