Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner did not participate in the team's practice on Thursday ahead of the Week 16 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

Conner has not played since suffering an ankle injury in the Week 13 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

And at this point, it seems unlikely that he'll be ready for the showdown in New Orleans considering that he was out of practice yet again.

Conner has 201 carries for 909 yards and 12 touchdowns this season while also racking up 52 receptions for 467 yards and a touchdown.

There's no doubt that he's played a huge role in the Steelers' success this season, especially since former starting running back Le'Veon Bell surprisingly chose to sit out the entire year.

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However, while there were questions as to how effective the offense would be without Bell, it's been somewhat of a seamless transition to Conner as the featured back.

With the Steelers taking a step closer towards clinching a playoff berth following the Week 15 win over the New England Patriots, it makes sense that the team would be cautious when it comes to putting Conner back on the field before he's completely ready.

Of course, making the playoffs still isn't a sure thing at this point, so Jaylen Samuels and Stevan Ridley will be relied upon to offer consistent production until Conner makes his return.

After the game against the Saints, the Steelers will head back to Heinz Field for what figures to be an important Week 17 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals.