Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard will be a game-time decision for Week 14 against Washington.

Pollard said that he tore his plantar fascia on his 58-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints. He will test out the injury before game time prior to the team's medical staff making the final call. Both Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott are dealing with injuries that are limiting their practice participation, so the Cowboys could lean on the pass against a burnable Washington secondary, even if both backs are active. Pollard is currently our 25th ranked running back for Week 14.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team expects Ezekiel Elliott to have a serious load against New Orleans.
No rest for Zeke.

Related players: Tony Pollard

Last week there was talk of the team shutting down Zeke because of a knee injury. However, Elliott practiced fully on Monday which was a sign the team wasn't easing up on him heading into Week 13. However, with an obvious knee issue and a great option in Pollard, it's hard to imagine Pollard won't be involved, at least as much as he has been. Over the last three weeks, Pollard has touched the ball 17, 9 and then 14 times this past week on Thanksgiving.

For the Cowboys, RB Zeke Elliott (knee) was a full participant, a sign he’s preparing to play through the ailment Thursday.

Related players: Tony Pollard

It was reported the Cowboys were going to consider shutting Zeke down to get him ready for the playoffs, but a full-go status on Monday indicates that won't be the case - at least for now. Looks like Elliott will play on Thursday night at the Saints but expect Pollard to maybe get some extra work.

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy spoke with reporters Friday, stating that as the season progresses, the more concerned he is about RB Ezekiel Elliott's health.

“It’s that time of year. Zeke’s running style is ferocious. He gives a pounding and he takes some hits,” McCarthy said. “We need to evaluate that and this week we’ll see what the preparation looks like for him.”

Related Player: Tony Pollard

A slower Elliott has been a topic of conversation regardless of the time of season. Tony Pollard shined in Dallas' Week 12 loss and continues to produce similarly/out-produce Zeke. This could mean a shift of carries to Pollard and is worth monitoring.

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott left Sunday’s game for a brief time after aggravating his knee injury, but he was able to get back on the field and played 69 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.

Related players: Tony Pollard

Things didn't look good for Elliott after the injury but as the story said he was able to return to the game. The Cowboys play the Raiders in the middle game on Thanksgiving.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (knee) is questionable for Week 6 at New England. Elliott is expected to play.

Related Player: Tony Pollard

This is not the first or last time Elliott will have a 'Q' tag and play. Fire him up as an RB1 against the Patriots.

The next item that should be discussed is the performance of Tony Pollard. We are in Year 3 of Pollard’s four-year rookie deal and it is obvious that he is a weapon that must be included in every game plan. Without turning this automatically into a Pollard vs. Ezekiel Elliott debate, it should be obvious to anyone who follows these games that Pollard has a component that Elliott can not offer — the ability to hit home runs regularly.

The story goes into great deal about Pollard and his ability. One point to talk about here is the difference between Pollard’s role in Week 1 vs. Week 2. The author feels Pollard has to be a mandatory feature in the offense and he points out Pollard had seven touches on opening weekend and that raced up to 16 in Week 2. The story said Pollard can do whatever the team needs, calling him an explosive running back. It's looking like Pollard has stand-alone value, at least in a little deeper of leagues, but his workload is worth monitoring in all leagues.