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Cowboys Could be Mindful of Javonte Williams' Workload
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams enjoyed a career year in 2025 in his first year in Dallas, carrying the ball 252 times for 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 16 starts. He added 35 receptions on 51 targets for 137 yards and another two touchdowns as a receiver. The Cowboys and fantasy managers are expecting something similar for an encore in 2026 behind a strong offensive line. However, The Dallas Morning News' Joseph Hoyt reports that the Cowboys mentioned that they "wanted to be conscientious of the tread he was putting on his tires." Hoyt thinks that Williams getting back to the 252-carry mark from a year ago "feels like a stretch," and Dallas could lean more on No. 2 back Malik Davis. Still, Hoyt has Williams projected for another 1,000-yard season with nine rushing touchdowns on 215 carries. Fantasy managers selecting Williams as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 would be fine with that final stat line. RotoBaller currently has the former Denver Broncos RB ranked as the No. 12 overall option at his position.
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Joseph Hoyt
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Joseph Hoyt
Javonte Williams Slated for Every-Down Role
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams is expected to occupy an every-down role once again this season. The Cowboys recently released Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue, leaving them with a backfield of Williams, Malik Davis, and Emari Demercado. Although Davis and Demercado have both been in the league for a while, they've established themself as depth options and won't sniff the lead-back role as long as Williams is healthy. As a result, the 26-year-old has a legitimate chance to replicate (or even improve upon) last year's RB12 finish in PPR leagues, especially with the Cowboys' offense projected to be effective again this year. Last year, Williams had 1,201 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, shattering his previous career-high rushing yards (903) and rushing touchdowns (four). At the moment, he ranks as the RB12 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for PPR leagues. He has an ADP of 32.9, which corresponds to the third round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 15th running back off the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emari Demercado Joins Cowboys' Backfield Via Waiver Claim
The Dallas Cowboys claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. In a surprising move on roster cutdown day on Sunday, the Cowboys waived both running backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, leaving them with just Javonte Williams and Malik Davis in their backfield entering Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Demercado, who was with the Chiefs during training camp, will now head to Dallas, where he will serve as the RB3 to open the regular season. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of TCU spent his first three NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, averaging a notable 6.5 yards per carry for 819 yards and three rushing scores in 40 games (two starts) while adding 50 receptions on 70 targets for 324 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. Demercado has been efficient when he has gotten opportunities so far, but he will open 2026 as the clear third option out of Dallas' backfield, and he could also face competition from fullback Hunter Luepke.
Source: The Ringer - Tom Pelissero
Source: The Ringer - Tom Pelissero
Javonte Williams Set for Workhorse Role After Cowboys' Latest Cuts
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams appears poised to remain in the workhorse role following the team's latest batch of cuts. Dallas cut running backs Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, and Israel Abanikanda on Sunday, leaving the Cowboys with a backfield of just Williams and Malik Davis. We saw Dallas carry just two running backs into game day quite often last year, and it looks like they're sticking with that same strategy this year. We could see Blue or Mafah return to the practice squad, but at the very least, the Cowboys are making it clear that they only felt compelled to keep Williams and Davis. That's great news for Williams' fantasy managers, as it points to him being used as the workhorse back once again this year. If the Cowboys wanted to spread the workload around, they would've likely kept three running backs. Williams' exact workload will depend on game script, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him consistently get at least 18 to 20 touches per game. Last year, he averaged 18.9 touches per game with 1,138 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns by season's end. He remains a mid-to-low RB1 for fantasy purposes in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Malik Davis a Big Winner After Cowboys Backfield Cuts
Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis came out of Sunday's cuts with a much cleaner path behind Javonte Williams. Dallas waived both Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, two backs who had spent the summer competing with Davis for the No. 2 job. The timing matters because Davis was already pulling ahead before either move. Jon Machota reported last week that the Cowboys seemed most comfortable with Davis as their RB2, and Cowboys.com made the same call after the second preseason game. Davis gave them reasons to trust him. He led Dallas' backs with 39 yards on seven carries in the preseason opener, then flashed in pass protection against Arizona. He also rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries last season, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. This still isn't a path to major standalone volume with Williams healthy, and Dallas could add another back after cuts. For now, though, two of Davis' biggest competitors are gone. He's one of the clearest redraft winners from the Cowboys' roster moves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cowboys Waive Jaydon Blue in Surprise Roster Move
The Dallas Cowboys are waiving running back Jaydon Blue, according to Adam Schefter. It's a surprising decision after Dallas appeared to signal that Blue was safe by holding him out of Friday's preseason finale along with Javonte Williams and Malik Davis. The 2025 fifth-round pick had also put together a solid August, rushing for 94 yards on 23 carries through the Cowboys' first two preseason games. That included 75 yards on 15 attempts against Arizona. Blue saw only limited action as a rookie, finishing with 129 yards and one touchdown on 38 carries across five games, but ended the year with 64 yards and his first NFL score in Week 18. Dallas also waived Phil Mafah on Sunday, further reshaping the bottom of its running back room. Williams remains the clear starter, while Blue's departure gives Davis a cleaner path to backup work unless the Cowboys add another back after roster cuts.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Phil Mafah Waived by Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are waiving running back Phil Mafah, according to Jeremy Fowler. Dallas selected Mafah 239th overall in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but injuries limited his rookie season to one game. He carried five times for 18 yards and a touchdown in that appearance while adding two catches for 11 yards. Mafah returned healthy this summer and got one final extended audition Friday against New Orleans, starting and rushing 12 times for 46 yards. The bigger clue came from who didn't play. Dallas held Javonte Williams, Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue out of the preseason finale while Mafah handled the bulk of the work. The 6-foot-1, 232-pound back was fighting for one of the final spots in a crowded room, and Sunday's move confirms he remained on the outside. Mafah will now hit waivers after spending one season with Dallas.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Javonte Williams Leaves August Firmly in Control of Backfield
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams hasn't given fantasy managers much to worry about this summer. That's the point. Williams rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns on 252 carries last season, then Dallas brought him back on a three-year, $24 million deal. Nothing in August has chipped away at that lead role. The Cowboys have spent most of camp sorting through Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis and Phil Mafah behind him, and team writers were still calling everything below Williams a question mark on Aug. 25. Dallas then sat Williams, Blue and Davis in the preseason finale while Mafah handled 12 carries. Williams also caught 35 passes last year and finished with 13 total touchdowns, so there is some regression risk if the scoring drops. The workload is the bigger takeaway, though. RotoBaller's Aug. 28 outlook has Williams ranked 36th overall and projects another top-10 fantasy finish if he stays healthy. He isn't the cheap draft-day bet he was a year ago, but his hold on the Dallas backfield looks every bit as strong heading into Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cowboys Acquire Broderick Jones From Steelers
The Dallas Cowboys have acquired offensive tackle Broderick Jones and a fourth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Essentially, in return for Jones, the Steelers are moving up a round in the middle of the draft and also picking up a late Day 3 selection in the process. The 25-year-old tackle was a first-round pick out of Georgia in 2023. He played all 17 games in each of his first two seasons, but his participation total dropped to 11 games last year due to a season-ending neck injury. He had a career-worst 50.6 PFF run-blocking grade last year, but he also posted a career-best 59.0 PFF pass-blocking grade. Jones should offer impressive depth as the backup right tackle behind Terence Steele. He's heading into a contract year after Pittsburgh declined his fifth-year option.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Phil Mafah Falling Out of Roster Spot?
Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah could be on the outside looking in to make the Cowboys' final 53-man roster. The Cowboys drafted him in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Clemson. Teams around the league will have to shrink their roster from 90 players to 53 players on Sunday in order to be ready for Week 1. Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted Mafah got the majority of the running back work during the preseason finale Friday night. This signaled Mafah had one last shot to prove to the coaching staff that he should win a spot on the Cowboys' final roster. Mafah has been battling Jaydon Blue and Malik Davis all summer for the backup running back role behind starter Javonte Williams. After stiff competition, Mafah could be the odd man out of the running back room.
