Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner could see a significant boost in fantasy football value with star rusher Le'Veon Bell continuing his holdout into the regular season.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Bell missed the deadline to rejoin the team for the Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns, forfeiting $853,000 in the process. It is unknown when or even if he will return to the Steelers this season.

Conner, whom Pittsburgh selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft, would be in line to receive his most extensive workload to date if the superstar starter is out for awhile. Let's check out his updated fantasy outlook along with some analysis on Stevan Ridley.

James Conner

Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015 during his time at the University of Pittsburgh. In May 2016, he announced he was cancer-free after six months of medical care that included 12 chemotherapy treatments.

His return to the football field showed he was still a promising prospect. He rushed for 1,092 yards, added 302 receiving yards and scored 20 offensive touchdowns during his final season with the Panthers in 2016 before entering the NFL draft.

The 23-year-old Pennsylvania native didn't see much action last year as a rookie. He recorded 144 yards on 32 carries (4.5 YPC) while operating behind Bell, one of the league's most heavily utilized offensive weapons.

So, while there are still questions about his ability to handle NFL defenses in heavy doses, he showed at Pitt he's capable of being a three-down workhorse.

That alone gives him tremendous upside as a fantasy asset if Bell remains away from the team. The Steelers' aerial attack, led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown, should ensure the second-year back doesn't see many overloaded boxes from opposing defenses.

Conner is unlikely to see the same type of volume as Bell. But he should still touch the ball between 15 and 20 times per contest in a starting role, which would safely put him in the No. 2 RB category from a fantasy perspective.

His teammates also have faith in a big year from Conner.

"I trust James," guard Ramon Foster said, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. "He's ready."

"A star is born every year in the NFL," center Maurkice Pouncey said, per Nate Davis of USA Today. "Did anyone know (Kansas City’s) Kareem Hunt would be an all-pro before last season? If James Conner didn't have cancer, he'd have been a first-round pick. Just watch him."

If he handles the increase well, Conner could emerge as a fringe No. 1 running back until the Steelers' three-time Pro Bowler returns to the lineup.

Stevan Ridley

It's been a long time since Stevan Ridley has been relevant in fantasy lineups, dating back to 2012-13 when he was a starter with the New England Patriots. He has only 159 carries over the last four years combined while playing for four different organizations.

That said, he still lands on the fantasy football radar if Bell's absence is extended. It's unlikely the Steelers will place the entire burden on Conner's shoulders, so Ridley should get regular carries.

Ridley is worth a spot on rosters for those reasons alone. While he's probably not worth top priority on the waiver wire, he's close enough to true fantasy value to warrant a claim and a spot on the bench until his role becomes more clear or Bell returns.