Fantasy Alert: Cowboys See Tony Pollard as RB They Need to Be Careful Not to Overwork

Tony Pollard should be a solid option for fantasy football managers in 2023.

However, the Dallas Cowboys running back is likely not going to be as productive as the Christian McCaffreys of the world.

Pollard enters the 2023 campaign as the starting running back for the Cowboys for the first time in his career, but that doesn't necessarily mean his workload is going to increase drastically with the departure of Ezekiel Elliott.

ESPN's Dan Graziano noted that the Cowboys "still see Pollard as a player they have to be careful not to overwork if they're going to keep getting the best out of him, so I would expect them to use other backs in combination with him."

Graziano wrote:

"Last year's average of 12.1 carries per game was a career high for Pollard, and he had exactly as many catches (39) as he did the previous year. He's also coming off a significant injury suffered in a January playoff game. What am I getting at? Look, I expect Pollard to be the No. 1 running back in Dallas, obviously, and I think he'll be a nice fantasy asset. I'm just not sure you should expect any more production from him this year than he gave you last year just because Elliott is gone. The Cowboys still see Pollard as a player they have to be careful not to overwork if they're going to keep getting the best out of him, so I would expect them to use other backs in combination with him."

"The question is who those other backs would be, and with Ronald Jones suspended for the first two games of the season, those questions intensify. The Cowboys are higher on second-year back Malik Davis than you might think, and I believe 5-foot-6 rookie Deuce Vaughn will have a role as well. They love what he has shown with the ball in his hands, so they'll work to find ways to put it there. I wouldn't be stunned if Dallas signed one of the veteran backs who are still out there, but they're cost conscious, especially this time of year. I wouldn't expect them to sign, say, Dalvin Cook unless his contract demands were to drop. And I do not see them bringing back Elliott at all."

Pollard had a breakout season with Dallas in 2022, rushing for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games, in addition to catching 39 passes for 371 yards and three scores.

The 26-year-old should put up similar—if not better—numbers in 2023. However, he has a solid trio of running backs behind him in Jones, once he returns from a suspension, Vaughn and Rico Dowdle that should take some of the pressure off of him as the lead back.

Pollard is rostered in 100 percent of Yahoo Sports' fantasy leagues, and rightfully so, but fans should temper their expectations entering the 2023 campaign.