Cowboys Depth Chart: Big role awaits winner of running back battle
Later this month, the Dallas Cowboys will depart for training camp in Oxnard, California, as they officially start the 2026 campaign, looking to crack the postseason for the first time since 2023.
In the Cowboys Depth Chart series, we will take a look at each position group to determine which players are safe, on the bubble or have work to do in terms of making the 53-man roster coming out of training camp in late August.
At running back, Javonte Williams cemented himself as the long-term starter with a breakout 2025 campaign, but he will need another back to emerge in 2026 to offset the heavy load he received in his first year with the team.
Here is a look at the running back position heading into training camp.
SAFE (2)
- Javonte Williams, Hunter Luepke
The first season for Javonte Williams in Dallas was initially an experiment, but it quickly turned into a long-term solution. The now-26-year-old posted a career-high 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns on 252 carries, and he was rewarded this offseason with a three-year contract extension.
But with Williams now cemented for multiple years, the Cowboys will have to be intentional about taking some of the load off his plate in 2026. Regardless, he will be the early down back at the very least, or a bell cow once again at the worst.
While technically a fullback, Hunter Luepke factors into the running back conversation because of his expected increased usage in the offense in 2026. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that he had a conversation with Luepke at the end of 2025 on how they can utilize his playmaking ability a bit more moving forward. Considering his special teams ability and downhill blocking, he’s safe to make the roster in his fourth season.
ON THE BUBBLE (3)
- Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Malik Davis
There is not a clear-cut favorite for the RB2 role, which will create is a fascinating battle in training camp and the preseason.
Jaydon Blue probably offsets Williams’ ability more naturally than the rest with his explosive speed and receiving ability, but he will have to win over his coaches after a rookie season that forced him to mature off the field. Phil Mafah enters his second season fully healthy and with the momentum of a strong offseason in the eyes of his coaches.
While Malik Davis was second in the room in touches last season (54), he is the oldest player in the room at 27. Getting young talent developed behind Williams is the priority, but if that fails, Davis will be waiting once again to take advantage like he did in 2025.
WORK TO DO (2)
- Israel Abanikanda, Dominic Richardson
The intrigue from the Dallas scouting department around Israel Abanikanda existed for years going back to when he was coming out of college (Pittsburgh) in 2023. After he was cut late in the season last year, Dallas quickly swooped in to make him part of the depth in the room. But while there has been long interest in the Brooklyn native, he will have work to do to show he still has the same pop and explosion that initially put him on the Cowboys’ radar three years ago.
Rarely does a rookie undrafted free agent find an offensive skill position role, but there is a path for Dominic Richardson to sneak his way into the conversation with a strong training camp. After posting a 1,000-yard season in his final collegiate season at Tulsa, Richardson earned the intrigue from the Cowboys to throw him into the mix in the position room. His 6-foot, 205-pound stocky frame could give him a physicality edge, and his receiving ability could add an intrigue.
