Cowboys WR Dez Bryant misses second game with leg fracture

ARLINGTON, Texas --Dallas Cowboysreceiver Dez Bryant will miss his second straight game with a tibial plateau fracture near his right knee.

Bryant has not practiced since suffering the injury on the second snap of the Cowboys' Sept. 25 win against the Chicago Bears. Bryant has gone through resistance training for parts of the last two weeks and went through a session before Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Cowboys said Bryant could miss up to three weeks with the injury. They play the Green Bay Packers next week and have their bye week on Oct. 23.

Bryant recorded 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys' first three games. This is the second straight year and third time in his career Bryant has missed multiple games in the same season. He missed seven games last season because of a broken right foot suffered in the season opener. He missed four games as a rookie in 2012 because of a broken ankle.

With Bryant out, Brice Butler will start for the second straight game.

The Cowboys will also be without running back Lance Dunbar, who was added to the injury report last Wednesday after he was unable to finish practice because of soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Dunbar did not practice on Thursday and Friday and was listed as questionable.

There is some good news for the Cowboys: Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith will return to the lineup after a two-game absence due to back spasms triggered by a bulging disc, and kicker Dan Bailey is active.

He missed two days of practice during the week because of back soreness but was able to kick Friday and the Cowboys opted not to sign a kicker as an emergency.