Le'Veon Bell has said that he is taking his recovery from a mid-foot sprain "day-to-day".

It had been feared that the rookie running back had sustained a Lisfranc injury during the Pittsburgh Steelers' pre-season loss to the Washington Redskins, but further tests confirmed that the injury is a sprain, and will not need surgery.

The 21-year-old told the Steelers' website: "I am definitely encouraged by everything. I am in good spirits. I can let my foot heal, keep doing therapy and get back as soon as possible. I am going to keep moving forward.

"I am going to try my best to get back as soon as I can. I don't know when I will be back. I am going to try and get back as fast as I can. I am just taking it day-to-day. I am already healing. As long as the process keeps going the way it is, I should be back pretty quick.

"When I came off on the sideline and took off my shoe I couldn't put pressure on it. Now I can walk on it, move my toes. The swelling went down. Right now I am just walking around on it, picking up marbles with my toes, just little things. I am not doing anything too crazy on it, just letting it heal."

Bell missed time earlier in the pre-seaon with a knee injury.