Lance Dunbar Injury: Updates on Cowboys RB's Knee and Return

Dallas Cowboys running back Lance Dunbar will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery Friday, per Desmond Purnell of NFL Network. Dunbar took to Twitter following the surgery to say everything went well.

The team placed him on injured reserve Saturday, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

Continue for updates.

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How Dunbar's Injury Will Impact Cowboys

In his fourth season out of North Texas, Dunbar has emerged as a vital pass-catching threat out of the backfield. Working largely on passing downs, he notched 21 receptions for 215 yards prior to the injury, while Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle largely handled ball-carrying duties.

However, Randle showed flashes of his ability in the running game, rushing for 54 yards on three attempts against New Orleans.

"Anytime we've given him opportunities in the past, he seems to be productive with them," head coach Jason Garrett said after Week 1, per Archer. "Either as a runner or as a receiver, coming out of the backfield and also when he lines up outside, he's just a darn good football player."

The Cowboys are employing a running back-by-committee approach this season, so Dunbar's loss means more work for McFadden and Randle.

Neither player excels at catching the ball out of the backfield—they've combined for nine grabs all season—so it'll be interesting to see which one gets the first opportunities. It's also possible Christine Michael, acquired during the preseason from the Seattle Seahawks, will finally see some action.

It would seem this is a chance for Randle to take over every-down duties, but Dallas has been content to play him mostly in running situations so far.

Either way, Dunbar's injury strips another dimension from a passing game already without star wideout Dez Bryant.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.