Steelers Will Be Without Rashard Mendenhall For Week 9

Dale Lolley of the Washington Observer-Reporter believes running back Rashard Mendenhall will sit out Week 9.

“Tomlin said he’ll wait until later in the week to make a decision on who starts, but the feeling here is that Dwyer starts, Redman serves as a third-down and short-yardage back and Mendenhall sits out again while he gets that Achilles’ tendon 100 percent healthy,” Lolley wrote.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t given any indication of who will be available or start on Sunday, but Lolley believes Jonathan Dwyer will likely get the nod and Isaac Redman will the Steelers third-down back.

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Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall has been cleared and can start participating individual drills. It’s a step in the right direction for the Steelers as last weeks starter Jonathan Dwyer was held out of practice on Tuesday and could return Thursday as he nurses a quad strain, per Ed Douchette.

At this point, it’s unknown if Mendenhall will be able to play Sunday as he is coming off of an Achilles’ injury. After coming back from an ACL injury this season, then bothered by his Achilles’ a few weeks ago, it seems as though the Steelers would approach Mendenhall’s situation with caution.

Dwyer’s quad strain has been listed as only a minor strain, so the Steelers could just be holding him out of practice to assure it’s as close to 100 percent as possible. In two starts this season, Dwyer has rushed for over 100 yard’s in each. It would seem at this point that Dwyer would be the Steelers starting running back, but since he is nagged by a quad strain and Isaac Redman is expected to return this Sunday, there is a possibility for both back to split carries.