Le'Veon Bell did not report to the Pittsburgh Steelers' facility by the Tuesday deadline and is now ineligible to play in the NFL until the 2019 season.
Had Bell returned, it would've come at the expense of impressive second-year running back James Conner. The ex-Pittsburgh Panther already has managed six top-10 fantasy weeks this season and trails only Todd Gurley II and Alvin Kamara in fantasy points at the running back position. Conner has been responsible for 78 percent of the team's designed runs and 14 percent of the targets. That's not too far off Bell's 81 percent and 19 percent marks, respectively, when he was active last season. Conner is averaging 4.70 yards per carry (1.94 after contact) on 164 carries and 9.8 yards per reception (YPR) on 38 catches.
He has played so well that he likely would've maintained a major role regardless, but we've seen this story before.
In 2015, Bell missed 10 regular-season games and DeAngelo Williams was nothing short of elite in his place. Williams paced all running backs in touchdowns (11) and fantasy points (207), while averaging 4.6 YPC and 9.3 YPR during the span. With Bell suspended during Weeks 1 through 3 of the 2016 season, Williams was fantasy's No. 2-scoring running back, though he wasn't nearly as efficient. Nonetheless, whenever Bell returned, he was the clear feature back and Williams was left with scraps.
It won't matter this time around. Conner will sustain a massive role in Pittsburgh's backfield and remains a top-end RB1 the rest of the way. Rookie Jaylen Samuels is the handcuff, though Stevan Ridley would be mixed in, as well, if Conner were to miss time.
As for Bell, he'll look for greener pastures during the 2019 unrestricted free agency period. Bell paced all running backs in snaps, routes, carries and touches and finished second in targets, scrimmage yards and fantasy points in 2017. He's finished in the top four at the position in fantasy points per game each of the previous four seasons. His versatility and efficiency made him one of the league's top offensive weapons.
That's the long way of saying Bell is likely to return to the top of the fantasy ranks in 2019. Obviously, hold tight in dynasty and keeper leagues. As for season-long leagues, the deadline has passed and that dreaded day has come: You can now officially send Bell to the waiver wire.