Dallas Cowboys training camp is still just under a month away, but a couple of names already stand out as possible camp risers when the team heads to Oxnard, Calif., for its 2026 preseason work.
One of them is Phil Mafah on offense, where the depth chart behind Javonte Williams is far from settled. The second running back job is there to be won, and Mafah has a real shot to separate himself from the pack. He’s entering his second season healthy after dealing with a nagging shoulder injury for much of last year, and he brings a profile that doesn’t blend in: 6’0”, 234 pounds, with a downhill, physical style that fits a very specific role.
That role could be pretty useful. Mafah looks like the kind of back who can move bodies, handle short-yardage work, and carve out a place by doing the dirty work.
He already showed a hint of that in Week 18 against the Giants, when he scored his first touchdown in a goal-line situation. But the early signs suggest there may be more here than just a niche.
He’s also been putting in extra work this offseason and reportedly turned heads at OTAs. Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote, “Phil Mafah looked good with his first-team reps, grabbing a touchdown in red zone work,” Harris reported for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Mafah has specifically drawn a lot of praise for his work this offseason, with one source saying he is ‘night-and-day’ different from last year.”
On the defensive side, Dee Winters looks like a player who may be ready to make his move. The question isn’t really whether he can claim one of the starting inside linebacker jobs - he’s basically a lock for that - but whether he can turn that opportunity into something bigger.
Winters is heading into what will be his fourth season, and there’s already a solid body of work behind him. He has 155 total tackles across his three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, and he’s shown the kind of range Dallas can use. That athleticism was on display with the 74-yard interception return for a touchdown last year, and Dan Rogers reported that Winters was the only linebacker among 80 who recorded an interception to top 20 mph after the pick.
That kind of speed and versatility is exactly why some fans may be tempted to think of peak Rolando McClain when they look at Winters. He can cover ground, make plays on the ball, and help stabilize a defense that needs more playmakers. Training camp won’t have to create the hype from scratch - it just needs to confirm what’s already there.
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