As Tony Pollard battles his way back from a foot injury, will he be available for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15? What’s the latest on Pollard’s injury status, will he be available for fantasy football owners, and how has he played this season?
Update 12/19/21: According to Ian Rapoport, Cowboys RB Tony Pollard (foot) is active today.
Is Tony Pollard playing today vs. the Giants?
Pollard was a game-time decision last week and warmed up before the game against Washington. Ultimately, he ended up sitting out. This week, he recorded limited sessions on Thursday and Friday.
Currently, Pollard is a game-time decision again. He’s officially marked as questionable for the contest, while Dallas ruled left tackle Tyron Smith out. There appeared to be optimism he would suit up from Adam Schefter. However, Ian Rapoport reported that the Cowboys will make the decision after Pollard’s pre-game workout.
Pollard himself confirmed that things were going well with his recovery after missing his first game of the season last week. The Cowboys have elevated JaQuan Hardy from the practice squad for the second week in a row. He will serve as the RB3 behind Ezekiel Elliott and Corey Clement if Pollard is inactive.
Losing Pollard for another week would be a problem for the Cowboys, who have needed him this season, with Zeke not being 100% for most of the year. That said, Zeke and Clement played well in Week 14, combining for 99 yards.
How has Pollard performed so far this season?
Pollard is having his most productive season yet since Dallas drafted him three years ago. The young back has shined while Elliott has battled to stay healthy.
Pollard has come up with a big play on multiple occasions this season to open up the game for the Cowboys, including a 58-yard TD against Washington in which he suffered the partial tear in his foot.
Pollard had 123 carries in 2020, averaging 4.3 yards per carry as largely a backup. This season, he’s splitting carries far more evenly with Zeke and already has 128 attempts on the season. His yards per carry total is up to 5.6, too, as he involved himself more in the game plan.
On top of that, Pollard’s contribution in the passing game has grown year on year. His 31 receptions for 259 yards this season are career-highs. He’s currently the RB26 for fantasy in half-point PPR formats, averaging 10.0 fantasy points per game. If he’s forced to miss, Elliott is expected to see a larger workload.