Cowboys to face some tough rushing attacks in 2024

The Cowboys had a large exodus of players from the 2023 roster after their contracts were allowed to expire without new deals offered. One of those players was RB Tony Pollard. Pollard left for his home state of Tennessee to play for the Titans and split carries with second-year player Tyjae Spears, leaving Rico Dowdle as the only running back with much experience.

The Cowboys claim to be a draft and develop team, but is it necessary to completely ignore the first three waves of free agency?

The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable franchise in the world, according to Forbes Magazine.

The latest valuations say that Jerry Jones’ prized possession is worth over $9 billion. That never ceases to prompt Cowboys Nation to question why the team is so frugal and uninvolved in free agency.

After free agency and the draft passed without addressing the position, fans were left throwing their hands up in despair.

Not even the return of Ezekiel Elliott was enough to appease anyone outside of the small group of fans who recognize his value.

Speaking of running backs, that’s the position we will be reviewing today as I continue my series of ranking the position groups the Cowboys will face for the 2024 season. Yesterday we discussed quarterbacks and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson came in ranked #1 on the list.

Could another member of the Ravens make today’s list? Let’s dive in.

Rankings will be top-three and listed in a “worst to best” fashion. All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference. Because most teams are running back by committee, rankings may include more than one player per team.

3. Baltimore Ravens — Derrick Henry

I hinted above at the Ravens going two-for-two with players on my rankings list and we start today’s rankings with their newest running back, Derrick Henry.

Henry needs no introduction.

He has had a stellar career with five 1,000-yard seasons, including three seasons with over 1,500 yards; one of those eclipsing 2,000 yards.

He has spent his entire career with the Tennessee Titans wreaking havoc on the AFC South but now takes his (aging) talents to Baltimore. Henry has certainly lost a step, but that can be bridged by the effectiveness of the Ravens’ overall rushing attack.

As I detailed in my quarterback rankings, the Ravens have one of the most feared rushing attacks in the NFL. They are led by the lightning-fast Lamar Jackson and when the read-option is working, they are a nightmare to defend.

The week 3 matchup will be one of the most challenging defensive game plans to scheme against because of the threat Jackson and Derrick Henry pose together in the backfield.

2. Detroit Lions — David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs

The Detroit Lions continue to bite kneecaps to get to where they want to be.

We all remember the Cowboys’ nail-biting victory late in the season on the botched “eligible receiver” reporting to the official. Dallas won that day, but the Lions got the last laugh by advancing further into the postseason.

Wins in both the Wildcard and Divisional rounds earned Detroit a date in San Francisco for the NFC Championship game.

Detroit squandered a late lead, eventually falling to the home team 49ers by a narrow margin to just miss their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

The Lions finished 2023 as the 5th-ranked rushing offense and look to be even more potent behind David Montgomery’s powerful legs and a speedy Jahmyr Gibbs in his second season.

Gibbs scares me the most because he already made defenders look silly as a rookie. In his second season, the game will slow down for him.

1. San Francisco 49ers — Christian McCaffrey

There is no other running back who can touch the top spot besides Christian McCaffrey. He is the total package.

In just 27 games since arriving in San Francisco, McCaffrey has amassed 3,233 total yards and 31 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per touch.

Head coach and play caller Kyle Shanahan’s scheme is perfect for maximizing Christian McCaffrey’s talents. The zone running scheme allows him the freedom to use his vision and acceleration to choose his running lanes.

He doesn’t just pose a threat rushing out of the backfield.

Christian McCaffrey has 119 receptions in those 27 regular season games with San Francisco, averaging 8.6 yards per reception.

McCaffrey can shred defenses from the backfield or through the air. Mike Zimmer’s defense will have to lace them up extra tight for their week 8 matchup.

Honorable Mention

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Saquon Barkley, Philadephia Eagles