Tony Pollard

Tony Pollard

27-Year-Old Running BackRB
Tennessee Titans
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Leaving Dallas for Tennessee might seem like a downgrade for Pollard, especially given how bare the Cowboys' depth chart is at running back, but last year showed that more volume doesn't always equate to increased production. Pollard's 2023 was one memorable refutation of the otherwise good general rule that added volume is beneficial for fantasy. He set career highs in carries (252) and targets (67), yet finished with slightly fewer yards and half as many touchdowns as he had on 193 carries and 55 targets the year prior. Keeping Pollard's workload around the 200-carry mark might be the best way to preserve his explosiveness, so sharing the Tennessee backfield with 2023 third-round pick Tyjae Spears isn't necessarily the worst thing. It does create some doubt about the nature of their respective roles, as neither is an obvious fit for goal-line/short-yardage work and both are above average as pass catchers. The Titans seemingly intend to abandon the run-heavy approach of past seasons after hiring former Bengals OC Brian Callahan as head coach and signing WRs Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to help second-year quarterback Will Levis. They also signed a new center, Lloyd Cushenberry, and drafted OT JC Latham seventh overall, potentially setting up Pollard and Spears with better blocking than Derrick Henry had in his final year with Tennessee. The biggest questions now are how work will be split between the two RBs and whether Levis is good enough to keep the remade offense moving. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#86.74
ADP
$Signed a three-year, $21.75 million contract with the Titans in March of 2024.
Interchangeable with Spears
RBTennessee Titans
July 23, 2024
Titans coach Brian Callahan said Tuesday he doesn't view either Pollard or Tyjae Spears as the clear-cut starter in the backfield, Jim Wyatt of the team's official website reports.
ANALYSIS
"The fun part for me is, how are we going to deploy those guys?," Callahan said. "Maybe they both play at the same time, maybe one gets hot and you let him run, maybe we just rotate back and forth. I don't know what that's going to look like yet. But they are both going to play quite a bit of football for us, and I don't view either one of them as a starter or a backup. They are both starting players to me." This sounds like typical coach speak, and Pollard was handpicked by this coaching staff when he was inked to a three-year, $21.75 million deal on the first day of free agency. Callahan also treated Joe Mixon like a workhorse during his time with the Bengals, and Pollard has a three-down skill set. He is coming off an inefficient 2023 season in Dallas, but he's more than a full year removed from a broken fibula and is still just 27 years old with only one season of more than 250 touches on his resume. For fantasy purposes, Pollard should still be viewed as the top back in Tennessee, with Spears handling the same change-of-pace role he had behind Derrick Henry in 2023.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Tony Pollard's 2023 advanced stats compare to other running backs?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Broken Tackle %
    The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
  • Positive Run %
    The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
  • % Yds After Contact
    The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
  • Avg Yds After Contact
    The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
  • Rushing TD %
    Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
  • Touches Per Game
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
  • % Snaps w/Touch
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Broken Tackle %
14.7%
 
Positive Run %
82.5%
 
% Yds After Contact
66.1%
 
Avg Yds After Contact
2.6
 
Rushing TD %
2.4%
 
Touches Per Game
18.1
 
% Snaps w/Touch
38.8%
 
Air Yards Per Game
0.4
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.01
 
% Team Air Yards
0.2%
 
% Team Targets
11.1%
 
Avg Depth of Target
0.1 Yds
 
Catch Rate
82.1%
 
Drop Rate
6.0%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
6.0
 
% Targeted On Route
16.8%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
0.78
 
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2023 NFL Game Log
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2022 NFL Game Log
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2021 NFL Game Log
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2020 NFL Game Log
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2019 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Tennessee TitansTitans 2023 RB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

53353%
52852%
101%
61%
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Tony Pollard lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2023 Tony Pollard Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Tony Pollard's measurables compare to other running backs?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 0"
 
