Joseph Randle started at running back for the Dallas Cowboys in 2013 after DeMarco Murray was injured. The rookie took over when Murray sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee during a Week 6 victory over Washington on October 13, 2013.
Randle had been selected by Dallas in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, specifically to provide depth behind Murray. His opportunity expanded because Lance Dunbar, another Cowboys running back, was also dealing with an injury. Randle made his first career start against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 20, carrying 14 times for 26 yards and catching three passes.
Murray missed two games during that stretch, and Randle remained the primary starter, including the Cowboys’ Week 8 game against Detroit. Phillip Tanner also received some work, so Randle did not handle every backfield snap or carry. However, the question asks who started at running back, making Joseph Randle the single canonical answer.
A common mix-up is Lance Dunbar, who was part of the Cowboys’ running-back rotation but was injured himself. Randle later became Murray’s backup again and eventually started additional games for Dallas in 2014.