Inside The Star
The 2025 NFL season is over halfway through in Dallas, and one of the few bright spots has been the emergence of Javonte Williams. There is only one problem, however: at least one Cowboys rookie running back needs to shine soon.
Williams, while only 25 years old, has matched his 2024 total carries in half as many games, and he is set to blow past his career high of 217 attempts.
If the Cowboys are going to keep this season competitive, their run game must remain strong while also keeping Williams from burning out down the stretch.
This is where the RB2 competition emerges as one of the top storylines in Dallas: either Jaydon Blue or Phil Mafah needs to cement themselves firmly behind Williams on the depth chart while proving reliable and trustworthy in big moments.
Blue, a former Texas Longhorn standout and fifth-round pick in April, clearly needs more reps if he is going to get comfortable in his rookie campaign.
His speed and explosiveness are real NFL-level weapons, but he just does not seem either healthy or confident in his running quite yet. The only way to get there is by giving him the rock and letting him grow.
Jaydon Blue healthy scratch for RBs I didn't even know were on the roster. https://t.co/99oiAC4iCe
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) November 3, 2025
There are real concerns around ball security with him, but that may be a trade-off Dallas should get comfortable with if they get the good side of his skills as well.
If Jaydon Blue can’t get on track before this season ends, you will see a lot of pessimism around his future in Dallas in 2026. The flip side would be him becoming the clear RB2 with a cemented place with the Cowboys going forward.
The underdog in this has always been Mafah, the former Clemson Tiger and seventh-round pick earlier this year.
After a strong preseason, he landed on IR with a shoulder injury and has been essentially invisible since that time. As the second half of this season arrives, however, it’s fair to say we may see him ramp up soon.
Mafah is a bruising, goal-line threat; the kind of running back that could replicate Williams well if given the chance. As we saw before his IR stint, the kid has legitimate strength and a hard-running style.
Williams’ workload is huge, Malik Davis has been waived, and there are real concerns around Blue. This Cowboys rookie could be the biggest benefactor of all three of those problems.
