Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah seemed to be fighting for the Cowboys' No. 2 RB job this summer. But with RB Javonte Williams getting the second preseason game off, RB Malik Davis drew the start. The Athletic's Jon Machota now predicts Davis will open the season as the No. 2 RB before Blue takes over later in the season.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Blue Still The Better Flier
This has frankly come out of nowhere. Davis seemed buried a couple of weeks ago. But he's started earning more first-team work recently, drew praise from HC Brian Schottenheimer, and then started over Blue on Saturday.
Davis took 5 carries for 29 yards and caught his lone target for an 8-yard TD vs. the Cardinals. Blue got extensive playing time, carrying 15 times for 75 yards.
Machota mentions that the Cowboys "need to see more consistency" from Blue, which was an issue for him as a rookie last year. "Malik Davis seems to be the player with whom the Cowboys are most comfortable," Machota adds.
This backfield will be worth watching over the next couple of weeks. We still prefer Blue to Davis as a late-round flier because his pass-catching and big-play ability could earn him a role even with Javonte Williams healthy. If Williams goes down, we'd expect Blue and Davis to form a committee.
Mafah, meanwhile, is seemingly in danger of being cut. Machota expects Williams, Davis, Blue, and Hunter Luepke to make Dallas' final roster.
