The Dallas Cowboys’ backfield looked set in stone just a month ago, but fantasy managers are now scrambling to acquire rookie running back Jaydon Blue.
What started as lukewarm interest has exploded into a feeding frenzy, with Blue being snatched up in 85% of recent trades involving him in PFSN’s Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer. The numbers behind this surge tell a story about opportunity meeting preparation in Dallas’s backfield.
What Is Causing the Jaydon Blue Trade Market Shift?
June painted a picture of uncertainty around Dallas Cowboys rookie RB Jaydon Blue’s fantasy value. PFSN users showed relative indifference toward the rookie, with trade activity split nearly down the middle between those acquiring and those moving on from him.
Fast forward to July, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Blue has been acquired in 52 of 61 completed deals involving him, representing an 85% acquisition rate that signals growing confidence in his potential impact.
JAYDON BLUE, HOW DO YOU DO?!?!
A 77-YARD TOUCHDOWN TO MAKE IT A TWO-SCORE GAME VS. CLEMSON pic.twitter.com/cCzmh6V5W2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 22, 2024
This momentum isn’t happening in a vacuum. Fantasy managers are recognizing what the data reveals about the veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. Blue averaged 1.34 PPR points per touch last season at Texas, but his path to significant volume may depend less on his own limitations and more on the ceiling constraints of Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams.
Veteran Struggles Create Rookie Opportunity
The statistical evidence supporting this shift in perception is stark. Neither Sanders nor Williams has recorded a 50-plus-yard run in their last three NFL seasons (2022–2024), with the two combining for 846 carries over that span. While explosive plays shouldn’t define a player’s entire value, this drought highlights a lack of game-breaking ability.
For context, 50-yard rushes occurred once every 338 attempts across all NFL running backs in 2024, making this three-year absence particularly glaring, especially when compared to others in the league. Over this same period, Jamycal Hasty, Travis Homer, and Ke’Shawn Vaughn all have such a run on their resumes.
The individual performance metrics paint an even clearer picture of why Blue’s stock is rising. During his disappointing stint with Carolina, Sanders managed 12 carries of 10 or more yards out of 184 total attempts.
Miles Sanders (3)
Carolina Panthers
1 yard, Walk-Off
pic.twitter.com/mQ401cHwxO— NFL Touchdown Videos (@NFLTDsVideos) January 5, 2025
This 6.5% rate of meaningful gains ranked behind backup-level players like Alexander Mattison, Trey Sermon, and Ty Chandler, underlining how far his production has fallen from his Philadelphia peak.
Williams presents a different but equally concerning trend. His yards per carry after contact have declined in consecutive seasons, dropping 22.3% from 2022 to 2023 and another 12.2% from 2023 to 2024.
This metric captures a player’s ability to create additional value through power and elusiveness after initial contact, skills that traditionally separate productive NFL backs from replacement-level options.
The decline suggests Williams is losing the physical tools that once made him a promising young back.
Why Does Blue’s Efficiency Matter?
Blue’s college production profile contrasts with his veteran teammates’ recent struggles. His current acquisition rate suggests fantasy managers believe those opportunities are coming sooner rather than later.
The Cowboys historically have provided substantial volume to their primary ball carriers, and the organization’s investment in the running game remains significant despite recent struggles.
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Blue enters a situation where the established veterans have shown measurable decline in key performance areas, creating a clearer path to touches than most rookie backs typically enjoy.
Fantasy managers who missed the initial wave of Blue acquisitions face increasingly steep asking prices as July progresses. The data suggests this isn’t speculative hype but rather a recognition of genuine opportunity backed by concerning veteran performance metrics.
The window for acquiring Blue at a reasonable cost is closing rapidly. Sometimes the best fantasy plays emerge not from explosive rookie talent alone, but from talented rookies landing in situations where veterans have lost their edge. Blue appears to represent exactly that scenario, and the smart money is already moving accordingly.
