general
Sam Williams among the Cowboys' cuts to 53
The Cowboys have announced their 53-player roster, making several cuts, including Sam Williams
Israel Abanikanda
RB · DAL · 23 yrs · exp 3 · Pittsburgh
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
922
Rank
#413
Pos rank
#110
7d trend
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Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Sep 7, 2026 · 922
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
analyst
Malik Davis Could Still Earn RB2 Job in Dallas
Malik Davis may remain the backup RB in Dallas, but Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah could pose a challenge
general
Cowboys TE Princeton Fant tears ACL
Pro Football TalkSource ↗
Cowboys tight end Princeton Fant, who was carted off from Monday’s practice, will miss the season with a left knee injury. Fant tore his anterior cruciate ligament and partially tore his medial collateral ligament and will undergo surgery in the next couple of weeks, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday. Fant injured his knee when he was blocked backward into running back Israel Abanikanda during the Cowboys’ first full-pads practice Monday. Fant signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2023. He has appeared in 11 games in three seasons, playing mostly on special teams. The Cowboys also have Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker at the position
general
Cowboys TE Princeton Fant carted off with knee injury
Pro Football TalkSource ↗
Cowboys tight end Princeton Fant was carted off from Monday’s practice after an apparent left knee injury. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports Fant was scheduled for an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. The Cowboys also have Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker at the position. Fant took a knee-to-knee hit after being blocked backward into running back Israel Abanikanda during the Cowboys’ first padded practice of training camp. He was unable to put weight on his left leg, requiring a cart to leave the field. Fant signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2023. He has appeared in 11 games in three seasons, playing mostly on special teams
analyst
Jaydon Blue a Dynasty Buy-Low Candidate After Underwhelming Rookie Year?
A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue spent most of his rookie season as a healthy scratch on game days. The 22-year-old appeared in just five games and finished the year with 134 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 34 touches, about half of which came in a meaningless Week 18 game. Veteran back Javonte Williams dominated backfield work for Dallas in 2025, and he's back in place as the team's RB1 heading into 2026. However, the team did not make any notable additions to its backfield in either free agency or the NFL Draft. As a result, Blue looks to be competing with Malik Davis, Phil Mafah, and Israel Abanikanda for the Cowboys RB2 role. While Blue did little to inspire confidence in fantasy managers as a rookie, he may still be worth buying low on in dynasty formats ahead of a potential year two breakout
general
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: RB Israel Abanikanda
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
Every Cowboys fan knows there’s going to be battle for the backup RB position in this year’s camp, but how many see Israel Abanikanda as one of the contenders? A late addition to last year’s practice squad, Abanikanda may be a more meaningful presence this summer than you think. Years in NFL: 3 Acquired by: Free agency (2025) After a strong college career at Pitt, Abanikanda entered the NFL draft process with the label of an athletically gifted runner, mixing power and speed, but lacking in technique. Considered a mid-round prospect in the 2023 draft class, Abanikanda was taken in the fifth round by the Jets. He survived final cuts but was stuck behind Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook on the depth chart. He only dressed for six games near the end of the season and received just 22 total carries in those limited appearances. It would get worse in 2024. The Jets drafted two more RBs that year, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis , and pushed Abanikanda further down the depth chart. They still kept him on the 53 for three months, though, before finally releasing him in early December. The 49ers claimed Abanikanda off waivers for the final few games of the regular season, but he never got any playing time. San Francisco waived Abanikanda just before the start of its 2025 training camp, but he was claimed by Green Bay . He made it onto the Packers’ practice squad briefly, but was released in early September. He didn’t get a new home until the Cowboys signed him to their practice in late November. He remained there through the season and signed a new deal to stay with Dallas this offseason. Years Left: 2 2026 Cap Hit: 1.08 million While he has zero guaranteed money on the deal, Abanikanda doesn’t have to worry too much about finances working against him in the RB competition. None of Malik Davis , Jaydon Blue , or Phil Mafah have financial entanglements in their contracts, so Dallas can make their decision purely based on performance. Role: Backup RB Roster Chance: 20% Many see the RB2 competition as a two-horse race between Blue and Davis, though some would add Mafah to the list. And there is still a thought that Javonte Williams ’ backup isn’t even on the roster yet, with several veterans still hanging around in free agency. As we’ve seen in recent years with guys like Miles Sanders , Royce Freeman , and Ronald Jones , Dallas has valued experience on the RB depth chart. But Freeman and Jones never played a game for the Cowboys, and Sanders was struggling mightily before he got injured last year. Let’s say Dallas keeps the competition as is. While Davis or Blue gives you a change-of-pace option, neither is built to handle a full workload if Williams were to miss significant time. Mafah may be, but he barely played last year and may need more development. There’s room for someone to break into this group and give the Cowboys something to think about, and there are reasons to think Abanikanda could do it. While he’s been around the NFL for over three years now, Abanikanda is still just 23 years old. He’s just a couple of weeks older than Mafah and three months older than Blue, so he’s still an equally young prospect. His running style more closely resembles Williams’ than either Davis or Blue, perhaps making him a more ideal backup. The key for Abanikanda is if he can show some refinement in his overall game. Despite his size, pass blocking was considered a weakness coming out of college. He’ll need to be better there, and show better ability to read blocks and allow his blocks to develop. We’ve seen how Williams, despite being powerful, displays shiftiness and adapts as the play unfolds in front of him. That will be a key for either Abanikanda or Mafah if they’re going to make it at this level. Abanikanda is certainly not a favorite in this summer’s RB competition, but he’s worth keeping an eye on. He was considered to have starting potential in the class of 2023. He’s admittedly struggled to find a lasting home so far in the NFL, [... truncated ...]
general
Report: George Pickens not present for Cowboys' voluntary offseason work
Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens signed his franchise tag on April 29, and executive vice president Stephen Jones said soon after the team expected Pickens to show up for voluntary work. Monday was the first team workout for the Cowboys since Pickens signed the one-year, $27.3 million deal, and Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Pickens was not present. Nothing is mandatory until June 16, so he can stay away until then without being fined. The Cowboys announced they will not negotiate a long-term deal with Pickens this offseason, and Jones has repeatedly said the team has “zero interest” in trading Pickens. The Cowboys traded for Pickens a year ago, and he led the team in targets (137), catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (eight) in 2025
general
Brian Schottenheimer: No plan to discuss decision to accept franchise tender with George Pickens
The unexpected decision of Cowboys receiver George Pickens to accept his franchise tender has sparked plenty of speculation
RB · DAL
transaction
FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agentSource unavailable
Drops: Israel Abanikanda
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
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Drops: Israel Abanikanda
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
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Drops: Israel Abanikanda
RB · DAL
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
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Drops: Israel Abanikanda
RB · DAL
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
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Drops: Israel Abanikanda
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agentSource unavailable
Drops: Israel Abanikanda
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
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Drops: Israel Abanikanda
RB · DAL
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agentSource unavailable
Drops: Israel Abanikanda
RB · DAL
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FA: Israel Abanikanda dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agentSource unavailable
Drops: Israel Abanikanda
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