Since organized team activities begin this week at Valley Ranch, I'm focusing on the five most interesting position battles on the Cowboys roster.

OTAs and minicamp obviously won't decide these spots. It will come down to a combination of the two, training camp, preseason games and who becomes available when teams start trimming their rosters.

But as of right now, these are the groups I have my eye on.

1.) Running back

Ezekiel Elliott wasn't drafted fourth overall to be part of an equal rotation. If the Cowboys really want their running game back at 2014 levels, Elliott will get carries early and often, just as DeMarco Murray did. The rushing attempts Joseph Randle received that season will be given to Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris. I can't see Dallas keeping more than four running backs. Right now, my best guess would be Elliott, McFadden, Morris and Darius Jackson, depending on where Lance Dunbar is in his rehab process.

The next question: Do they keep a fullback? Jason Garrett has kept one on the roster in the past. However, this could be the year they choose to go a little heavier at another position. The fullbacks on the current roster are Keith Smith and Rod Smith. Keith is converting over from linebacker. Rod is converting over from running back.

2.) Safety

It seems likely the Cowboys will go into the season with Byron Jones and Barry Church as their starting safeties. The front runners for the backup spots are Jeff Heath and J.J. Wilcox. I can't see Dallas keeping more than four safeties, so where does that leave sixth-round pick Kavon Frazier? Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said after the draft that they had a fourth-round grade on Frazier.

The Cowboys signed Heath to a new four-year contract in April so he seems safe. Wilcox, a third-round pick in 2013, is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

"I got to get better," Wilcox said last week. "I'm still growing at the position. This is my fifth year playing it. I've been playing offense all of my life, so I still have a lot of upside. I just have to keep learning the game, study hard on the film, just be more consistent in open-field tackling and being the best safety that I can be."

3.) Wide receiver

I think the Cowboys will keep five wide receivers on their active roster. Since you can already write in Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley, the final two spots should come down to Brice Butler, Devin Street and Lucky Whitehead.

Butler and Whitehead are the front runners. Butler finished with 12 catches for 258 yards last season while Street caught seven balls for 114 yards and a touchdown. Whitehead is the Cowboys' most valuable receiver on special teams, so if he was to be the odd man out, Dallas would have to find another kick and punt returner.

Also keep an eye on undrafted rookie free agent Chris Brown. Last season at Notre Dame, the 6-2, 195-pounder started all 13 games, catching 48 passes for 597 yards and four touchdowns.

4.) Cornerback

I anticipate the Cowboys going with five cornerbacks on their 53-man roster. Orlando Scandrick, Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne seem locked in. That leaves two openings. The favorites for those spots are Terrance Mitchell, Deji Olatoye and sixth-round pick Anthony Brown, another player Jones said the Cowboys had as a fourth-rounder on their board.

"We're not hitting or anything, but in terms of his movement and how smart he is, how fast he is, his ball skills, it's all real positive right now," Cowboys secondary coach Joe Baker said of Brown. "[Rookie minicamp] really suits Anthony's skill set because he's quick, he can run. So all of the stuff we're doing on air, he looks fantastic."

5.) Defensive end

Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli prefers to have an eight-man rotation on his defensive line. That generally means about five ends and three tackles. With Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence suspended for the first four games, the next few months will determine who will step into those key roles. As of right now, the battle at that position comes down to Benson Mayowa, Jack Crawford, David Irving, Ryan Russell and fourth-round pick Charles Tapper.

I'm predicting that the Week 1 starters at defensive end will be Mayowa on the right side and Crawford on the left.

"You don't have to have the most talent," Marinelli said after a recent rookie minicamp practice. "Jack Crawford is a perfect guy. Every time he came in he impacted the game. He had four sacks as a rotational guy. He had a lot of hits, pressure. He's fresh. He comes in and he's got a great motor. You got an advantage right there.

"It's the motor and the skill and the attitude we're looking for."