RADIO
The Dallas Cowboys were limited in their running back room against Washington last week, but their defense ultimately bailed them out in a gritty divisional win. Ezekiel Elliot has been battling a knee injury for a few weeks now and is notably a shell of himself, which is why his production has slipped across the last seven games. Instead, Tony Pollard has been the explosive X-Factor in the backfield for Dallas, limited in touches but highly efficient when it comes to making a big play.
Pollard's impressive 58-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints back in Week 13 resulted in a torn plantar fascia in his left foot. His absence against Washington was evident, as Elliot totaled 60 yards on 18 touches and was held without a touchdown for the second straight week.
Let's assess the current situation within the Dallas backfield heading into their Week 15 divisional road game against a bad New York Giants run defense.
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Is Tony Pollard going to play in Week 15? Should Pollard be started if cleared to play? Does Corey Clement become relevant if Pollard is ruled out? Below we take a quick look at the updated injury status for Pollard and attempt to answer questions about his availability and his potential replacement moving forward.
Is Tony Pollard Playing in Week 15 Against the Giants?
The latest reports from the Dallas Cowboys beat writers suggest that Pollard practiced for the first time in a limited fashion on Thursday. He participated in stretching and debriefed with a team physician before returning to practice.
Good sign for Sunday: Cowboys RB Tony Pollard (foot) is practicing for the first time since tearing his left plantar fascia on Dec. 2. He stretched with teammates and, after warming up with director of rehabilitation Britt Brown, rejoined them on field. pic.twitter.com/k4kmc36B5j
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 16, 2021
It's always encouraging to see a player go from DNP to limited with a couple of more days to continue recovering. However, it remains a situation to monitor before kick-off against the Giants on Sunday.
Sunday Morning Update
After being limited in practice all week, it is now being reported that Tony Pollard should be active and playing, although likely limited. Assuming he doesn't have any setbacks before the game, he will get some action against the Giants in Week 15:
Should I Start Tony Pollard If He's Cleared to Play?
A torn plantar fascia is not a mild injury by any means, but Pollard's cleared at least 68 scrimmage yards in four consecutive games, including against the Saints in Week 13. On the year, Pollard has played 31 percent of snaps and averages a touch on 45.8 percent of snaps, meaning he is likely to get used when healthy enough to suit up. He's a multi-faceted athlete that has returned a kickoff for a touchdown and is Dak Prescott's favorite target out of the backfield.
The matchup is enticing, as the Giants have surrendered 25.62 PPR points to fantasy running backs this season, which is the eighth-highest in the league. Pollard handled 14 carries for 75 yards and caught all four of his targets for an additional 28 yards to surpass 100 scrimmage yards against the Giants back in Week 5. His carries definitely won't be double-digit, but Pollard doesn't need that volume to return RB3 value. Pollard can be started as a mid-range RB3 against the Giants in Week 15.
Is Corey Clement A Streaming Option Without Pollard?
Corey Clement does warrant some consideration if Pollard experiences a setback between now and the game on Sunday. The 27-year old running back averaged 3.38 YPC on 13 attempts against an improved Washington defense, enjoying roughly an equal rushing share to Elliot. As a result, Clement can be treated as a borderline RB3/RB4 if Pollard cannot suit up.
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