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
#83.67
ADP
$Signed a three-year, $21.75 million contract with the Titans in March of 2024.
Heavy workload against NE
RBTennessee Titans
November 3, 2024
Pollard rushed the ball 28 times for 128 yards in Sunday's 29-17 overtime win against the Patriots. He added three receptions on three targets for 26 yards.
ANALYSIS
Pollard entered Sunday's game questionable due to a foot injury after failing to practice in any capacity throughout the week. That was hardly apparent in Sunday's win, as he dominated rushing attempts out of the Titans' backfield and was also efficient with the opportunity. He accounted for the team's longest play from scrimmage with a 32-yard rush on Tennessee's first possession, setting up a touchdown on the next play. Overall, four of Pollard's 28 carries went for double-digit gains, and he narrowly missed out on an even bigger performance after having a touchdown nullified by a holding call. He should remain a key playmaker in Tennessee's offense moving forward.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Tony Pollard's 2024 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 %
13.2%
 
Positive Run %
81.6%
 
% Yds After Contact
66.6%
 
Avg Yds After Contact
2.9
 
Rushing TD %
2.6%
 
Touches Per Game
19.3
 
% Snaps w/Touch
36.5%
 
Air Yards Per Game
0.4
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.01
 
% Team Air Yards
0.2%
 
% Team Targets
13.3%
 
Avg Depth of Target
0.1 Yds
 
Catch Rate
65.6%
 
Drop Rate
9.4%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
5.0
 
% Targeted On Route
21.6%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
0.91
 
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2024
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Tennessee TitansTitans 2024 RB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

37074%
21982%
10120%
114%
398%
3814%
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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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This Week's Opposing Pass Defense
How does the Patriots pass defense compare to other NFL teams this season?
The bars represents the team's percentile rank (based on QB Rating Against). The longer the bar, the better their pass defense is. The team and position group ratings only include players that are currently on the roster and not on injured reserve. The list of players in the table only includes defenders with at least 3 attempts against them.
NE
vs Patriots
Sunday, Nov 3rd at 1:00PM
Overall QB Rating Against
82.6
 
Cornerbacks
78.1
 
Safeties
82.4
 
Linebackers
99.4
 
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2024 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
215 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
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Yesterday
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Yesterday
Juan Carlos Blanco breaks down another busy injury report in Week 9 and offers Sunday morning updates on the status of key fantasy stars such as Jordan Love.
Friday Injury Report: Titans Ailing, Chargers Improving, Metcalf Out
3 days ago
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4 days ago
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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
Playing through foot injury
RBTennessee Titans
November 3, 2024
Pollard is active for Sunday's game against the Patriots, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Trending toward playing Sunday
RBTennessee Titans
Foot
November 2, 2024
Pollard remains listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Patriots, but the Titans "feel good" about him and "anticipate he will play," Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Status up in air for Week 9
RBTennessee Titans
Foot
November 1, 2024
Pollard (foot) is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the Patriots.
ANALYSIS
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Sits out second straight practice
RBTennessee Titans
Foot
October 31, 2024
Pollard (foot) didn't participate in Thursday's practice, John Glennon of NashvillePost.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Misses practice with foot injury
RBTennessee Titans
Foot
October 30, 2024
Pollard sat out Wednesday's practice with a foot injury, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Bell cow back vs. Buffalo
RBTennessee Titans
October 19, 2024
Pollard should see the majority of backfield snaps Sunday against the Bills due to Tyjae Spears being ruled out with a hamstring injury, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
The Titans' offense this season under new head coach Brian Callahan and quarterback Will Levis has been wildly inconsistent. Pollard -- who signed a three-year deal with the Titans in March -- has been the lone bright spot in the offense, and he has tallied at least 85 yards from scrimmage in four of the Titans' five regular-season games this year. With Spears out Sunday, Pollard should handle the bulk of the carries and snaps out of the backfield while Julius Chestnut serves as the backup running back.
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