Is Tony Pollard playing today? Titans injury update and fantasy football replacements

Not much has gone right for the Tennessee Titans this season, as their 3-10 record would suggest, but the Tony Pollard signing has aged quite well thus far. The 27-year-old had a tall task in front of him, taking over for Derrick Henry in the backfield, but while he isn't Henry, he's had a very nice debut season in Tennessee.

Pollard ranks ninth in the NFL with 937 yards rushing entering Sunday's action, putting him just 63 yards shy of his third straight 1,000-yard season. He also has 39 receptions for 233 yards in the air, proving to be more of a dual threat than Henry was, even while he's nowhere near the runner Henry was during his eight-year stint in Tennessee.

Pollard was hoping to add to his solid season with a good performance in Week 15 against a Cincinnati Bengals team that has allowed over 130 rushing yards per game, but he did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday and was listed as a limited participant on Friday, as he's dealing with an ankle injury. He enters Sunday's game with a questionable designation, making the possibility of him missing his first game of the season very real.

Will Tony Pollard play against the Cincinnati Bengals? Latest Titans injury update

Fortunately, ESPN's Adam Schefter delivered Titans fans some rare good news, as while this week hasn't been his best practice-wise, he's expected to play against Cincinnati.

Assuming Pollard is actually able to play, he could be in line for a big game. This same Bengals team allowed 131 yards on the ground to Rico Dowdle in Week 14, and, again, has struggled mightily defending the run. Pollard might not get to 131 yards, but the 63 yards he needs to record another 1,000-yard season certainly should be within reach rather comfortably. Pollard had 102 yards rushing in Week 14, and has had at least 100 yards on the ground in two of his last three games. Behind Pollard are Tyjae Spears, Julius Chestnut, and Joshua Kelley.

Even if Pollard is able to play, Tyjae Spears might see a bit of a heavier workload than usual on Sunday. Spears has had more than seven carries in a game just once this season, and that was back in Week 4 in a game that the Titans led comfortably most of the way. It wouldn't be surprising to see him top his season average of 5.6 attempts per game whether Pollard is in there or not.

Tony Pollard fantasy replacements: Should managers start Titans RB?

Given the fact that Pollard was taken fairly early in most drafts and has performed like a high-end RB2, he should be started if he's able to play, especially when considering the defense he's up against. Nobody knows just how healthy Pollard is, but he should be able to put up numbers against a Cincinnati defense that is susceptible to getting burned on the ground.

The only scenarios that should see Pollard on the bench would include a roster having several quality backs to rely on or if he is ruled out despite being expected to play. Players worth picking up in case of an emergency would be Spears, Tank Bigsby, or even Sincere McCormick for the truly desperate managers. Hopefully, at least one of those players are available.