Phil Mafah’s limited participation in practice has added a new layer to the Dallas Cowboys’ running back battle behind Javonte Williams, and it opens the door for Malik Davis to keep pushing for the RB2 job.
This offseason, much of the conversation around the Cowboys’ backfield has centred on Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. But when one of those players is limited in practice with injuries, the competition changes quickly. With the second preseason game against the Cardinals approaching, every rep matters, and availability now becomes part of the evaluation as much as performance.
Why Phil Mafah matters in the Cowboys' backfield
Mafah is relevant because he is part of the group trying to define the depth chart behind Javonte Williams. The Cowboys are not just looking for talent; they are trying to figure out who can handle a role on the 53-man roster, and that is why practice status has become important this week.
Phil Mafah’s limited work does not remove him from the race, but it does make it easier for others to press their case. In a competition like this, a missed stretch of practice can shift the momentum, especially when the staff is trying to sort out who is ready for the regular season workload.
Malik Davis has already shown he can hang around
Malik Davis is hardly a new name in this story. He joined the Dallas Cowboys after the 2022 NFL draft as a UDFA, then went through a stop-start stretch that included no action in the 2023 season before a waiver and return to the practice squad. In 2024, he spent the entire season on the practice squad.
That kind of path can test a player’s persistence, but Davis has stayed in the picture. In 2025, he was waived two times before earning an opportunity on the active roster, and he played in 10 games. Across those appearances, he put up 52 carries for 250 yards, an average of 4.8 yards per carry, and scored 2 touchdowns.
By contrast, the broader picture around the backfield battle has now been affected by Mafah’s injury limitation. That gives Davis a chance to narrow the gap at exactly the point when coaches want clarity.
What the Cowboys will want to see next
The immediate focus is the Cardinals preseason game, but the bigger issue is how the Cowboys sort the running back room before roster decisions get serious. If Phil Mafah is not fully available, the opportunity shifts toward the players who can stay on the field and make the most of their snaps.
For Dallas, that makes the next few days significant. The starting role belongs to Javonte Williams, but the RB2 debate is still alive, and Phil Mafah’s limited practice time has ensured that Malik Davis remains very much in the conversation.
