Fantasy football managers who invested a first-round pick in Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard haven’t seen the returns they hoped for through the first six games of the NFL season. Should fantasy managers consider trading Pollard after his performance against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football?
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Should Fantasy Football Managers Trade Tony Pollard?
When Pollard finished as the RB8 in PPR formats working behind Ezekiel Elliott in 2022, many expected a big jump in production when he was set up to be the feature back in Dallas heading into the 2023 NFL season.
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After a two-touchdown debut in the season opener against the New York Giants, Pollard failed to find the end zone while seeing fewer carries over the next four games.
Tony Pollard Carries From Week 2 to Week 5
- Week 2: 25 carries
- Week 3: 23 carries
- Week 4: 11 carries
- Week 5: 8 carries
Pollard’s usage and dip in efficiency should be giving his shareholders some cause for concern.
In my opinion, I would be open to dealing Pollard at RB1-type value heading into the Cowboys’ bye week. In particular, if you are a team sitting at or below .500 heading into Week 7, you might want to deal the back.
What Should Fantasy Managers Look To Acquire When Trading Pollard?
I’ll start by saying you should take advantage of our free PFN Fantasy Trade Analyzer tool when trying to shop Pollard around your fantasy league. It is a fantastic tool that can help you give you a great gauge of the trade market for one of your high draft picks.
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Personally, I would love to target an elite-level WR like Philadelphia Eagle A.J. Brown, Buffalo Bill Stefon Diggs, Cincinnati Bengal Ja’Marr Chase, or Los Angeles Charger Keenan Allen in return for a talent like Pollard.
Many fantasy managers might be a bit more hesitant to trade a top-tier RB for another RB, in fear of it feeling like a lateral move. But if you go in that direction, I would aim for players like the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Travis Etienne, Atlanta Falcon Bijan Robinson, or Miami Dolphin Raheem Mostert.
Another couple of names that would potentially be intriguing would be players who have already had their bye week, like Chargers RB Austin Ekeler or Seattle Seahawk RB Kenneth Walker. This could help you steal a game of production in a deal for Pollard.
One final idea would be to trade Pollard for players who you think could boom in the near future, like Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, while potentially even getting another player thrown in with the deal.