The Dallas Cowboys are set to decide their fair share of position battles for the season starts, but the RB2 competition is one of the biggest ones, up there with the CB2 and QB2 battles. But luckily for Brian Schottenheimer, this one isn't nearly as pressing as some of the more up-in-the-air debates.
Right now, the Cowboys are deciding between Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis, Phil Mafah, and Israel Abanikanda to back up Javonte Williams--and the competition feels plenty wide open. Unfortunately, the preseason win over the Cardinals didn't do much to settle this as the run game was humming.
The fact of the matter is that Schotty won't lose any sleep over this, and nor should he. Without how elite Dallas' offensive line has been, the run game will be ignited regardless--and it's not like there will be an abundance of touches to go around behind Williams. But that's what makes this so intriguing.
The Dallas Cowboys' can't go wrong with deciding who their RB2 will be
In Saturday's dominant 34-13 victory over the Cardinals, the Cowboys' run game averaged over five yards per carry, which was a major improvement from the inefficient run game we saw in the preseason opener against the Seahawks. And it still remains that nobody is pulling away.
Right now, the pecking order seems to look as follows:
- Malik Davis
- Jaydon Blue
- Israel Abanikanda
- Phil Mafah
It was Davis who got the start in Arizona, playing the first two drives before he got subbed in for Blue. And while he didn't see the field much, he still logged five carries for 29 yards and caught an eight-yard receiving touchdown, which should currently have him in the driver's seat to be RB2 once again.
However, he's certainly facing some resistance.
Jaydon Blue enjoyed his best game as a Cowboy, carrying the ball 15 times for 75 yards and showing off some nice athleticism and running through contact. But the Texas product's game has some glaring red flags that are getting tough to ignore.
That was a smooth hurdle by Jaydon Blue 😮💨
— NFL (@NFL) August 23, 2026
DALvsAZ on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/K8x6Kok9uI
He's become one of the more divisive players on this roster, as some want to see the Cowboys keep him around to keep developing him into Williams' backup. But with how crowded the running back competition is getting, it's hardly a surprise that he hasn't done much to put his foot on the gas pedal.
Abnikanda added eight carries for 39 yards as well, building on a strong preseason debut. He's run hard and with efficiency all summer.
As for Mafah, he only played one snap, and while it was a 15-yard rushing touchdown, his chances of making the roster seem to be getting slimmer by the day if he's the last back in the RB rotation.
This run game is going to be efficient regardless, so while the Cowboys want to get younger and more explosive at the position, they're going to have to weigh who has the most upside. And while it could be any of these four running backs, they could always look externally if no one pulls away.
Add us as a preferred source on Google