Fantasy football drafts are happening all around the world and Ezekiel Elliott is still holding out. Elliott is obviously one of the best running backs in the NFL and has league-winning potential when on the field. However, Elliott can’t win you anything if he’s not playing, but Tony Pollard can. Pollard figures to be the next man up and can produce similar numbers for a fraction of the draft cost. Smart fantasy football owners will take him ahead of his ADP in order to ensure they have a top-five running back until Elliott returns to action.
Draft Tony Pollard in Fantasy Football
A Perfect Situation
Being the Dallas Cowboys running back is a fantastic thing in fantasy football. Elliott is a great running back on his own, but just about anyone who starts for Dallas is guaranteed to be fantasy relevant. Since 2013, the Cowboys have always had a top-14 running back in fantasy football. This includes when Darren McFadden finishes as the RB14 despite spending the year with Brandon Weeden at quarterback and being…well…Darren McFadden.
A big reason for this success is that the Cowboys primarily use one running back, regardless of who that back actually is. Elliott annually leads the league in touches per game, but McFadden and DeMarco Murray had similar opportunities in years past. Over the past three seasons, Elliott averages 21.7 rushing attempts per game. This lines up with DeMarco Murray’s 20.3 rushing attempts per game from 2013 to 2014. McFadden only averaged 15 rushing attempts per game, but the 2015 Cowboys typically played from behind, meaning they didn’t run the ball as often.
With or without Elliott, the 2019 Dallas Cowboys should be playing with the lead far more than their 2015 counterparts. Say what you will about Dak Prescott, but he’s significantly better than Brandon Weeden. The offensive line is still one of the best in the game, and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore should breathe new life into the offense. Moore wants to get the running backs more involved in the passing game, which means good things for whichever running back gets the majority of the snaps. Really, it’s hard to imagine a world where the Cowboys’ starting running back isn’t a top fantasy performer.
Tony Pollard As A Player
Situation and opportunity matter more than talent for running backs, but it doesn’t hurt to be talented. The Cowboys drafted Pollard in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, which is decent enough draft capital for a running back in today’s day and age. Pollard came into the league viewed as a solid pass-catcher with a versatile skill set. Basically, NFL evaluators thought he was a jack of all trades, but a master of none.
So far, that evaluation looks completely incorrect. Based on his preseason work, Pollard has the ability to be a strong runner between the tackles and make plays in the passing game. Pollard patiently waits for holes to open and demonstrates great burst once he has a rushing lane. It’s only the preseason, but these skills should translate into the regular season. He’s elusive in the open field and has the ability to break tackles and pick up yards after contact.
Patience, vision, and burst all on display here from Tony Pollard. Whether it's with Zeke or without him, this kid is going to be good. pic.twitter.com/JQ37u1aHgk
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) August 25, 2019
I don't care that it was called back. Tony Pollard is taking over the league this year bitches. pic.twitter.com/XDq8uPuaKi
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) August 25, 2019
Pollard isn’t as talented as Ezekiel Elliott, but he doesn’t need to be. The Cowboys system is the perfect situation for any running back, and Pollard has the skills required to capitalize on this opportunity. The only problem is that Pollard has no fantasy value once Elliott comes back. However, there is a reason to believe that Elliott will continue to hold out just like Le’Veon Bell did one season ago.
Why Ezekiel Elliott Won’t Be Back in 2019
Ezekiel Elliott saw Le’Veon Bell get paid and is hoping for a similar result. Elliott believes he’s the engine to the Cowboys offense and won’t return without a massive pay bump. Dallas has reportedly offered to make him the second-richest running back in the league, but Elliott probably won’t accept the offer. The deal carries less guaranteed money than Gurley’s, and Elliott wants to eclipse Gurley’s contract.
With today’s expanding salary cap, the best players expect to receive record-setting contracts every time they hit the market. This normally makes sense, as an increased salary cap means that there is more money to give out. Unfortunately for Elliott, his position is getting devalued as more and more teams realize that running backs simply aren’t important in today’s NFL.
Elliott wants more money than Todd Gurley, but that’s never going to happen. Gurley’s contract is one of the worst in the NFL and actually serves as proof that you shouldn’t pay running backs. The position has a notoriously short shelf life and the Rams replicated Gurley’s production with street free agent C.J. Anderson. The Cowboys won’t give Elliott Todd Gurley money, and it sounds like he won’t come back without it.
Tony Pollard is going to be the steal of fantasy football drafts everywhere. Pollard is currently going in the ninth round of fantasy drafts, and he’s got RB1 potential without Elliott. Even if Elliott returns to the team, Pollard’s going to have at least one or two weeks as the main guy. That level of production alone justified a late-round flier on a talented runner in a perfect situation.
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