It is January 2026, and the dust is finally settling on another chaotic Dallas Cowboys season. If you followed the team over the last few months, you know the vibe. One week we’re planning a parade down near AT&T Stadium, and the next, we’re wondering if we should just blow the whole thing up.
But nowhere has that "identity crisis" been more obvious than in the backfield. Honestly, if you look at the cowboys running backs depth chart right now, it looks almost nothing like it did two years ago. Remember when we were arguing about whether Ezekiel Elliott still had "burst" or if Rico Dowdle was finally ready for the lead role?
That feels like a decade ago. Zeke is gone (again), having been released right before the end of the 2024 season to chase a ring elsewhere. Rico Dowdle? He’s currently a free agent after a massive 1,000-yard season for the Carolina Panthers in 2025.
Basically, the Cowboys spent the 2025 season running a science experiment at RB. It worked better than anyone expected, but now the team is facing a massive contract headache that could reset the room all over again for 2026.
The Current Cowboys Running Backs Depth Chart (As of January 2026)
The 2025 season just wrapped up, and the hierarchy is clear, but the "contract status" column is a mess. Here is how the room shakes out after the Week 18 finale against the Giants.
1. Javonte Williams (RB1)
The undisputed king of the room this past year. After Denver moved on from him, Dallas took a gamble on a one-year, "prove-it" deal. To say he proved it is an understatement. Javonte finished 2025 with 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He looked like the 2021 version of himself—angry, hard to tackle, and finally past that 2022 ACL tear.
2. Malik Davis (RB2)
The survivor. Malik has been on and off this roster more times than I can count. He started 2025 on the practice squad but was forced into the RB2 role by mid-October after Miles Sanders went down. He’s reliable, knows the playbook, and basically serves as the "safe" option when the young guys aren't ready.
3. Jaydon Blue (Change of Pace)
The rookie out of Texas. He was a 5th-round pick in 2025 and spent most of the year as a "healthy scratch." However, he’s the fastest guy in the room. In the season finale, he actually looked like he belongs, showing the kind of home-run speed that Javonte doesn't necessarily have.
4. Phil Mafah (Short Yardage/Future)
Another 2025 rookie (7th round). Mafah was the darling of the preseason before a foot injury sidelined him for almost the entire year. He was finally activated in early January. He's a big, bruising back who the Cowboys hope can be their new goal-line specialist.
5. Hunter Luepke (Fullback)
He’s the glue. He doesn't get 20 carries, but he’s on the field for 30% of the snaps because he’s the only guy Brian Schottenheimer trusts to pick up a blitzing linebacker.
Why the 2025 Season Surprised Everyone
Coming into the 2025 season, most experts (and definitely most of the fans on Twitter) thought the Cowboys were in trouble. They let Rico Dowdle walk to Carolina, where he eventually became a star. They didn't draft a back until the late rounds.
But Javonte Williams was a revelation.
He didn't just run for 1,200 yards; he did it behind an offensive line that was shuffling pieces constantly. Tyler Guyton struggled with health, and Terence Steele had a rough year in pass protection, but Williams was consistently productive. He had a 135-yard game against the Jets in October that basically saved the Cowboys' season.
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The problem? Williams only signed for one year.
Now, Jerry Jones is in a familiar spot. Do you pay the veteran who just had a career year, or do you let him walk and start the cycle over? Williams is 25, but as we all know, NFL miles are different. He’s already got over 850 career carries between college and the pros.
The Miles Sanders Disaster
We have to talk about Miles Sanders. It’s kinda the elephant in the room. Dallas signed the former Eagle and Panther to push Javonte for the starting job. Instead, Sanders barely made an impact.
He played in only four games before a knee surgery ended his season in October. He finished with just 117 yards. He was signed to a one-year deal, and it’s almost a 100% certainty that he won’t be back in Arlington in 2026. It was a classic "low-risk" move that just didn't pay out.
What’s Next: The 2026 Offseason Outlook
This is where things get tricky for the cowboys running backs depth chart.
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Javonte Williams is about to hit free agency, and his price tag just went through the roof. Early reports suggest he could be looking for a multi-year deal in the $8-10 million per year range. For a Cowboys team that is always "salary cap conscious" (at least when they want to be), that’s a tough pill to swallow.
If they let Javonte walk, they have a few options:
- The Draft: This is a popular theory. With Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah already on the roster, Dallas could use a Day 2 pick on a "lead" back and go with a three-headed monster of young, cheap talent.
- The "Cheap Veteran" Route: Names like J.K. Dobbins (who had a weird, injury-shortened year in Denver) are being floated as potential targets for 2026.
- The Blockbuster: There are some wild rumors about Travis Etienne potentially being available via trade or free agency if Jacksonville decides to reset. That would be the "All-In" move Jerry Jones loves to talk about.
Actionable Insights for Cowboys Fans
If you're trying to figure out who to buy a jersey for or who to keep in your dynasty fantasy league, here’s the reality:
- Don't assume Javonte returns. He played too well. Someone with more cap space than Dallas will likely offer him a deal the Cowboys won't match.
- Watch Phil Mafah in the 2026 preseason. The team is very high on him. If he’s fully recovered from the foot injury, he has the size to be a 15-touch-per-game player.
- The Malik Davis era is likely over. He’s been a great "break glass in case of emergency" back, but the team needs more explosiveness behind the starter.
- Expect a high-draft-pick RB. For the first time in years, the Cowboys don't have a "legacy" back under contract. This is the year they might finally pull the trigger on a running back in the 2nd or 3rd round.
The identity of the Dallas Cowboys has always been tied to the ground game—from Emmitt to DeMarco to Zeke. But right now, the cowboys running backs depth chart is a bridge to somewhere else. Whether that’s a big-money extension for Javonte or a total youth movement depends on how Jerry Jones feels when the league year opens in March.