Who Should I Start? Ray Davis or Jaydon Blue

Saturday, August 9, 7:07 PM

With Buffalo Bills star running back James Cook staging a hold-in and unwilling to play Saturday, Ray Davis earned the start in the team's 34-25 preseason-opening loss to the New York Giants. Davis rushed for just seven yards on four attempts and caught one of two targets for another seven yards. As the Bills' emergency kicker, his most memorable highlight came on a successful extra-point attempt in the second quarter. The 5-foot-8, 220-pound Davis joined the Bills as a fourth-round pick from Kentucky in 2024 and was a capable reserve behind Cook as a rookie. Davis appeared in all 17 of the Bills' regular-season games and totaled 442 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 113 rushing attempts. He also caught three TDs and pulled in 17 of his 19 targets for 189 yards. With third-down back Ty Johnson also in the fold, Davis took around 25% of offensive snaps last season. That should be the case again in 2025, but Davis might have an expanded role early on if Cook is unavailable. While Cook seems unlikely to sit out into Week 1 over dissatisfaction with his contract, Davis figures to be the main beneficiary if he does. Cook missed one game last season, a 23-20 win over the New York Jets in Week 6, and Davis accrued 152 total yards (97 rushing, 55 receiving) on 23 touches as Buffalo's go-to back.

Thursday, September 4, 7:05 PM

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue is listed as a healthy scratch for the Week 1 season opener on Thursday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, according to Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com. Blue was impressive in training camp and the preseason over the summer before suffering a low-ankle sprain in the preseason finale. The injury cost the 21-year-old some time, but he was a full participant in practice this week, and his absence from the season opener is merely a coach's decision. For now, he's a distant third in Dallas' backfield behind starter Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. Blue figures to play a role a some point in 2025, but right now, he's merely a bench stash for RB depth in fantasy leagues. Dallas could have a tough time running the football on Thursday night against a stout Eagles defensive line.