Steelers' James Conner missing 4th game in last 5 weeks, out vs. Browns

James Conner and Artie Burns are out for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

Conner will miss a game for the fourth time over the past five weeks because of a shoulder injury. He returned to practice in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday of this past week and was listed as doubtful on the official injury report released Friday

Rookie Benny Snell returned from a knee injury last week to rush for 98 yards in a win at the Cincinnati Bengals. Snell, Jaylen Samuels, Trey Edmunds and recently-signed rookie Kerrith Whyte are handling the running back duties for the Steelers (6-5) against the Browns (5-6) in one of the most meaningful games between the teams in years.

Burns, a reserve cornerback, also is not playing against Cleveland because of a knee injury.

It had been previously announced that receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was not playing against the Browns as he continues to recover from a knee injury suffered in a game at Cleveland 17 days prior.

The Steelers, of course, are also without center Maurkice Pouncey as the All Pro center serves the second game of his two-game suspension for punching and kicking Myles Garrett during the final seconds of that game. Garrett is suspended for at least the rest of the season for hitting Mason Rudolph with his own helmet during that melee.

Veteran B.J. Finney is making his fourth career start at center (and 12^th NFL start overall) in place of Pouncey. Should an interior lineman have to leave Sunday’s game, Patrick Morris would make his NFL regular-season playing debut.

The Steelers healthy scratches are quarterback Paxton Lynch, offensive tackle Chuks Okorafor, tight end Zach Gentry and linebacker Tuzar Skipper

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