Who Should I Start? Matt Breida or Tony Pollard

Friday, December 22, 1:40 AM

New York Giants running back Matt Breida (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury in Week 16 and was listed as limited on the team's first practice report on Thursday. The good news is Breida has an extra day to recover this week with the G-Men not playing until Christmas Day against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, but his status bears watching as the backup to starting RB Saquon Barkley. The 28-year-old should be available in Week 16, barring a setback the next couple of days. Breida doesn't have any standalone fantasy value with limited volume behind a bell-cow back in an offense that doesn't put up many points. He has only 55 rushing attempts all year for 151 yards (2.75 yards per carry) and one touchdown in 14 total contests. If Breida is limited or out on Monday, rookie Eric Gray would be Barkley's direct backup.

Wednesday, April 10, 11:05 PM

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz sees running backs Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard as 1A and 1B in some combination at the RB position for the team heading into the 2024 season. Holz said both backs will get a lot of touches. It's clearly bad news for Pollard's fantasy value after he served as the lead back for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023, recording his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season with six touchdowns but a career-low 4.0 yards per carry in 17 regular-season starts. Expecting a third straight 1,000-yard season in his first year in Tennessee would be unwise. If both Spears -- who had 453 rushing yards and 385 receiving yards with three total TDs as a rookies last year, -- and Pollard split the backfield work evenly, they'd both be more of RB3/flex plays in fantasy on a weekly basis in an offense that could be transitioning to more of a balanced attack rather than run-heavy.