Tony Pollard signs with the Tennessee Titans: The Dynasty Fantasy Football Impact

“If only Ezekiel Elliott would just leave.” It was a statement dynasty managers made for years as they waited patiently to see if  Cowboys running back Tony Pollard would ever get his chance to shine. After all, Pollard always just looked electric with the ball in his hands but was constantly blocked on the depth chart by the workhorse back who let us know he had to eat. Pollard finally got his chance to be the starter last season and despite a lot of excitement from the dynasty community, the results were simply disappointing. Instead of coming in and establishing himself as a dominant RB1, Pollard struggled to find the same magic he did as a part-time player and looked average most of the time. Instead of investing more into him and seeing if he could turn it around, Dallas let him test free agency and he quickly signed with the Tennessee Titans. The new marriage has a serious impact in dynasty leagues, so let’s take a look at the players whose values have changed.

Tony Pollard, RB TEN

Pollard’s five-year totals in Dallas include 3,621 rushing yards, 176 catches, 1,318 receiving yards, and 28 total touchdowns. However, you only need to look at the past two years to see the whole story. In 2022, Pollard rushed for 1,007 yards on 5.2 yards per carry and scored nine rushing touchdowns as a change-of-pace back. Last season, he ran for 1,005 yards on 59 more carries (4.0 yards per carry) and scored just six times as the workhorse. In other words, his numbers looked about the same, despite a much bigger workload.

Pollard finds himself in a very interesting position. With Derrick Henry on the move, it looks like he has a decent path to relevance. Pollard’s deal is for three years and $24 million, so it’s also clear the Titans see him as a starting-caliber player. However, dynasty managers should be pretty concerned here. Pollard set career lows in most metrics last year, is playing behind a poor offensive line, has Tyjae Spears to fend off, and suddenly finds himself smack in the middle of a rebuilding situation. This just looks like.a signing that could be a disappointing one in dynasty leagues and his ADP shouldn’t rise much based on his new landing spot.

Tajae Spears, RB TEN

Despite handing Pollard a decent sized check, Spears isn’t going to just go away. He was solid as a rookie, rushing for 453 yards on just 100 carries. He also posted a 52/385/1 line as a receiver. This just has the looks of a backfield that’s going to be volatile moving forward and Tennessee could simply ride the hot hand at times. Spears was a hot pickup in dynasty leagues over the past month as it was clear Derrick Henry was on his way out. While this is clearly going to throw a bucket of cold water on that sentiment, Spears still looks like a solid prospect and could be a “buy low” candidate at the moment. It’s quite possible he looks better than Pollard this preseason and pushes for a 50/50 timeshare.

Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut, RBs TEN

Yeah, this probably isn’t going to work out well. Both Haskins and Chestnut have had their moments but it’s hard to see much relevance with this pair if they’re back on the roster next season.

Rico Dowdle, RB DAL

If there’s a winner in this deal other than Pollard, it could be Dowdle at the moment. While it seems likely the Cowboys address the position in free agency or the upcoming NFL Draft, a lot of the premier running backs have already found homes. Dowdle has looked solid in limited action. Still just 25, he is ironically looking for the same chance Pollard got in Dallas as a backup who just looks electric when he plays. We’ll see what happens in the end but dynasty managers are surely hoping Dallas addresses other needs and gives Dowdle a bigger chance to show he can play. He’s a free agent at the moment and could land elsewhere but it’s widely expected he’ll re-sign with Dallas.

Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis, RBs DAL

These two have also moved up a spot. Vaughn and Davis have both shown flashes and if Dallas only brings in a late round rookie and doesn’t address the position further, they’re both relatively exciting to have at the back-end of a dynasty roster.