The Cowboys will have to make do without leading rusher Rico Dowdle against the 49ers

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Dallas Cowboys will be without leading rusher Rico Dowdle for Sunday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers due to an illness.

When the Cowboys arrived at Levi's Stadium around 1:45 p.m. PT, the team said Dowdle had become ill and did not complete early warmups.

Because of his absence, Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook, who was called up from the practice squad on Saturday, will have to serve as primary defenders against the 49ers. The Cowboys also have fullback Hunter Luepke and Deuce Vaughn, who has been inactive for the past two games.

Including Dowdle, the Cowboys are without four starters. Micah Parsons will miss his third straight game with a high left ankle sprain, while defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) are injured. All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland will miss his seventh straight game after undergoing foot surgery in August.

The Cowboys have the NFL's worst running offense, averaging just 77.2 yards per game. Dowdle has 246 yards on 58 carries while Elliott has 115 yards on 38 carries with a touchdown. Cook has yet to play a game this season.

Elliott started the opener against the Cleveland Browns and led the Cowboys with 40 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. Since then, he hasn't rushed for more than eight carries or 19 yards in a game.

Cook posted four 1,000-yard seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2019-22), earning a Pro Bowl berth each time. He signed late last year with the New York Jets and had just 214 yards on 67 carries in 15 games. He then played one game for the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs and had eight carries for 23 yards.