Head coach Jason Garrett does not want to hear the questions about who will be the starting running back for the Dallas Cowboys. The rotation has been under a microscope for the better part of the offseason as many wonder just how well the team can replace NFL leading rusher DeMarco Murray. With Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar, Joseph Randle and Christine Michael headlining the rushing attack, Garrett says it does not matter who marches onto the field first.
While Randle is sitting at the top of the depth chart, fantasy owners would be wise to not invest in the running back. According to Garrett, there will an equal split of reps between Randle and McFadden while Michael works in as he gets informed of the offense following a trade from the Seattle Seahawks.
It doesn't matter," Garrett said, via ESPN.com. "The only thing that matters is everybody getting ready to play and when their number is called upon, be ready to go out there and be their best." "Sometimes you have one guy who's a featured back and sometimes you have more than one guy doing it," Garrett said. "When you have a couple or three different guys involved running the football over the course of a game, I think the benefits are many. There's a freshness that each of those guys has."
While Murray was a fantasy home run in 2014, do not expect the rest of the Cowboys' rotation to equal those numbers in 2015. According to NFL.com, Michael is actually considered the player that could be a sleeper later in the season, but his impact will be minimal to start the year off. The run game is needed in order to keep Tony Romo on the hot streak he ended last year and Garrett believes the team has the talent in place to do it.
The Cowboys will be relying heavily on Dez Bryant per usual. According to ESPN, the receiver has returned to full reps at practice following a hamstring injury that kept him out of the preseason. He and Romo are at full health to start the season as they prepare for the New York Giants. Other notable players ready to make an impact early include Randy Gregory who will be starting in place of Greg Hardy and Brandon Carr and Byron Jones who are picking up for the injured Orlando Scandrick.
