James Conner Has Top-Selling Rookie Jersey, 3rd-Best in NFL Per Report

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner leads all rookies and ranks third overall in jersey sales according to a Dick's Sporting Goods jersey report.

On Wednesday, the report stated that Conner, who overcame a Hodgkin lymphoma cancer diagnosis to continue his playing career at the University of Pittsburgh, sat behind only quarterback Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots in terms of sales in the past 30 days on the Dick's Sporting Goods jersey report.

NFL.com's list of the most popular jerseys in the month of May had Conner listed as the 11th highest player.

Conner was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft in April.

The 22-year-old Pennsylvania native suffered a torn MCL early in the 2015 season after being named ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2014.

Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted the running back learned he had stage 2A cancer on Thanksgiving morning 2015.

"When I heard I got cancer, I was a little scared," Conner said at the time. "But fear is a choice. I chose not to fear cancer. We're going to fight, and we're going to beat this thing."

In May 2016, he announced cancer-free status following a series of chemotherapy treatments.

Conner returned to the Panthers last season and remained one of the team's most dynamic weapons. He racked up 1,092 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 216 carries. He added 21 catches for 302 yards and four TDs in the passing game.

Now he's expected to battle for the Steelers' backup role behind Le'Veon Bell. He'll compete against the likes of Fitzgerald Toussaint and Knile Davis for that coveted spot on the depth chart, which could become even more important with Bell's unsettled contract situation.

Conner's jersey sales show he's already a fan favorite, which doesn't come as a surprise given the inspirational journey he's taken to arrive in the NFL.