Plucked in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, Mafah spent nearly his entire rookie year stashed on IR before getting activated in Week 18 and scoring his first NFL touchdown on only seven touches and 10 offensive snaps. A bruising back out of Clemson, Mafah brings a battering-ram approach with his 234-pound frame, and while he's not going to run past or around many NFL defenders, he can run through them. Javonte Williams returns in 2026 to head the Dallas backfield, but one healthy year doesn't completely erase his checked injury history from his Denver days, and the depth chart behind him lacks reliable, established alternatives. There's a path for Mafah to earn a short-yardage role in the offense, especially if the Cowboys try to reduce the wear and tear on Williams after he handled a career-high 287 touches last season.