AUGUST 11, 2022 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
ANTHONY MCFARLAND
Anthony McFarland Has Huge Opportunity Ahead of Him in Preseason Opener The Pittsburgh Steelers third-year running back is set to lead this backfield into their preseason opener.
Anthony McFarland Has Huge Opportunity Ahead of Him in Preseason Opener The Pittsburgh Steelers third-year running back is set to lead this backfield into their preseason opener.
AUGUST 11, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
Anthony McFarland Has Huge Opportunity Ahead of Him in Preseason Opener The Pittsburgh Steelers third-year running back is set to lead this backfield into their preseason opener.
AUGUST 11, 2022 • SACBEE.COM
Making impact early in camp McFarland made a pair of big plays during Thursday's practice session, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.
Impact McFarland was a fourth-round pick by the Steelers in 2020, but he's on the roster bubble ahead of the 2022 season. The 23-year-old has had minimal work over his first two professional seasons, rushing 36 times for 116 yards while securing seven of 10 targets for 65 yards. However, he broke off a 70-yard touchdown run during Thursday's practice session before making a contested catch along the sideline later in the day. McFarland is competing with Benny Snell and Mataeo Durant to serve as backfield depth for the Steelers ahead of the regular season. Even if McFarland wins a roster spot, he's unlikely to be a significant fantasy contributor as long as Najee Harris (foot) is healthy.
AUGUST 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Inactive Sunday McFarland (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game at Baltimore, Dale Lolley of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Impact McFarland was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday but won't be active for the final game of the regular season. The 22-year-old has appeared in only two games this season and has three carries for three yards and one catch for 11 yards.
JANUARY 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
List of inactive players for NFL games in Week 18 PITTSBURGH AT BALTIMORE Steelers: QB Dwayne Haskins; P Corliss Waitman; RB Anthony McFarland; LB Tegray Scales; T Dan Moore (ankle); DT Carl...
JANUARY 9, 2022 • SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM
Activated by Pittsburgh The Steelers activated McFarland (undisclosed) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.
Impact McFarland was forced to miss the last two games after being placed on the COVID-19 list, but he'll now be able to return to practice. The 22-year-old should continue to see minimal work out of Pittsburgh's backfield in Sunday's Week 18 matchup against the Ravens.
JANUARY 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Lands on COVID list The Steelers placed McFarland (undisclosed) on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday.
Impact McFarland hasn't taken the field in any of the last three games. It's not yet clear whether the 22-year-old has tested positive for COVID-19, but his status for Sunday's game against Kansas City shouldn't significantly impact Pittsburgh's offensive plans.
DECEMBER 23, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Inactive Thursday McFarland is inactive for Thursday night's game against the Vikings.
Impact McFarland remains the odd man out of the Steelers backfield Week 14, with Benny Snell and Kalen Ballage in line to continue to serve as the team's backup options behind top back Najee Harris.
DECEMBER 10, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Inactive against Ravens McFarland (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against Baltimore, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Impact McFarland has bounced between being the team's third and fourth running back since being activated from injured reserve in late October. Kalen Ballage will serve as the team's third back behind Najee Harris and Benny Snell with McFarland inactive.
DECEMBER 5, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Three touches in Week 12 McFarland recorded two carries for two yards while securing his lone target for 11 yards in Sunday's 41-10 loss to the Bengals.
Impact McFarland's 11 offensive snaps ranked second among the Steelers' running backs in Sunday's blowout loss, but he failed to make much of an impact. The 22-year-old's fantasy value as a backup for Pittsburgh remains limited behind lead back Najee Harris.
NOVEMBER 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Healthy scratch Sunday McFarland (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Chargers, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Impact McFarland has played just five offensive snaps this season, and he won't dress for Sunday night's matchup. Benny Snell and Kalen Ballage will continue to serve as the backup options behind lead back Najee Harris.
NOVEMBER 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Inactive Monday McFarland has been ruled inactive for Monday's matchup with the Bears due to a coach's decision.
Impact McFarland made his season debut last week and saw just one carry for one yard. With Najee Harris, Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell all healthy, he will be the odd man out this week in the backfield.
NOVEMBER 9, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
One carry in Week 8 McFarland rushed once for one yard in Sunday's 15-10 win over the Browns.
Impact McFarland made his season debut after missing the first six games with a knee injury, but he was on the field for just seven offensive snaps. Although he saw slightly more playing time than Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell, he has limited fantasy upside behind lead back Najee Harris.
NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Activated from injured reserve The Steelers activated McFarland (knee) off injured reserve Wednesday.
Impact As expected, McFarland has been added to the 53-man roster and will likely be active for Sunday's matchup with the Browns. However, the 22-year-old running back isn't expected to see much playing time, as rookie first-round pick Najee Harris has been a three-down workhorse for Pittsburgh throughout the 2021 campaign.
OCTOBER 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Could be activated this week Head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that he anticipates having McFarland (knee) back from injured reserve for the Steelers' Week 8 game in Cleveland, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com repor...
