Cowboys RB Malik Davis was held out with the starters in Friday’s preseason game against the Saints.

29 August 2026

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.