Tony Pollard was considered one of the top running backs in fantasy football heading into last season, even being a late first-round pick in some drafts. Unfortunately for fantasy managers who invested in him, he failed to meet expectations with an RB14 finish. Pollard saw his yards per rush average drop from 5.2 the previous season down to 4.0 in 2023, and he finished with just six touchdowns. That’s half of what he had produced the prior season.
Pollard is still relatively young entering his age-27 campaign, though, and he’s had a light workload in his career. In fact, he hadn’t had more than 130 carries in a single year before 2022. He’s also a pretty versatile runner out of the backfield, catching 55 passes on 67 targets last season. He had 39 catches in both 2021 and ‘22.
Now a free agent, here are five of the teams where Pollard would be best served, in terms of both real and fantasy football, as he enters his sixth NFL season.
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Dallas Cowboys
Just because the Cowboys didn’t franchise Pollard doesn’t mean he won’t still return to the team. While he was a disappointment in fantasy overall last season, Pollard did score 16-plus PPR points in five of his last eight games. He had hit that mark only four times in his first nine contests. If he remains with the Polks, Pollard will be in the high-end No. 2 fantasy running back conversation in the majority of drafts.
Houston Texans
The Texans have an exciting young offense, but they could use an upgrade in their backfield. Dameon Pierce was a dud as an NFL sophomore and Devin Singletary is slated to become a free agent, so Pollard would be a nice addition. A more explosive version of Singletary, Pollard could be used in the running and passing games for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. He would be a No. 2 fantasy back.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers will likely move on from Austin Ekeler, which leaves a big hole in their backfield. While they’re not in the best position from a cap perspective, teams have a way of finagling things to their advantage. I’m not necessarily sure Pollard’s style of play would fit new offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s scheme (he typically likes bigger, bruising backs), but Pollard would be a solid No. 2 in Hollywood.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are moving on from Alexander Mattison, leaving a gaping hole in their backfield. If the team decides to spend on the position, Pollard would be a nice fit. Coach Kevin O’Connell loves to throw the football, so he would be prominent in both aspects of the offense. In this scenario, the Vikings could still also use Ty Chandler in a secondary role with Pollard serving as the top runner in a committee.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles could move on from D’Andre Swift, who is heading into free agency as well, so Pollard is a fit. I wouldn’t love this as a fan of the Cowboys, but it would make sense if Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wants to spend a few bucks on a back. Remember, the Eagles hired Kellen Moore as their new offensive coordinator, and he knows Pollard well from their time together in Big D. It’s an easy fit.
