IRVING, Texas -- When the Dallas Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in the draft in April, it seemed as if it was only a matter of time before he became the lead back.

That time has come sooner even if it would have come later.

Darren McFadden is out a "couple months," according to coach Jason Garrett, after undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair a broken elbow. The hope is that he is back for some part of training camp, but it is possible he won't be ready for the regular-season opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 11.

In Tuesday's minicamp practice, Elliott took the first-team snaps. In last week's organized team activities, Elliott took the two-minute drill work over McFadden, who unknowingly practiced with a broken elbow, as they split the other first-team work. With McFadden tending to a personal situation three weeks ago, Elliott got the first-team work.

"It's always great to get more reps," Elliott said. "With every rep you're going to get better. The more you see, the more you're going to learn. Just got to take advantage of the opportunity and get ready to play ball."

Where Elliott might miss McFadden is in the meeting room. McFadden, the No. 4 overall pick in 2008 with the Oakland Raiders, has helped this year's No. 4 overall pick. Elliott said McFadden is like another coach in the running back meeting room.

"Just because he's injured doesn't mean he won't be around, won't be in the locker room or won't be in the meeting room," Elliott said. "He's going to be there, but we just got to kind of fill the void a little bit until he comes back."

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has been impressed with Elliott's ability to pick up the Cowboys offense as well as learn on the fly when things don't always go perfectly. But there has been and will be "rookie mistakes." He fumbled at one point Tuesday and looked to go the wrong way on one play.

"Getting the reps with the first group are really valuable," Linehan said. "We've put a lot on him. He's made a few mistakes as all rookies do, but he's not repeated them and that's a great sign. I think he's showing a lot of maturity in that part and really has a good feel for the game. He just can't get enough reps."

He doesn't have to worry about that now.

"I know what I know pretty well," Elliott said of the playbook. "I'm coming along pretty good. The game is slowing down and I'm getting more [comfortable]. Every day gets a little bit easier."

Linehan mentioned Alfred Morris will get some work with the first-teamers, but just as with McFadden, everybody knows the Cowboys did not draft Elliott for him to split the duties.

Most teams use two or three running backs to make it through a season. The pounding they take can be brutal, but most runners don't have the all-around skill set to remain on the field for every down. The Cowboys seem to believe Elliott does, but they are glad to have McFadden, when he returns, and Morris just in case.

"I think you've got to have a full deck in the running back room to be able to keep your protection where you want it to be throughout the year," Linehan said.

But in Linehan's two years as the playcaller, the Cowboys have relied mostly on one runner. It was McFadden last year. He received 65 percent of the running back carries in 2015 and finished with 1,089 yards. In 2014, DeMarco Murray received 83 percent of the running back carries and led the NFL with 1,845 yards, setting a team record.

Even before McFadden's injury, the Cowboys knew Elliott was going to be the guy.

"We can't run him until his tongue is just completely on the ground," Linehan said. "But we're going to make it close anyway."