Machota prediction: Davis starts year as RB2

It is unclear whether this is a season-ending injury or if Davis has a chance to return later in the year. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier that the Cowboys were “bracing for an extended absence” and that a source told him, “it’s bad.” It sounds like Davis’ 2026 season may be over. Cowboys RB Emari Demercado now sits behind starting RB Javonte Williams, and RB Israel Abanikanda is on the practice squad.

Regarding Davis’ injury, Fowler’s source said simply, “it’s bad.” The Cowboys’ No. 2 running back is undergoing further testing, but we expect them to place him on injured reserve before long. The Cowboys waived RB Jaydon Blue and RB Phil Mafah last month. Blue has since signed with the Eagles’ practice squad. The Cowboys have RB Emari Demercado on the active roster behind RB Javonte Williams. Currently, only RB Israel Abanikanda is on the practice squad in Dallas.

Hill was quickly ruled out for Week 1. Dallas cut Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue at the end of camp, briefly leaving Davis as the only backup running back on their roster. They eventually signed Emari Demercado after he was released by Kansas City. If the injury is serious, the Cowboys could bring either Mafah or Blue back, given their familiarity with the system. The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins reported shortly afterward that Davis has suffered a hip injury, though no further details were given.

Blue was waived by the Cowboys and went unclaimed, and the 2025 fifth-round pick will remain in the NFC East. He’ll begin the campaign behind Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley as backups to Saquon Barkley, but some strong performances in practice could give the 22-year-old a chance to receive touches in 2026.

Blue now becomes a free agent and can be signed by any running back-needy team, including the ability to sign onto the Dallas practice squad. It has been quite the fall from grace for Blue over the previous 24 hours, seemingly going from the favorite for backup duties for the Cowboys to without a home. It is also noteworthy that only one running back was claimed during the waiver period, veteran Emari Demercado, by this same Cowboys team. Blue appears to have lost all fantasy value and faces an uphill battle for a meaningful role in his sophomore campaign.

Well this one is going to leave a mark. 2025 fifth-rounder Blue was a summer ’25 fantasy creation the Cowboys never seemed to get behind, confirming as much when they made him a Week 1 healthy scratch. That set the tone for a bitterly disappointing rookie year that featured just 39 touches. This offseason seemed to be different, however, with head coach Brian Schottenheimer spending the spring dishing out over-the-top positive quotes on his second-year back. The praise again died down during training camp, but Blue showed well in his preseason action. Just apparently nowhere close to well enough to beat out survivor veteran Malik Davis for No. 2 status behind Javonte Williams. Blue is still only 22 years old, but his back-to-back failures to earn pass-catching duties in a backfield that could really use such a player is an ominous sign for his NFL future. He’s now a tenuous hold in dynasty leagues despite his youth and past high expectations. All of that being said, it is possible once the cut-down dust settles that either Blue or fellow waived sophomore Phil Mafah end up back on the Cowboys’ 53-man roster.

Mafah became the odd man out of the backfield rotation behind starter Javonte Williams Sunday, and Jaydon Blue also being waived leaves Malik Davis as the primary backup in Dallas at the start of the season.

Davis appears to have secured a roster spot, but we won’t know for sure until Sunday. The broadcast initially referred to him as the starter, but it was instead RB Phil Mafah who took the field. Mafah dominated backfield touches throughout the first half, repeatedly running into Saints defenders on runs up the middle. He was spelled by RB Israel Abanikanda. Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue does not seem to be playing this evening. Last Sunday, The Athletic’s Jon Machota predicted Blue would seize the No. 2 running back job from Davis in-season.

Blue led all Cowboys running backs in snaps, but played on just two snaps on the team’s opening drive of the game compared to Malik Davis’ 10. Davis would see just four snaps the rest of the way compared to Blue’s 24, but the second-year back made the most of his opportunities. Blue’s 75 rushing yards led all Cowboys players, with eight of his carries going for five or more yards. His usage, which extended into the third quarter, suggests Blue is battling with Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda for the RB3 role, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise after it was reported last week that Blue was the fourth player up in drills. It was a strong showing for Blue, who will need another convincing outing in the team’s preseason finale next week against the Saints.

The good news is that Blue took “some” snaps in team drills for the first time this week, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The bad news is that Blue was the fourth player up behind starting RB Javonte Williams and fellow backups RB Malik Davis and RB Israel Abanikanda. Earlier today, COO and co-owner Stephen Jones said Blue and RB Phil Mafah were being “pushed” by Davis. While it’s possible the team is just easing Blue back into action, his spot in the rotation, coupled with Jones’ comments, is concerning. He had received positive reviews to this point, but a fantasy-related reassessment may be in order. The backfield rotation in Saturday’s preseason game against the Cardinals is worth tracking.