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Tony Pollard

Will Dallas fourth-rounder make rookie impact?

Tony Pollard has been pretty impressive in Dallas' first two preseason games. If Ezekiel Elliott thought staying away from the team would help his push for a new contract, it's possible he miscalculated. Pollard put up 51 total yards and a touchdown on 6 touches against the Rams last night.

Should Elliott remain a holdout, Pollard would be the starter behind one of the league's best offensive lines. That would give him a chance to finish with top-20 fantasy production as a rookie -- not easy to do for a fourth-round pick.

Since 2000, there's been one fourth-round running back who finished with top-2o production in his rookie season -- Houston's Domanick Davis. Sixteen other players snuck into the top 50, so about one per year. One such player a year ago (Indianapolis' Nyheim Hines).

4TH-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, ROOKIE NUMBERS (2000-)
YearPickPlayerRunRecTotTDFFRk
2003101Domanick Davis, Hou.10313511382815
2014113Andre Williams, NYG721130851721
2015106Jeremy Langford, Chi.537279816724
2016136Devontae Booker, Den.612265877527
2017134Jamaal Williams, G.B.556262818629
2011105Roy Helu, Wash.6403791019331
2006117Leon Washington, NYJ650270920435
2005109Marion Barber, Dall.538115653535
2015125Javorius Allen, Balt.514353867336
2003105Onterrio Smith, Minn.579129708536
2018104Nyheim Hines, Ind.314425739439
2017114Samaje Perine, Wash.603182785241
2001121Correll Buckhalter, Phil.586130716241
2017119Tarik Cohen, Chi.370353723342
2017143Marlon Mack, Ind.358225583447
2011115Kendall Hunter, S.F.473195668247
2017140Wayne Gallman, NYG476193669150
2008122Tashard Choice, Dall.4721856572--
2004119Mewelde Moore, Minn.3792386170--
200299Jonathan Wells, Hou.529485773--
2016134Kenneth Dixon, Balt.3821625443--
2014103Devonta Freeman, Atl.2482254732--
2018126Ito Smith, Atl.3151524674--
2012106Robert Turbin, Sea.3541814350--
2014138Lorenzo Taliaferro, Balt.2921144064--
2003108Quentin Griffin, Den.345614060--
2003132LaBrandon Toefield, Jac.2121053173--
2018134Chase Edmonds, Ariz.2081033112--
201297Lamar Miller, Mia.250452951--
2003121Justin Griffith, Atl.1681222902--
2003115Lee Suggs, Clev.28902892--
2014124DeAnthony Thomas, K.C.1131562692--
2018131Kalen Ballage, Mia.191562471--
2002135Najeh Davenport, G.B.184332171--
2014117KaDeem Carey, Chi.158572150--
2010112Joe McKnight, NYJ189202090--
2013125Johnathan Franklin, G.B.107301371--
2005110Brandon Jacobs, NYG990997--
2015126Mike Davis, S.F.5838960--
2018112Mark Walton, Cin.3441750--
2009111Mike Goodson, Car.4915640--
2014130James White, N.E.3823610--
2005130Darren Sproles, S.D.5010600--
2011126Bilal Powell, NYJ217280--
2016119Tyler Ervin, Hou.318210--
2017132Donnel Pumphrey, Phil.0000--
2017121Joe Williams, S.F.0000--
2007100Michael Bush, Oak.0000--
2001100Rudi Johnson, Cin.0000--
2019112Bryce Love, Wash.?????
2019113Justice Hill, Balt.?????
2019122Benny Snell, Pitt.?????
2019128Tony Pollard, Dall.?????

As the table shows, though, a rookie year impact might not mean much. Andre Williams, Jeremy Langford, Devontae Booker? Lamar Miller, Rudi Johnson, James White and Darren Sproles did less as rookies, but had much better careers. So even if Elliott returns and Pollard doesn't do much this season, plenty of chance for him to emerge down the road.

With Pollard, Hill and Snell there's some potential for a rookie-year impact, although Snell might need an injury to be a factor. Love, coming off a torn ACL, is more likely to be a factor in year two.

--Andy Richardson

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