The Dallas Cowboys enter their Week 10 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers once again searching for stability at running back.
Injuries and roster turnover have left the team without a reliable backup behind starter Javonte Williams, prompting a familiar scramble that now centers on Israel Abanikanda, with head coach Brian Schottenheimer naming him the No. 2 back for Sunday’s game.
The position has been a revolving door since training camp. Second-year options Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue failed to secure the role and were released.
Malik Davis briefly claimed it only to suffer a hip injury that required season-ending surgery. Emari Demercado received a look but was waived, after which Tyler Goodson stepped in.
Goodson’s injury has now forced the Cowboys to elevate Abanikanda, a player who has remained in their system after prior practice-squad stops with the Jets, 49ers, and Packers.
Abanikanda has not carried the ball in an NFL game since his 2023 stint with the Jets, when he recorded 22 carries for 70 yards along with two kick returns.
He is expected to be active on the 53-man roster for Sunday’s game and will serve as the primary backup.
Abanikanda expressed his readiness simply, saying, “I’m just ready to ball. Ready to ball out with my teammates and get this done.”
Schottenheimer has long praised the former Pittsburgh standout’s traits, noting that Abanikanda’s survival on the roster through multiple cuts speaks to the staff’s belief in him as a change-of-pace option.
“This is a guy with explosive speed,” Schottenheimer said. “When you get this guy into open space, he’s a big man that can run really, really fast. And that was evident from our time with him in training camp, preseason and certainly going back to his Pitt film, but he has done a really good job and he’s ready to go.”
Schottenheimer also indicated that fullback Hunter Luepke could see an expanded role. Luepke, viewed as a versatile contributor capable of lining up at fullback, tight end, or as a single back, has yet to receive the increased involvement many anticipated.
“The simple answer is yes, there is more opportunity for him,” Schottenheimer said. “Hunter is the type of guy, he does everything well. We have no problem handing him the football, we have no problem playing him as a single back. He is a fullback, he is a tight end, he is one of those guys you can use in a lot of different ways. I would expect to see Hunter get a lot more plays this week for sure, and probably more touches.”
For a Cowboys offense already managing other injury concerns, the dual approach of elevating Abanikanda while leaning more on Luepke offers a short-term solution as the team faces a tough 49ers defense.
Whether either player can provide consistent production remains to be seen, but both will have clear opportunities to make an impact on Sunday.
