Ezekiel Elliott Injury: Updates on Cowboys RB's Hamstring and Return

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott suffered a hamstring injury during practice on Aug. 2 and has yet to see the field in the preseason. However, he is ready to make his Cowboys debut.

Continue for updates.

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Elliott Active vs. Seahawks 

Thursday, Aug. 25

The Cowboys announced Elliott will play Thursday against the Seattle Seahawks. 

On Tuesday, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett told reporters he expects Elliott to play in Week 3 of the preseason, contradicting a statement from owner Jerry Jones earlier in the day.

"I don't know if we'll play him," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. "He could. He's looked good these last three days. But just from the standpoint of how he looked initially when we started our training camp in California, I've seen enough to know that he's everything we'd hoped he would be."

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Elliott Comments on Recovery

Tuesday, Aug. 23

Elliott spoke to reporters on Tuesday about his recovery and return to the field, via Machota:

"

I think I'm good. I think I've done a good job getting my mental reps when I was out. I think I'm ready.

Just from practice and the past practices I've had, I don't feel like I've missed a beat. I feel ready.

[...]

There's a lot of pressure ... but I don't try to make too much of it. No one can expect more out of me than myself.

"

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Latest on Elliott's Practice Status

Monday, Aug. 22

Garrett told reporters Elliott practiced in Tuesday's session.

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Elliott Eager to Deliver on Top-Pick Potential 

The Cowboys selected Elliott with the fourth overall pick in hopes he could return the team's previously dominant rushing attack to the top of the pack. Dallas ranked second in yards and fifth in touchdowns on the ground in 2014 but dropped to ninth and 21st in those categories, respectively, last season.

The 21-year-old Ohio State product remained mostly healthy during his three-year stay with the Buckeyes. He underwent a couple of wrist procedures over the past two years, but it didn't cause him to miss any of the team's 28 games between 2014 and 2015.

It's rare for teams to invest early draft picks on running backs in the current era. That shows how highly the Cowboys think of Elliott.