Much of the success of NFL teams hinges on the depth provided by their running back unit, a position that has regained prominence with the rise of players like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry. This is precisely what should be a major concern for the Dallas Cowboys, as they were far from favored in a recent ranking.
Gone are the days of players like Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, whose careers took them in other directions, and now it's time to figure out how to address this issue with the pieces they have available.
Dallas Cowboys fare poorly in running back ranking
NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones-Drew released his ranking of the top starting running backs across the NFL, and unsurprisingly, Saquon Barkley was ranked No. 1. What's truly alarming, however, is that Javonte Williams was ranked the worst of all players projected to start in Week 1.
"The Cowboys had one of the worst rushing attacks in 2024, finishing 27th in yards and last in touchdowns. They completely overhauled the RB room by signing Williams and Miles Sanders before drafting Texas product Jaydon Blue. Though Williams should be healthy entering his first season in Dallas, it's likely Brian Schottenheimer will use a committee to run the ball more effectively while putting a big emphasis on the star-studded passing attack," wrote the NFL analyst.
In 2024, Javonte Williams played 17 games, totaling 513 rushing yards with an average of 3.7 yards per carry.
This is the department the Cowboys will aim to improve, hoping to defy this ranking. That said, there's also significant excitement about what a rookie like Jaydon Blue, a former Texas Longhorns star acquired via the NFL Draft, can achieve.
