Lance Dunbar #25 of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 13, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

With Ezekiel Elliott still banged up, Cowboys get surprise return from another injured back

The Cowboys are excited Lance Dunbar is back.

Lance Dunbar is back in Dallas. The Cowboys running back practiced for the first time this season on Sunday and looks to be in the mix for playing time soon.

Dunbar tore an ACL and patellar tendon in the middle of last season and required surgery to repair the injury. He was expected to miss as much as six games this season, but he recovered ahead of schedule.

It's further good news for the Cowboys, who also brought back Ezekiel Elliott on Sunday.

Dallas head coach Jason Garrett said Dunbar could have been activated sooner, but the team decided to act cautiously before bringing him back to the field.

Dunbar was a top pass option for Dallas last season, registering 21 catches for 215 yards over just four games.