Fantasy football can be a cruel game, and the latest Tyjae Spears injury should open the door for Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard to earn a larger role in the offense. Despite leading the team with 260 carries last year, Pollard ceded work to Spears down the stretch, and nobody knew who would be the primary starter for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. However, Spears suffered an injury in the preseason opener, which could give Pollard a clear path to the starting job.
As of this posting, ESPN’s Turron Davenport reports the initial diagnosis for Spears is a high-ankle sprain. This will still need to be confirmed, but assuming this report is correct, the running back will likely miss between six to eight weeks as he works his way back to full strength. So, let’s take a look for what this means for Tony Pollard in fantasy football, both in the short- and long-term.
Fantasy Football: Tony Pollard Outlook After Tyjae Spears Injury
Short-Term Outlook
Barring a misdiagnosis, this ankle injury will probably keep Spears off the field until around Week 4 or 5. While nobody ever roots for injuries, this is a best-case scenario for Tony Pollard in fantasy football. The 28-year-old will be the unquestioned starter in this backfield and should be an easy start in all formats, at least in the short term.
The Tennessee Titans do not have any reliable players behind Spears, which means Pollard will likely handle a full three-down workload to start the season. Volume is king in fantasy football, and Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings aren’t good enough to steal meaningful touches from Pollard. Additionally, the relatively short-term nature of Spears’ injury means Tennessee probably won’t add a free agent or trade for a proven commodity.
Pollard finished the 2024 season as the RB21 despite sharing work with Spears and playing alongside Will Levis for most of the season. Say what you will about first-overall pick Cam Ward, but he should lead a more efficient offense than Levis.
Volume sets the floor in fantasy football, but talent and matchup set the ceiling. Unfortunately, this is bad news for Pollard, as he’s not an elite talent, the Titans offense probably won’t be great, and they start the team with tough matchups against the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, and Indianapolis Colts. Because of this, Pollard probably won’t be anything more than a mid-range RB2 while Spears is gone. However, what can we expect from him when he returns?
Tony Pollard Fantasy Football Outlook With Tyjae Spears
Tyjae Spears should return early in the season, but Tony Pollard can still carry some fantasy football value while paired with the third-round pick. Even if he returns in Week 4, Spears will probably need time to rebuild confidence in his ankle and re-adjust to the speed of the NFL. This means Pollard will likely be the primary back for at least the first two months of the season, although Spears will earn a larger role as the season progresses.
Once Spears returns to his old form, the Titans will probably use him as the receiving back and utilize Pollard as an early-down rusher and touchdown threat. This isn’t ideal for fantasy football, as the Titans won’t score enough touchdowns to make Tony Pollard a reliable week-in, week-out starter. However, you’d still prefer him to Spears.
Cam Ward refused to check the ball down to the running back in college, and that trend will probably carry over to the NFL. This means targets will be hard to come by, which is bad news for Spears. When both players are fully healthy, Pollard will probably be a flex-type play, while Spears won’t be anything more than a handcuff.
Main Photo: Kim Klement-Neitzel – Imagn Images
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