Who Should Emerge as the Cowboys' RB2 Behind Javonte Williams?

Who Should Emerge as the Cowboys' RB2 Behind Javonte Williams? examines Dallas’s need to establish an effective complement to its 2026 lead back. Since Ezekiel Elliott left, the Cowboys have cycled through Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle and their current starter, Javonte Williams, without replicating the same level of success. In his first year with Dallas, Williams produced 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the team to secure him with a three-year, $24 million extension signed in February 2026, making him the league’s 17th-highest-paid running back. The article frames the RB2 role as an archetype fit: a more east/west, space-running complement to Williams’s north/south power style. For 2026, second-year Jaydon Blue is viewed as the primary backup, though his rookie season was described as disappointing. Veteran Malik Davis is presented as another option as Dallas evaluates depth beyond the starter.