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Nick Harris
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Nick Harris
Phil Mafah Busy in Preseason Finale But Could be Odd-Man Out
Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah was busy in the team's preseason finale on Friday night versus the visiting New Orleans Saints, which typically means a player is on the roster bubble. That is exactly the case with Mafah, who saw a team-high 12 carries for 46 yards (3.8 yards per carry) in the 27-24 loss, with Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, and Malik Davis all watching on the sidelines in street clothes. He was not targeted as a receiver. While the 23-year-old has not had a bad training camp, he looks to be the RB4 and on the outside looking in for a spot on the 53-man roster spot heading into Week 1 against the division-rival New York Giants on Sunday Night Football on Sept. 13. The former seventh-rounder in last year's draft from Clemson only appeared in one game for Dallas, carrying the ball five times for 18 yards and a touchdown and catching both of his targets for 11 yards in the passing game. Mafah is probably going to need an injury to one of the RBs above him on the depth chart to get a shot on game days in 2026.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Phil Mafah Projected to Miss 53-Man Roster
Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah is not expected to make the 53-man roster for Week 1, according to roster projections from Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. Watkins did have a 15-yard touchdown run during Dallas' last preseason game, but that was the only time he touched the ball during the entire contest. Volume has been hard to come by, and it seems like he'll be the odd man out. "Mafah has done nothing wrong here," Watkins wrote. "[Malik] Davis and [Jaydon] Blue just played better in the preseason." As things stand, it looks like Davis and Blue will round out the backfield behind starter Javonte Williams, with Davis also playing a key role on special teams. Mafah, meanwhile, might need to look for a new team after just one season with the Cowboys. As a rookie last year, he tallied 29 scrimmage yards on seven touches.
Source: Calvin Watkins
Source: Calvin Watkins
Malik Davis Could Still Earn RB2 Job in Dallas
Nick Eatman of the Dallas Cowboys' official website writes that the running back hierarchy below starter Javonte Williams "is a question mark." They are not even sure anyone besides Williams has a solid spot on the roster, but "one would assume" that Malik Davis "has done enough to remain the backup." Second-year back Jaydon Blue played well in the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals last week, though, as did Phil Mafah, who turned his only carry into a trip to paydirt. Blue is younger and has more all-around upside, but the 27-year-old Davis is not going away and could at least open the 2026 season as Williams' primary backup until further notice. Mafah and Israel Abanikanda are probably more on the 53-man roster bubble. In the long run in 2026, Blue figures to have the best chance to unseat Davis as Dallas' RB2 if everyone remains healthy. Davis had 52 rushing attempts last year for a career-high 250 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in 10 games played, and his efficiency carries some weight. He has some handcuff appeal in deeper fantasy leagues, but if you are looking for pure upside in that role, Blue is probably the better bet.
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Nick Eatman
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Nick Eatman
Javonte Williams Set to Continue Dominance After Breakout Year
Running back Javonte Williams is ready to have a strong second season for the Dallas Cowboys following a breakout 2025 that earned him a three-year, $24 million extension. "Even without the money, it would still be fun just to be out here with the team," Williams told 1310 The Ticket, via the Dallas Morning News. "My teammates, I see how hard they work. Just on Sundays, for everything to come together, it's beautiful." Williams, who previously spent four seasons with the Denver Broncos, solidified himself as the Cowboys' starting back in 2025 with a career-high 252 carries for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. The rest of Dallas' running back corps is thin and inexperienced, with Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis, and Phil Mafah. This ensures Williams will run the ground game, especially when the season opens up. Williams is a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside as he aims for a big 2026 season.
Source: The Dallas Morning News
Source: The Dallas Morning News
Malik Davis Emerging as the RB2 Favorite in Dallas
Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis "seems to be the player with whom the Cowboys are most comfortable" in the RB2 role behind starting back Javonte Williams, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. Davis played in 10 games for Dallas in 2025, recording 250 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries. The 27-year-old has been competing for the Cowboys' RB2 role in training camp with 2025 draftees Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. While Machota acknowledges that Blue specifically has the higher upside, he predicts that Davis will open the year as Dallas' primary backup. As long as Williams remains healthy, neither Davis nor Blue is likely to see a fantasy-relevant workload. Still, fantasy managers searching for a handcuff option for Williams may want to target Davis with a late-round draft pick.
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota
