Lance Dunbar (foot) did not practice for the Cowboys on Wednesday.

Dunbar shed his walking boot Monday. He resumed light jogging recently after spraining his foot, but it's looking highly doubtful that he'll play this week. Look for Phillip Tanner and Joseph Randle to play sparingly behind DeMarco Murray.

Lance Dunbar (foot) has shed his walking boot.

Dunbar has resumed light jogging about two weeks after spraining his left foot. He's still very questionable for Week 1, leaving Joseph Randle and Phillip Tanner as DeMarco Murray's primary backups. There's no clear-cut handcuff here.

ESPN Dallas reports Cowboys RB Lance Dunbar (sprained left foot) will be sidelined 3-4 weeks, and is questionable for Week 1.

Dallas' Week 1 showdown with the Giants is just 20 days away, making DeMarco Murray's handcuff doubtful to suit up. Foot injuries also have a tendency to linger, so 3-4 weeks should be considered more of an estimate than concrete timetable. Rookie Joseph Randle, who's rushed 29 times for just 102 yards this preseason, should get the call as Murray's backup in Dunbar's absence.

Cowboys RB Lance Dunbar has been diagnosed with a sprained left foot, and is in a walking boot.

Not good. A boot suggests a week-to-week affair, and has DeMarco Murray's presumed backup unlikely for Saturday's regular season dress rehearsal against the Bengals. Dunbar has rushed eight times for 45 yards through three preseason games, adding six catches for 83 yards. He drew praise from owner Jerry Jones following Saturday's preseason game even though he fumbled. Rookie Joseph Randle could be thrown into the fire behind Murray if Dunbar isn't ready for Week 1.

Cowboys RB Lance Dunbar rushed four times for 22 yards and lost two yards on his lone reception in Sunday night's Hall of Fame Game.

Starting for DeMarco Murray (rest), Dunbar showed some perimeter speed and cutback ability on inside zone and outside stretch runs. He's ahead of Joseph Randle and Phillip Tanner. Perhaps most telling was Dunbar's sparing usage, indicating he may already have Dallas' No. 2 back job sewn up. Dunbar stands a good chance of entering the season as Murray's fantasy handcuff.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett praised RB Lance Dunbar on Tuesday.

"He gets better every single day and it really goes to the kind of young man he is, how important it is to him," Garrett said. "He just works at it, and he has great juice, got a bounce in his step all the time." Per reporter Calvin Watkins, "juice" has been a common word to describe Dunbar this summer. For the moment, he appears to be ahead of rookie Joseph Randle for No. 2 duties.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports Lance Dunbar has "zoomed past" fifth-round rookie Joseph Randle in the Cowboys' No. 2 running back competition.

All three of DeMarco Murray, Dunbar, and Phillip Tanner have been getting more reps than Randle early in training camp. The Star-Telegram adds that Randle has been "battling" undrafted rookie Kendial Lawrence for "snaps and attention." Dunbar, entering his second year out of North Texas, was a star in spring practices, and it's carried over into the summer.

ESPN Dallas suggests Lance Dunbar could still win the No. 2 running back job.

Fifth-round rookie and presumed backup Joseph Randle (thumb surgery) missed all of OTAs and minicamp. Meanwhile, Dunbar reportedly had a "terrific" offseason and has the trust of Tony Romo. It's something to keep an eye on given DeMarco Murray's checkered injury history.

Owner/GM Jerry Jones reiterated that he wants to come away with a No. 2 back in the draft.

Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner will not be the handcuff to DeMarco Murray this season. "Without Felix Jones in the fold right now, we don't have that answer in terms of having a complementary back to DeMarco," Jones said. Murray's troublesome injury history dates back to his Oklahoma days, so a Day 2 prospect like Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell or North Carolina's Giovani Bernard would make a lot of sense.

Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said he doesn't see Lance Dunbar or Phillip Tanner as No. 2 running backs.

"I think we need a back," Jones said. "We like Dunbar and Tanner but I think theyƒ?Tre more third backs, not second backs." With free agent Felix Jones expected to move on and the Cowboys unlikely to spend much money at the position, a mid-round draft pick would make some sense. ESPN Dallas suggests South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore, who is recovering from a devastating knee injury.

ESPN Dallas says RBs Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner are most likely to be DeMarco Murray's backups in 2013.

Beat writer Calvin Watkins dismisses the notion that the Cowboys will draft a running back, being that the team only has six picks in the draft and has plenty of holes to fill. Felix Jones is a free agent, and his time with the Cowboys is "over." ESPN Dallas said last month that the team was higher on Dunbar than they were on Tanner. Dallas would be wise to have a capable backup for Murray, who has missed nine games in two seasons.

ESPN Dallas believes the Cowboys are higher are RB Lance Dunbar than Phillip Tanner.

Cowboys RB Lance Dunbar rushed just one time for eight yards and caught three passes for 21 yards in Dallas' Week 12 loss to Washington.

The Cowboys played one-dimensional offense on Thanskgiving, due to its inability to generate any early-game rushing threat and a 28-3 first-half deficit. When DeMarco Murray (foot) returns, Dunbar will resume third-string duties behind Murray and Felix Jones.

ESPN Dallas expects Lance Dunbar to start Thursday's game against the Redskins if Felix Jones (knee) is inactive.

Jones aggravated his knee issue against the Browns last week, missed practice Tuesday and could be headed for a game-time call. Dunbar has been dealing with some knee woes of his own, but he appears to be slightly ahead of Phillip Tanner. They split the first-team reps in practice Tuesday, hinting at a timeshare. It's a situation to avoid if Felix sits.

Cowboys RB Lance Dunbar (knee) returned to practice Tuesday, splitting first-team reps with Phillip Tanner.

Dunbar's "minor procedure" Monday must have been nothing more than having his knee drained. If Felix Jones (knee) can't go on Thanksgiving, Dunbar figures to split the workload with Tanner. Neither back would be more than a flex option versus the Redskins.

Cowboys RB Lance Dunbar had a "minor procedure" performed on his knee following Sunday's Week 11 loss to the Browns.

It sounds like a minor scope or simple knee drainage. Dunbar's status for Thanksgiving Day is uncertain, and probably doubtful based on this news. If DeMarco Murray (foot) and Dunbar are unavailable against the Redskins, the Cowboys would use Phillip Tanner as Felix Jones' backup in the Week 12 game.

Lance Dunbar rushed five times for 10 yards and caught two balls for six yards as the Cowboys beat the Browns in Week 11.

Dunbar didn't get anything going as the pace-changer behind Felix Jones. He's destined for third-string back duties with DeMarco Murray's foot believed to be healing fast enough for a Thanksgiving Day return. Should Murray come back, Dunbar could be dropped quickly in 12- and 14-team fantasy football leagues.

Lance Dunbar rushed eight times for 26 yards in Dallas' Week 9 loss to the Falcons.

He was held without a catch on two targets. Dunbar rotated carries with Felix Jones throughout, but showed little as a runner, rarely emerging from the first wave of defense with extra yards. 18 of his yards came on one carry. With DeMarco Murray eyeing a Week 10 return, think long and hard before making Dunbar your waiver-wire priority this week. It almost certainly won't be worth it.

Coach Jason Garrett indicated RB Lance Dunbar will be limited to a "pinch-hitter" role behind Felix Jones and Phillip Tanner at Carolina on Sunday.

Dunbar is a good bet to take over kickoff returns from Jones, but he's not going to have more than a carry or three on offense. Garrett wants Jones and Tanner to stay in the flow of the game as the top two backs without worrying about a three-man rotation.