With the Cowboys expected to be without Ezekiel Elliott on Sunday vs. the Bears, Tony Pollard is in line to see significant work in his fourth career start. Malik Davis, Qadree Ollison may both be brought up Saturday from the practice squad; the Cowboys have had three RBs active each game so far.

It's been a while since Tony Pollard's most recent official start (12/20/2020), but the 18 touches and 132 scrimmage yards he accrued would be a nice fantasy boost here in Week 8, 2022. He is currently ranked as a top-ten option against a Bears defense that ranks 26th in aFPA to the running back position.

Cordarrelle Patterson has a sprained ankle, and while the Falcons still are evaluating it, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports the nine-year veteran could miss “a couple weeks.”

Related players: Mike Davis, Wayne Gallman, Qadree Ollison

Patterson played only 15 offensive snaps and five special teams snaps Sunday against the Cowboys. Patterson, 30, has been one of the Falcons’ top weapons with 116 touches for 776 yards and seven touchdowns this season. With Patterson missing time, any of Davis, Gallman or Ollison could eat up those touches. It may take some time to figure out the Falcons backfield with Patterson out of the lineup.

In his Friday column, Orlando Ledbetter took a look at the Atlanta Falcons roster and predicted its 53-man roster. In it, he has Mike Davis, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Keith Smith as running back locks ahead of Qadree Ollison. “Those guys are competing, and they all ran pretty hard,” Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said. “Certainly, all of them, Q (Ollison), Caleb (Huntley) … and (D'Onta) Foreman ... there’s good competition there.”

In the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friends!" Majority of the offseason has been spent figuring out who amongst Ollison and recently cut Javian Hawkins would back up Davis, but Ledbetter, a trusted Falcons reporter, is here to pour cold water on the Ollison back-up hype train. Ollison's value was already only tied to a Davis injury, so rostering him at all at the moment seems unwise.

Unless the Falcons bring in another change-of-pace RB to compete with Javian Hawkins, I'd actually say his place on the 53-man roster is pretty safe.

Related players: Mike Davis, Qadree Ollison

Knight pointed out the Falcons already cut his biggest competition in Tony Brooks-James. Ollison will also be involved in the offense but as of now it looks like Davis is going to be the team's main back coming off a pretty good 2020 filling in for Christian McCaffrey. As we point out though, Davis has just a 3.7 YPC average for his career, so the guys behind him could end up getting chances.

Falcons RB Devonta Freeman to get MRI.

Related players: Brian Hill, Qadree Ollison, Kenjon Barner

Rapoport said Freeman was initially diagnosed with a foot sprain, a source said. The MRI today will determine the extent of it. If Freeman can't go, which, it's entirely possible the Falcons don't rush him back, Hill could be in store for a big workload with possibly Ollison and Barner mixing in. Hill should be a popular pickup this week. The Falcons travel to the Panthers in Week 11.

Kenjon Barner and Ito Smith are both in the concussion protocol.

Related players: Devonte Freeman, Brian Hill, Qadree Ollison

If both are unable to go in Week 4, Freeman will be backed up by a combo of Hill and Ollison it looks like. Freeman played in 90% of the offensive snaps for the Falcons against the Colts in Week 3 and did have his most productive fantasy game of the season with a 16-88-0 line, while adding three catches for seven yards.