26 Anthony McFarland RB

McFarland should see an increased workload in Tuesday's game against the Ravens following news that both James Conner (COVID-19) and Jaylen Samuels (quadriceps) are ruled out, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Benny Snell figures to handle a bulk of the backfield reps, leaving a change-of-pace role for McFarland. Coach Mike Tomlin has been hesitant about utilizing McFarland thus far, as the rookie fourth-rounder hasn't played more than 10 snaps in a game. In limited action, McFarland has recorded 95 yards from scrimmage on 24 touches.

McFarland recorded three carries for three yards in Sunday's 27-3 win over the Jaguars.

McFarland was unable to suit up Week 10 due to a non-COVID-19-related illness, but he returned to action against Jacksonville. The 2020 fourth-rounder was on the field for five offensive snaps, touching the ball three times in the win. McFarland has racked up 67 rushing yards on 20 carries while also hauling in four receptions for 28 yards during his rookie season.

McFarland (illness) was a full participant in practice Wednesday.

McFarland came down with a non-COVID-19-related illness prior to last week's win over Cincinnati and ended up sitting out, but he has evidently recovered from the ailment. The rookie will be in the mix for change-of-pace work behind top back James Conner in Sunday's game in Jacksonville.

McFarland (illness) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Bengals, Dale Lolley of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

The rookie fourth-round pick missed the final two practices of the week before receiving the questionable tag, and he won't be available for Sunday's contest. McFarland has five touches for 13 yards this season, and James Conner should continue to handle the bulk of the backfield work for Pittsburgh.

McFarland (illness) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.

McFarland has now missed back-to-back practices while dealing with an ailment, making his status for Week 10 murky. The rookie fourth-round pick has generally handled five to 10 offensive snaps per game since Pittsburgh's Week 4 bye, so he isn't on the fantasy radar in most formats.

McFarland (illness) was a non-participant during the Steelers' practice session Thursday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

This development is damaging news to the prospects of McFarland suiting up Sunday against Cincinnati, as Dale Lolley of DKPittsburghSports.com notes that coach Mike Tomlin has a tendency to sit rookies who miss practice throughout the week. McFarland fielded five offensive touches for a total of 22 scrimmage yards last Sunday at Dallas, but a sudden appearance on the injury report places the 21-year-old's status in question for Week 10.

McFarland recorded three carries for seven yards while hauling in both of his targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 24-19 win over the Cowboys.

McFarland's eight offensive snaps Sunday slightly outpaced Benny Snell's five, and the 2020 fourth-rounder had his highest number of touches since Week 3. McFarland earned four touches on the Steelers' first drive of the second quarter before notching a six-yard carry in the fourth. The 21-year-old has logged double-digit snaps just twice this year and has failed to establish much of a role during his rookie season.

McFarland recorded one carry for one yard in Sunday's 28-24 win over the Ravens.

The Steelers relied heavily on the passing game Sunday, but McFarland had a carry on his only offensive play. The 2020 fourth-rounder has recorded just 21 yards from scrimmage on nine touches over the past four weeks.

McFarland recorded one carry for six yards in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Titans.

McFarland was on the field for just five of the team's 79 offensive snaps Sunday, as he was outpaced by Jaylen Samuels (nine snaps) and Benny Snell (six snaps). While he was relatively effective by recording six yards on his single carry, the 2020 fourth-round pick has played just 20 snaps over the last three weeks while recording seven carries for 14 yards.

McFarland rushed three times for two yards while hauling in his lone target for six yards in Sunday's 38-7 win over the Browns.

Although the Steelers gained a comfortable lead Sunday, McFarland still saw minimal work in the contest, taking the field for 10 of a possible 65 snaps on offense. Much of the late-game rushing work went to fellow depth option Benny Snell, who scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. McFarland was effective with limited touches in his season debut against the Texans in Week 3, but overall the 2020 fourth-rounder has recorded just 63 yards from scrimmage while appearing in three games for Pittsburgh.

McFarland ran three times for six yards in Sunday's 38-29 win over the Eagles.

McFarland recorded his first touches as a pro during the Steelers' last game, but his workload decreased Sunday against the Eagles as he averaged just two yards per carry. The 2020 fourth-rounder was outpaced in the contest by Benny Snell, who recorded seven carries, including one on the goal line. James Conner has been fully healthy in recent weeks as Pittsburgh's lead back; in that context, McFarland's fantasy upside is limited as he continues to split complementary backfield work with Snell.

McFarland ran for 42 yards on six carries and caught one of two targets for seven yards in the Steelers' 28-21 Week 3 win over the Texans on Sunday.

The rookie and Benny Snell split carries to keep James Conner fresh, but Snell managed just 11 yards on his seven carries. There is no question Conner (109 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries) is the workhorse in the backfield, but McFarland's performance may cost Snell some snaps moving forward.

McFarland will make his NFL debut in Sunday's game versus the Broncos, Dale Lolley of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

McFarland -- a rookie fourth-round pick -- was a healthy scratch in the season opener, a game in which James Conner sustained an ankle injury. Conner is healthy and expected to start against the Broncos, but McFarland will add depth and could serve as a change-of-pace back.

McFarland is inactive for Monday night's season opener against the Giants, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

With McFarland's NFL debut on hold, the Steelers will roll out a Week 1 backfield led by James Conner, with Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels set to work in reserve/change-of-pace roles.

McFarland (concussion) is not listed on Thursday's injury report, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

McFarland dealt with a concussion in late August, but he's since managed to fully clear the league's five-step protocol for brain injuries. With a healthy James Conner primed for deployment as Pittsburgh's bell-cow back, McFarland looks set to begin his career in a depth role against the Giants on Monday.

McFarland has been placed in the concussion protocol, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

A fourth-round pick of the Steelers in April, McFarland didn't find himself in a great situation for immediate reps in a backfield led by James Conner and decent enough depth behind him (Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels). Now that he's dealing with a head injury, there's no telling when McFarland will be able to make inroads again on the RB depth chart.

The Steelers selected McFarland in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, 124th overall.

This is an incredibly intriguing selection, as McFarland was arguably one of the best skill-position players still left on the board in the fourth round, while he goes to a team that might be in quiet need of a running back. The Maryland product runs hard, and his 4.44-yard dash is reflective of what you see on tape. Injuries potentially hindered McFarland's outlook, as a high-ankle sprain was evidently a massive hindrance on his 2019 season. A look back to his redshirt freshman season when he carved up the Ohio State defense for 298 yards on 21 carries shows the kind of explosive upside McFarland offers when he's full-go. James Conner is still unquestionably the starter in Pittsburgh, but McFarland is now perhaps the most explosive option in the backfield and should push for more snaps in due time given the lack of speed elsewhere in the Pittsburgh backfield.