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The Dallas Cowboys are shaking things up at running back following Malik Davis’ injury last week. Here’s what you should know about Tyrel Goodson’s arrival ahead of Week 2.
Aug 22, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Goodson (25) runs for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Well, the Dallas Cowboys running back room is changing again. And it leaves preseason darling Israel Abanikanda on the outside looking in after he had seemingly secured a spot on the 53-man roster.Â
The Cowboys are signing Tyler Goodson off the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad and waiving Abanikanda in the process, the team announced Tuesday.
The move comes as the Cowboys running back room continues to deal with fallout from Malik Davis’s season-ending injury. Let’s break it all down.
Abanikanda’s time in 53-man roster cut short
Abanikanda was a preseason standout who earned a practice squad spot over 2025 draft picks Jaden Blue and Phil Mafah. When Davis went down with a hip injury in practice last week, the Cowboys promoted Abanikanda to the 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 against the New York Giants.
He never got a chance to show what he could do. Abanikanda was a healthy scratch against the Giants, listed as inactive, and now finds himself waived.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys immediately add Abanikanda back to their practice squad provided he clears waivers. Dallas still has an open practice squad spot available.
Malik Davis’s injury reshuffled the room
The catalyst for all of this was Davis’s season-ending hip injury last week. Davis had earned the RB2 role behind Javonte Williams with a strong training camp and an even stronger preseason. Davis is now on Injured Reserve and is out for the season.Â
That left the Cowboys scrambling for depth at the position, and the Goodson signing is the latest attempt to patch things up.
Who is Tyler Goodson?
Goodson spent 2026 on the Falcons’ practice squad before the Cowboys poached him. Per NFL rules, when a team poaches a practice squad player from another organization, that player must be signed to the 53-man roster. He cannot simply be added to the new team’s practice squad.
Goodson is a former Indianapolis Colt who entered the league undrafted in 2022 with the Green Bay Packers. He bounced to the Colts before landing with Atlanta. In college, he was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2020 and a third-team All-Big Ten pick in 2021.
He’s known for his speed, shiftiness, and some natural receiving ability. However, he’s a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, 197 pounds. The Cowboys probably like his explosion, but expect limited reps for him in Dallas, at least for now.
The Cowboys’ running back room heading into Week 2
With the roster move finalized, Dallas will head into Week 2 with the following backs: Javonte Williams as the lead runner, Emari Demercado as the current RB2, fullback Hunter Luepke, and now Goodson as the newest addition.
It’s a room that looks different than anyone expected heading into the season. Davis’s injury changed the equation, and Abanikanda’s roller coaster — from practice squad darling to 53-man roster member to waived in the span of a week — tells you how volatile the position has been.
For now, we wait. We’ll see if Goodson can carve out a role or if the Cowboys have more moves to make at running back before things settle.
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