Look no further than the Lone Star State for a sleeper who might emerge as a factor early in the 2023 season. After bidding farewell to Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys have handed over control of the running game to Tony Pollard. The problem is that Pollard recently suffered a season-ending injury. So, as much as the team insists he’ll be ready for Week 1, who knows whether that’s true and how effective he’ll be when he does play? As a result, they must prepare another backup. Malik Davis, a second-year undrafted free agent, enters the picture.
It could be argued that Davis’ presence made the Cowboys’ decision to release Elliott easier. Many thought Davis was just as good as his former Florida Gators teammate Dameon Pierce. He simply did not receive the same level of attention as the current Texans lead back coming out of college. He clearly impressed the Cowboys’ front office and coaching staff, as he served as the RB3 behind Elliott and Pollard for the majority of the season.
With Elliott gone and Pollard not fully recovered, the focus of this training camp has been on how explosive Davis has looked so far. This preseason should allow him to establish himself as the clear-cut RB2 behind Pollard, which means that if Pollard is not ready to go or is limited to begin the season, he will be in line for huge volume.
Davis possesses a talent set that is tailor-made for the NFL. He has the speed to go the distance, the power and balance to make it difficult for defenders to bring him down, and the vision to spot gaps. He’s also a capable receiver out of the backfield and doesn’t mind getting physical in pass protection.
Davis’ equilibrium is one of his best qualities. He’s not the biggest back in the NFL, but at 5-foot-10 and over 200 pounds, he’s built in the mold of many of the league’s great backs. His low center of gravity and quick feet allow him to ricochet off ill-advised shoulder tackles and huge smashes. He also uses his deception to cause opponents to miss in the open field.
Davis’ vision is the most developed aspect of his game. He’s more than a one-cut runner. He is able to read the bricks and locate the open hole. He is also skilled at establishing blocks and exploiting poor chase angles. In this way, Davis resembles Giants running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley also has a natural talent to put defenders in perilous situations.
Last season, Ezekiel Elliott ran the ball 231 times compared to Pollard’s 193 attempts. Pollard’s output is largely predicated on having a running mate who can absorb some of the pounding the position takes so that he is fresher than the opponent later in the game/season. It’s a recipe that’s worked well for the Cowboys, and there’s no reason to modify it. Davis is definitely qualified for this position, having served on numerous committees throughout his time at UF. It also implies that he is younger than the average collegiate workhorse back.
Pollard will almost definitely get more carries as the lead back, but how many? Most fantasy forecasts have him carrying the ball 215-220 times in 2023. Around 200 carries will still be available. Davis averaged 4.2 yards per rush in limited touches last season, which was greater than Elliott’s mark. If you multiply it by 200 carries, you get rushing figures equal to Elliott’s last season on 230 carries.
If you’ve rostered Pollard in previous seasons, it only makes sense to roster Davis as well. His ADP is now 276th, indicating that he is most likely still available if you have not yet picked your squad. He will most likely fill the role that Pollard has held for the past few seasons.