Impact According to Pryor, McFarland revealed Oct. 15 that the unspecified issue that has kept him on injured reserve all season is a torn MCL, an injury that occurred in practice and was an aggravation of the one he initially sustained in college at Maryland. McFarland said that he feels good since returning to practice Oct. 6, and Tomlin added Tuesday that the Steelers will see how much work the running back is able to do this week before determining if he'll be active Sunday in Cleveland. Even if he suits up this weekend, McFarland isn't expected to have much of a role behind rookie first-round pick Najee Harris, who has been a three-down workhorse for Pittsburgh throughout the season.
OCTOBER 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Returns to practice Wednesday McFarland (undisclosed) returned to practice Wednesday, but he remains on injured reserve.
Impact The Steelers have a 21-day period to add McFarland to their active roster. If he isn't, then he will revert back to IR for the remainder of the season. When he returns, McFarland will compete for the primary backup role behind three-down workhorse Najee Harris.
OCTOBER 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Lands on IR The Steelers placed McFarland (undisclosed) on injured reserve Wednesday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Impact McFarland made the initial 53-man roster, but he can now be ruled out for the first three games of the season. The Steelers are left with Benny Snell and Kalen Ballage as depth options behind potential three-down workhorse Najee Harris. It's possible McFarland handles the No. 2 backfield role once he recovers from his unspecified injury, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Could win No.2 role McFarland (undisclosed) is a candidate to win the top backup gig behind Najee Harris, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.
Impact McFarland only handled 39 offensive touches in 11 appearances as a rookie last season, but his only competition for the primary backup spot are Benny Snell and Kalen Ballage, both of whom have underwhelmed in their respective careers. However, the 2020 fourth-round pick has also been sidelined due to an undisclosed injury since late August, which could land him on IR to begin the regular season. Should that occur, McFarland would be forced to miss the Steelers' first three games.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Doesn't travel with team McFarland didn't travel with the team for Friday's preseason game against the Panthers due to an unspecified injury, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Impact McFarland was relatively inefficient in the Steelers' exhibition win over the Lions with six carries for 11 yards along with two receptions for 21 yards, and he remained in Pittsburgh for the preseason finale. Assuming the 2020 fourth-rounder remains on the roster to begin the regular season, it's not yet clear whether his injury will limit his availability for the team's Week 1 matchup against the Bills.
AUGUST 28, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Tops 40 total yards in win McFarland logged nine carries for 34 yards and a touchdown and hauled in his lone target for seven yards in Thursday's 24-16 preseason win over the Eagles.
Impact McFarland had a limited role in last week's Hall of Fame Game against the Cowboys, but he saw increased looks Thursday with Kalen Ballage (lower body) and Benny Snell (undisclosed) sidelined against the Eagles. McFarland's production trailed Jaylen Samuels' 62 yards from scrimmage, but he was on the field for 25 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps and made an impact as he competes for a backup role ahead of the regular season.
AUGUST 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Records four touches McFarland rushed three times for nine yards and hauled in his lone target for six yards in the Steelers' 16-3 preseason win over the Cowboys in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game.
Impact McFarland had a nine-yard rush in Thursday's preseason opener that was Pittsburgh's longest rush of the game, but he failed to generate any yardage on his other two carries. The 2020 fourth-rounder is competing for a secondary role in the Steelers' backfield with Jaylen Samuels, Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell.
AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Should serve in secondary role McFarland should serve in a backup role this season after the Steelers selected Najee Harris with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.
Impact McFarland will get to work under offensive coordinator Matt Canada in 2021, who served in the same position at The University of Maryland when the running back ran for 1,034 yards in 2018. However, James Conner left for the Cardinals in free agency during the offseason, and the Steelers decided to replace him by taking the first running back off the board in the first round Thursday. Coach Mike Tomlin described Harris as a "three-down back" after the Steelers selected him, signaling that McFarland should have to compete for carries with Benny Snell and Kalen Ballage in a secondary role in 2021.
APRIL 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Could benefit from OC promotion McFarland could benefit from working with offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who held the same position at The University of Maryland when the running back ran for 1,034 yards in 2...
Impact McFarland and Canada both experienced their first NFL season in 2020, with the former seldom used as a backup running back, while the latter served as QBs coach. Canada replaces Randy Fichtner, who was criticized for ranking 31st, 29th and 32nd in rushing yards during his three-year tenure as offensive coordinator. With James Conner scheduled for free agency and none of McFarland, Benny Snell or Jaylen Samuels making a strong impression this past season, it's hard to get a read on the future of the Pittsburgh backfield. The murky situation isn't necessarily a bad thing for McFarland, a soon-to-be 22-year-old with 4.44 speed and decent organizational investment in him (2020 fourth-round pick).
JANUARY 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Not playing Sunday McFarland (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's wild-card matchup against the Browns, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Impact The rookie fourth-round pick will be a healthy scratch as the Steelers head into postseason action. Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels will serve as reserve options behind top running back James Conner.
JANUARY 11, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
