Tony Pollard dynasty profile: Exploring fantasy outlook for Cowboys’ RB1

Tony Pollard is one of the most exciting running backs to target in fantasy football ahead of the 2023 NFL season. After enjoying a breakout season last year, including 1,378 yards and 12 touchdowns, he looks primed to take another step forward. This is mostly because he's expected to be the featured player in the Dallas Cowboys' prolific rushing attack.

The Cowboys shockingly released Ezekiel Elliott during the 2023 NFL offseason, significantly increasing Pollard's value in fantasy football. Further adding to his positive outlook is the fact that none of the backups seem to be legitimate threats to challenge him for touches. Ronald Jones appears to be well past his prime at this point, while Malik Davis and Deuce Vaughn are completely unproven.

Another major factor that should help Pollard ahead of the 2023 NFL season is the philosophical offensive change to the Cowboys' play calling. The franchise fired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore during the offseason and named head coach Mike McCarthy the play caller. McCarthy has made it clear that he plans to run the ball much more this year.

All of this creates a recipe for Pollard to truly thrive during the 2023 fantasy football season. This makes him a lock to be among the top 10 running backs on draft day in traditional season-long leagues. He also has a massive upside, giving him a legitimate case to potentially end the year as the No. 1 overall running back in total fantasy points.

His value in dynasty leagues is a bit different than in redraft formats. He's already 26 years old, which is relatively old for a running back, and is also coming off a major leg injury. He fractured his fibula during the Cowboys' final game of the 2022 season against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFL playoffs.

His age, inexperience as a starter, and recent injury resulted in the Cowboys placing their franchise tag on Pollard during the 2023 NFL offseason rather than locking him into a long-term contract. This creates unknown variables about his future beyond the 2023 season.

Tony Pollard's contract significantly impacts his dynasty value in fantasy football

Tony Pollard

Unlike in redraft leagues, where his long-term contract situation is irrelevant, it plays a major role in Pollard's dynasty value. There is no clarity on which team he will play for beyond the 2023 NFL season. While his situation with the Cowboys is extremely favorable when weighing all of the various factors, that only accounts for one season.

Dynasty is a completely different situation, where player values are largely based on their production for the next several years. It's almost impossible to predict that for Pollard when he's set to become a free agent following the 2023 season. It's entirely possible he leaves the Cowboys and joins a different team in a less favorable situation, such as a weaker rushing attack or positional timeshare.

All things considered, including his age and contract, it's fair to rank Pollard on the lower end of the top 10 dynasty running backs, compared to an arguable top-five back in redraft leagues. He is in a similar dynasty tier to players such as Saquon Barkley and Austin Ekeler.

It's also important to note that his upside gives him an extremely high ceiling. His new role, favorable system, and dynamic skillset would make it unsurprising for him to significantly outperform his ranking.