Pollard enters the regular season as the top backup to Ezekiel Elliott, who is expected to be available Week 1 against the Giants after reaching a six-year contract extension with the Cowboys on Wednesday, Jane Slater of NFL Network reports.
Pollard could still be looking at a significant role during the regular-season opener, as Elliott only expected to play about 20-to-25 snaps after missing training camp and the preseason, according to Slater. Once Elliott answers any concerns about his conditioning, he'll presumably reclaim the overwhelming share of backfield snaps for Dallas, leaving few left over for Pollard. At the point, the rookie fourth-round pick could still end up making an impact for Dallas as a gadget player, slot receiver and return man.