Weight
209 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.52 sec
 
Vertical Jump
35.0 in
 
Broad Jump
121 in
 
Bench Press
13 reps
 
Hand Length
9.50 in
 
Arm Length
30.00 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Tony Pollard See More
ADP Analysis: Tracking Best Ball ADP Movement Throughout July
2 days ago
Rashee Rice is one of the many players whose ADP rebounded in July after sinking earlier this offseason. RotoWire's Jerry Donabedian gives the full breakdown on recent ADP movement.
NFL Win Totals 2024: Betting the Dallas Cowboys' Win Total
8 days ago
Get the latest Dallas Cowboys win total analysis as Jim Coventry breaks down the best way to bet on their posted 10.5 total available at the best NFL betting sites.
Job Battles: Running Backs Part 5
9 days ago
Elijah Mitchell has had poor injury luck, but he remains a capable player in a deep and explosive San Francisco backfield.
RotoWire Roundtable: 2024 Top-150 Fantasy Rankings Update
9 days ago
The third installment of our top-150 Roundtable Rankings didn't see much movement, but things are about to heat up.
Stat of the Day: 50 Stats, 50 Takes
23 days ago
Jim Coventry offers quick fantasy takes on some illuminating stats for various players, including why Breece Hall should be the second running back off the board.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
Pollard played as the 1B to Ezekiel Elliott for most of the last two years, but Elliott is gone and Ronald Jones is not a convincing 1:1 replacement. If Jones and Malik Davis are the next two runners on the Dallas depth chart then it would almost necessarily require an increased workload from Pollard, whose 193 carries, 55 targets and 543 snaps in 2022 were all career highs. With that said, Pollard probably can't pick up more than a little of Elliott's previous workload. At under 210 pounds and built somewhat thin at 6-feet tall, Pollard may not have the frame for big-time carry volume and has never previously been tasked with that type of role for more than a week or two at a time (dating back to high school). It might be best for his efficiency and durability to use him more like Alvin Kamara – a 12-carry, five-catch sort of back rather than the 20-carry, three-catch sort that Elliott was – but what's clear in the meantime is that Pollard should have good efficiency with whatever level of usage he sees. He has seemingly turned a corner as a receiver, producing around or above 7.0 yards per target the last two years after hovering around 5.0 YPT his first two seasons, and at all points in his career Pollard has been explosive as a runner.
In his third NFL season, Pollard topped 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time as his workload increased without negatively impacting his per-touch efficiency. The Memphis product is a big- play threat, showing elite burst and speed and above-average receiving skills, and despite being slightly undersized he's proven he can gain yards between the tackles. Along with Seattle's Rashaad Penny, Pollard was one of only two backs in the league last year to finish top five in both yards before contact per carry and yards after contact per carry, demonstrating he didn't always need help from his offensive line to make an impact. That's probably a good thing, as the Cowboys added new starters at left guard and right tackle this offseason to a unit that has seen better days (though it still has Tyron Smith at LT and Zack Martin at RG). Ezekiel Elliott remains the starter, with his contract guaranteed through this year, but he already appears on the downside of his career at 26. Pollard is on the final year of his rookie deal, and another big year on a per-touch basis — perhaps with another bump in volume as well — should line him up for a big payday next offseason.
Heading into his third NFL campaign, Pollard remains at the top of the 'What If?" list among running backs. As the backup to a workhorse like Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard's only chances for big performances come when Zeke is banged up or the Cowboys are blowing out the opposition, and there were no such opportunities in the latter category in 2020. Pollard did start Week 15 against the 49ers with Elliott on the sidelines though, and he turned just 18 touches into 132 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. The Memphis product has breakaway speed in the open field while flashing the toughness and burst necessary to gain yards between the tackles. He's also proven to be more than adequate as a pass catcher, and while he came into the league as a liability in pass protection, Pollard has shown enough improvement in that area to earn the trust of the coaching staff and see some work on third downs. Elliott's massive contract, and accompanying cap hit, probably lock him into the top spot on the depth chart through 2022. Barring a serious injury to Elliott, Pollard may have to make do with single-digit touches most weeks, despite his clear upside should he ever secure the lead role.
Selected in the fourth round of last year's draft, Pollard wasn't expected to be much more than a gadget player while stuck behind Ezekiel Elliott. The rookie quickly proved he could make a big impact when he got the chance, erupting for 128 yards and a touchdown on only 16 touches Week 3 against the Dolphins. He later topped that performance Week 15 against the Rams, piling up 143 yards and a score on 14 touches. Those two games accounted for more than half his rushing yards for the season, however, as he saw six touches or fewer in half of the Cowboys' games. Pollard's blend of speed, elusiveness and surprising power made him tough to bring down, and among backs who got at least 80 carries last season, he led the league with 3.6 yards per carry after contact. He also flashed some ability as a receiver, increasing the ways in which offensive coordinator Kellen Moore could get him involved. As long as Elliott is healthy, Pollard doesn't figure to take many carries, but the second-year pro is at least capable of efficient production when game flow works in his favor.
Selected in the fourth round out of Memphis, Pollard ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at his pro day and has a golden opportunity to win the No. 2 RB job in Dallas given the lack of an established backup behind Ezekiel Elliott, who is holding out for a new contract. Pollard's college resume suggests he's a better fit as a return man and gadget player than a full-time running back, however, and he may be a bigger threat to Tavon Austin's roster spot than a true handcuff for Zeke. Still, if he shows his big-play potential in the preseason, new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore may try to find ways to get the ball in his hands.
More Fantasy News
Set to sign with Tennessee
RBTennessee Titans
March 11, 2024
Pollard agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal with the Titans on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Headed for free agency
RBDallas Cowboys
February 26, 2024
The Cowboys aren't expected to use the franchise tag on Pollard and likely will allow him to test free agency, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Finds end zone in loss to Packers
RBDallas Cowboys
January 14, 2024
Pollard carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards and a touchdown and caught seven of nine targets for 29 yards in Sunday's 48-32 wild-card loss to Green Bay.
ANALYSIS
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Big finish to regular season
RBDallas Cowboys
January 7, 2024
Pollard carried the ball 17 times for 70 yards and a touchdown and caught both his targets for 16 yards in Sunday's 38-10 win over the Commanders.
ANALYSIS
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Minimal production on 17 touches
RBDallas Cowboys
December 30, 2023
Pollard rushed the ball 16 times for 49 yards in Saturday's 20-19 win over the Lions. He added one reception on three targets for zero yards.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Set to split work
RBTennessee Titans
July 23, 2024
Coach Brian Callahan said he doesn't view Pollard or Tyjae Spears as the starting running back entering the 2024 season, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Pollard joined the Titans on a three-year deal worth up to $21.8 million this offseason, though he's coming off the most inefficient campaign of his career in 2023. He was also tasked with his heaviest workload last year, tallying 307 total touches after never surpassing 232 in any season prior. Spears proved to be a viable change of pace back behind Derrick Henry as a rookie, so the Titans will seemingly split work evenly between the duo to maximize their health and efficiency.
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