Cowboys happy to have Elliott, prepared to play without him

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, running for a first down in a game against the Washington Redskins in November, wears an orange wristband every game to show supports for a young fan with cancer. (Photo for The Washington Post by Toni L. Sandys)

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott has practiced fully for the first time since leaving the Dallas Cowboys for a lengthy — and ultimately unsuccessful — appeal of his six-game suspension over a domestic violence case.

The star running back will play in the opener at home against the New York Giants on Sunday night essentially because of the timing of arbitrator Harold Henderson’s decision. Henderson backed the NFL process that concluded Elliott used physical force last summer against his girlfriend at the time in Ohio.

So the Cowboys move forward knowing they will have the 2016 NFL rushing leader in Week 1, but prepared that Elliott won’t be back until Week 9 after that.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, the Offensive Rookie of the Year after sharing a sensational debut season with Elliott, said Wednesday that “none of the outside world is going through his head” when the former Ohio State star is in practice or in meetings.

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