Cowboys’ Javonte Williams Emerges as Dark Horse 2026 Rushing Title Candidate

After allowing Rico Dowdle to leave in free agency last season, the Dallas Cowboys turned to Javonte Williams as their new lead back.

Dowdle had just made history as the first undrafted player to record 1,000 yards rushing for the Cowboys, whereas Williams had just finished his second consecutive season with fewer than four yards per attempt.

Naturally, the Cowboys were criticized for this decision, but in the end, they looked brilliant. Williams didn’t just turn back the clock, but he put up the best numbers of his career with 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. That earned him a new contract, with Williams signing a three-year, $24 million deal this offseason.

Could Javonte Williams contend for the 2026 NFL rushing title?

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams carries the ball against the New York Giants. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

That contract is very team-friendly and could look even better if Williams can fight for the rushing title this season. This might feel like a lofty goal, but Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton doesn’t think it’s out of the question.

Moton named Williams among the top five backs who could win their first rushing title in 2026. For Williams, he pointed to his usage, the lack of a true at RB2, and the consistency on offense as reasons to believe Williams could surprise the league.

”Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah are distant No. 2 running backs on the depth chart. Last year, Williams logged 252 carries. Davis led the backups with just 52 rush attempts,” Moton wrote.

“The Cowboys will start the same offensive line from the previous campaign. The group features three recent first-rounders, Tyler Booker, Tyler Guyton and three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Smith.”

Dallas has a trio of great run blockers in the middle with Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, and Tyler Guyton. They also have a head coach in Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator in Klayton Adams who are known for dialing up excellent ground games. Throw all that together and Williams is a dark horse candidate to keep an eye on.

Who was the last Cowboys RB to win the rushing title?

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott smiles after the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

The last Cowboys running back to lead the league in rushing should be easy to guess. Ezekiel Elliott accomplished the feat twice during his tenure, beginning with his rookie season in 2016 when he had 1,631 yards.

He led the league again in 2018, this time rushing for 1,434 yards.

Before Elliott, it was DeMarco Murray, who ran for 1,845 yards in 2014. Williams can put his name up there with some elite company should he do so during his time in Big D.

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