Cowboys Rumors: Deuce Vaughn's expected role in Week 1 will get Dallas fans pumped

The health of Dallas Cowboys offensive linemen Tyler Smith and Tyron Smith has distracted from other prominent storylines heading into Week 1. For one, fans are eager to see how the new-look running back room shakes out.

Tony Pollard is ready to take over the lead role for the first time in his career, but Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn are expected to get some looks, too.

How the touches are split is anyone's guess, but NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero share some worthwhile insight hours before kickoff.

Pollard will dominate the backfield with 18-20 touches, but Rico Dowdle will factor in on third downs as the de facto power back. As for Deuce Vaughn, Pelissero understands Dallas has "special packages" ready for the rookie.

Cowboys Rumors: NFL insider reveals Dallas' plan for RBs Tony Pollard and Deuce Vaughn

This is noteworthy on multiple fronts. On one hand, Ezekiel Elliott tallied more than 20 touches just three times over the last two seasons. For added context, Elliott averaged 13.9 carries in 2021 and 15.4 carries in 2022, respectively.

That obviously has something to do with Zeke's decline and Pollard's emergence as a dynamic playmaker, but it's clear Mike McCarthy intends give Pollard a full workload Sunday night. It'll be interesting to see how the Pro Bowl rusher handles a (significant) uptick in carries.

In his career, Pollard has tallied more than 20 carries in one game. He's also handled 15 or more attempts in just four games.

As for Deuce Vaughn, the Cowboys would be crazy not to give the beloved rookie some touches against the Giants. The 5-foot-5 Vaughn only needed two preseason games to prove he belonged on Dallas' 53-man roster, rushing for 64 yards and two TDs while averaging a shade under 5.0 yards per carry.

It's expected Vaughn will be used in a pass-catching role, but "special packages" is open for interpretation. Giants DC Wink Martindale is one of the best coordinators in the game on either side of the ball. Having Vaughn as a check down option is (in theory) a great idea to thwart the Giants' sack-oriented defense.

Whatever Vaughn's workload looks like, the undersized RB will have the country on the edge of its seat whenever he touches the ball.

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