Cowboys part ways with Phil Mafah

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.

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.

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.

Davis got the start in Saturday’s preseason game against the Cardinals, rushing five times for 29 yards while adding one catch for eight yards and a touchdown. The 27-year-old back has gained steam in recent weeks as the favorite to win the Cowboys’ RB2 job out of camp, but Machota also said he believes “Jaydon Blue takes (the RB2 job) during the season.” Blue rushed 15 times for a team-high 75 yards in Saturday’s win over the Cardinals, ripping off multiple chunk gains on the day. While we still have one preseason game left to go, Ultimately if Javonte Williams goes down this will likely be a committee, but Davis could have some stash value in deeper leagues.

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.

Per Schottenheimer, Blue and Mafah “are in a tight battle for the backup running back spot.” Blue has received positive reports for some time now. His speed and receiving ability make him an ideal complement to starting RB Javonte Williams, who “probably won’t get a whole lot of run” in the preseason. If Blue can secure the role, he could warrant FLEX treatment on a weekly basis. Mafah (6'/234) is a burly rusher. Were he to win the RB2 job, he may be ill-suited to playing on passing downs, which could benefit Williams. We’ll see how things shake out in the preseason. Stay tuned.

Reporters noticed Williams was not participating in organized team activities last week. The Cowboys hosted their three-day mandatory minicamp this week, and it sounds like Williams was either limited or held out again today. Schottenheimer was asked whether this was due to Williams’ shoulder injury from last season or simply veteran maintenance. Fortunately, Schottenheimer said Williams is “in a great spot” and “looks great.” His absence was “more about getting the young guys some reps in this last full-speed practice.” It seems like the Cowboys are hoping that one of Blue or Mafah can step up and be a reliable backup. If one separates from the other, he will be a worthwhile late-round pick.

Cowboys starting RB Javonte Williams was absent. Archer notes that fellow backups, RB Jaydon Blue and RB Malik Davis, also got some work. After backup RB Miles Sanders suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4 last season, Davis and Blue respectively served as the Cowboys’ RB2 and RB3. Mafah was limited to just 10 offensive snaps all season. It appears as though he is getting the chance to work his way up the depth chart behind Williams this summer.