Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden has yet to make his training camp debut due to a nagging hamstring injury. In this case, his reputation as an injury prone player is proving accurate even before full contact in the offseason. As a result, the Cowboys are growing frustrated with his absence and its impact on the depth chart, ESPN's Ed Werder reports.
#Cowboys frustration building over injury absence of Darren McFadden and effect having on workload of other running backs
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) August 6, 2015
McFadden could return as soon as this weekend, according to ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer.
"He's been on the field in cleats moving around and making progress day by day," head coach Jason Garrett said.
No. 3 RB Lance Dunbar is also sidelined due to injury. He's in a walking book because of a right ankle sprain and underwent an MRI sometime Thursday. The Cowboys are confident that the injury isn't serious, but being down two of their top three running backs this early and after losing DeMarco Murray to free agency is not an ideal scenario.
Joseph Randle is the most likely choice to be the lead back in Dallas once the regular season begins. Randle impressed in limited playing time last season, carrying the ball 51 times for 343 yards (6.7 YPC) and three scores. But Randle has just 105 career rushing attempts and it is unknown if he can handle the demands of being a feature back.
Fortunately for him and the rest of Dallas' ball carriers, they will be running behind arguably the NFL's best offensive line. The unit features three young first-round picks in Tyron Smith (24), Travis Frederick (24) and Zack Martin (24) as well as first-round talent La'El Collins. Owner/general manager Jerry Jones went so far as to say that the running game will be even better in 2015 thanks to the dominance of the offensive line.
Cowboys fans will have to see if these minor injuries and depth chart shakeups will impact what was the league's second-ranked rushing attack in 2014.
