Steelers' Stevan Ridley: Expected to share snaps Week 14

Jaylen Samuels said he Wednesday that he would serve as the Steelers' starting running back this weekend against Oakland, but he acknowledged the expectation of splitting snaps with Ridley, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

The Steelers may opt to take a hot-hand approach to their backfield in the absence of James Conner (ankle), who will be sidelined for the first time all season. It's also possible the Steelers adjust the personnel based on game script, in which case Samuels' receiving ability would give him a clear edge if the team plays from behind or lands in a tight contest, whereas Ridley might end up with more touches if Pittsburgh is looking to drain the clock. With Conner dominating the playing time up to this point, Samuels has logged just 56 offensive snaps this season while Ridley has played 42.