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Fantasy Alert: Cowboys' Tony Pollard Impresses vs. Rams Amid Elliott Holdout
August 18, 2019
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott's contract holdout could end shortly, but Tony Pollard is showing why he'd be a solid replacement if Zeke misses time.
Pollard, a 2019 fourth-round pick, had five carries for 42 yards and a touchdown in a Week 2 preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday in Honolulu. He added one catch for nine yards.
Pollard scored a 14-yard touchdown after slithering through the line of scrimmage, maintaining his balance and plowing ahead through the second level for a score:
He also ripped off runs of 15 and nine yards before the touchdown.
He saw plenty of praise during the evening. Marcus Mosher of Locked on Cowboys cited the rookie's excellent balance and playmaking ability, Jon Machota of The Athletic called him "impressive" and David Helman of DallasCowboys.com said he "looks awesome."
The former Memphis Tiger has 58 yards on nine carries this preseason, good enough for a 6.6 yard-per-carry average.
Although his abilities outside his rushing haven't been showcased yet, the versatile 6'0", 209-pound back did a little of everything for Memphis, where he ran, received and returned.
He amassing 1,010 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns last year. He snagged 39 passes for 458 yards (11.7 YPC) and ran 78 times for 552 yards.
The 22-year-old would clearly be an asset in points-per-reception leagues given his pass-catching prowess, but Elliott likely stands in the way.
WFAA sports anchor Mike Leslie reported some positive news for Elliott's potential return before the team's Week 1 opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 8:
Mike Leslie @MikeLeslieWFAACan confirm picture of Zeke Elliott flying home from Cabo is real. He’s back to DFW now, as the Cowboys return from the Pacific this weekend, after today’s game in Hawaii. No deal yet, but they remain optimistic it will get done soon. His training team traveled home with him.
Per Fantasy Football Calculator, Pollard has a 13th-round ADP in 12-team point-per-reception leagues.
His fantasy value could go one of two ways after Saturday. On one end, Pollard's performance may inflate his perception a bit. On the other end, he may be available as a free agent after drafts if Elliott ends his holdout.
And that bit of news will have a much larger impact on Pollard's value compared to anything else.