The Dallas Cowboys came into the 2025 season looking to begin a season with a new starting running back for the third straight year.
The question they faced was who would be the next player in the line of succession? And would he be able to match the numbers put up by Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, and Rico Dowdle?
Dallas went to the free agent market and signed two running backs, Denver’s Javonte Williams, and former Eagles’ back Miles Sanders.
They used two draft picks, Jaydon Blue (5th round), and Phil Mafah (7th), to try to fill up the running back room.
The Cowboys brought back Malik Davis about midway through the year to shore up the position. Hunter Luepke had a solid year at fullback.
Here’s how the season played out for all six and what can be expected from each in 2026.
Javonte Williams
Overall, Williams had a solid season. He cracked 100 yards in two games, with a high of 135 against the Jets.
Despite not playing in the season finale against the Giants, Williams finished with career highs in rushing yards (1,201) and rushing touchdowns (11).
Williams added 137 yards on 35 catches and two receiving touchdowns.
Resigning Williams must be Dallas’ highest priority. His presence in the backfield opened up defenses and allowed Dak Prescott to have his best year of his 10-year career.
Williams will either be resigned or earn the franchise tag, depending on how negotiations go with the Cowboys’ other priority resigning, receiver George Pickens.
Malik Davis
As the first half of the season wound down, the Cowboys were in dire need of an RB2. So they reached back into the past and brought back a player they’d signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
Davis had been cut and then re-signed to the practice squad just before the 2025 season began.
Davis had played for the Cowboys in 2022 and 2023, but spent all of 2024 on the practice squad.
Rejoining the team for the Week 7 game against Washington, Davis had to wait until the following week at Denver to get his hands on the ball. He had three yards on two carries.
Over the next seven games, backing up Williams, he had 30 carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for 16 yards.
Despite not starting in the season finale in New York, Davis had a career-best game. He had a career-high 20 carries and a career-high 103 yards.
Depending on how Blue and Mafah develop, and assuming Williams is retained, Davis will likely find himself back on the practice squad in 2026.
Hunter Luepke
Luepke’s numbers aren’t what makes him valuable to the Cowboys. His blocking in both the run game and passing is invaluable.
The fact that he can be the running back as well means he can serve as the featured back in case of injury.
It was a role he was called upon more than once during the year.
Luepke finished with career highs in starts (5), carries (16), yards (71), and receptions (13). He had 109 receiving yards – just two short of matching his career high – and caught his first touchdown pass against the Panthers.
He has one career touchdown rushing, back in his rookie year against the Patriots.
Luepke was resigned prior to the season and looks to be locked in for at least the 2026 season.
Miles Sanders
Sanders was brought in to push Williams for the starting job. Instead, by the end of September, Sanders was pushed off the field.
On October 11th the Cowboys placed him on injured reserve and he had knee surgery.
Sanders played in just four games and finished with 117 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown and added eight catches for 30 yards.
He was signed to a one-year deal prior to the 2025 season. It seems unlikely the Cowboys will be bringing him back in 2026.
Jaydon Blue
When the Cowboys drafted Blue, they were clearly hoping he would be the second coming of Bijan Robinson. He clearly wasn’t.
Blue was inactive for the first four games, and a healthy scratch at that.
He played in all four games in October but tallied just 22 carries for 65 yards with one catch for five yards.
Blue was back to a healthy scratch for all of November and December. He finally saw action in the season-finale against the Giants.
He may have saved his roster spot for 2026 in this game.
Blue rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in New York. He’ll be back in Oxnard for the summer.
But he’s got a lot of work to do to make sure he sees the field in more than just five games this fall.
Phil Mafah
Mafah looked like the RB2 in the preseason. But a foot injury derailed his season in the final preseason game.
Mafah was relegated to injured reserve for the first 17 weeks of the season.
He was activated for the season-finale in New York.
Mafah had just five carries for 18 yards, but he scored a touchdown and added two catches for 11 yards.
He will push Blue for the backup slot to Williams this fall. He might even be the favorite for RB2 going into camp.
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