The Dallas Cowboys are set for their seventh practice of training camp on Wednesday, and with the way players have been going down, the top priority might simply be getting through it without another injury scare.
While injuries remain a burning storyline, it’s hard not to be pleased with Brian Schottenheimer’s first camp. He’s clearly trying to instill toughness in the team, and that mindset is showing up in the various position battles.
Speaking of, Jon Machota of The Athletic thinks there is a new alpha in the running back room. Appearing on the Cowboys Collective podcast, Machota circled Miles Sanders as Dallas' current RB1.
“With the running backs I think I’ve got Miles Sanders in the No. 1 spot. I think he’s moved ahead of Javonte Williams for me. He’s another one that you can just use in a variety of ways, especially in the passing game," Machota said.
Cowboys RB Miles Sanders is stealing the spotlight in training camp
This is notable because Machota had Williams as his most impressive Cowboys running back just one week ago. That was before the pads came on, however.
Williams was the unofficial starter when camp started. He has seen the most burn with the starters, but Sanders hasn't been far behind and it would appear he has showed more juice relative to Williams in the first two padded sessions.
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It bodes well for Sanders that he has flashed as both a runner and a pass-catcher, traits Schottenheimer has long valued in his running backs. While Williams entered the league as a natural receiver out of North Carolina, Sanders' superior burst could make him the more versatile option for Schottenheimer and new offensive coordinator Klayton Adams.
What makes the RB competition so captivating is that Williams could reclaim the No. 1 spot with a strong showing to close out the week.
Rookie fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue has also entered the competition. While he still needs to refine the nuances of the position before he can push for the RB1 spot, he has been one of the most impressive performers on either side of the ball over the past few practices.
There likely won't be any fluency about the pecking order until the first preseason game, but Sanders seems to have leapfrogged Williams for the time being.