'The Hunter': Cowboys Rookie Luepke Last Chance vs. Raiders?

Dallas Cowboys rookie Hunter Luepke is set to feature heavily on Saturday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, as Mike McCarthy wants to see what he has in the former North Dakota State star.

The Dallas Cowboys running back room has largely seen Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle take the headlines as the battle for the No. 2 spot ramps up.

But one player has been forgotten amid "Deuce-Mania," and that's former North Dakota State back Hunter Luepke. With Vaughn, Dowdle, and Malik Davis all getting their share of carries throughout the preseason, Luepke hasn't seen the field much.

Well, that's about to change.

Coach Mike McCarthy revealed he has big plans for Hunter against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium.

“Hunter hasn't been given a lot of opportunities," McCarthy said. "So I definitely want to see him play a lot Saturday night, so  definitely want to fill the void that's created sometimes where players haven't been given enough opportunities.”

In his two preseason outings, Luepke has had six carries for just nine yards in what is hardly a true measure of what he can produce on the field.

But against the Raiders, it looks like McCarthy wants to see a big workload for Hunter, and while the running back depth chart likely sees him at the bottom, on Saturday night, Luepke has a chance to show what he can do.

In his last college season, Luepke was a beacon of production, rushing for 621 yards and nine touchdowns, while he also showed his ability as a pass-catcher, totaling 196 yards and four touchdowns on 14 receptions.

Cowboys fans are hoping to see his talents on Saturday night, and while some aren't sold on what happens during preseason, Luekpe has a chance to make his case to the Dallas coaching staff. ... certainly for a practice-squad job, and possible more.

The former Bison - who at 6-1 and 240 has the look of a fullback but has a history as a ball-carrier and maybe a future as a special-teamer - now gets his chance to hunt.

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