http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/...k-shaun-chapas
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are not sure when or if Tony Fiammetta will play again this season but they have made a contingency plan.
According to sources, the Cowboys will sign rookie fullback Shaun Chapas from the practice squad and cut return man Akwasi Owusu-Ansah to make room on the 53-man roster.
Chapas was one of the Cowboys' two seventh-round picks in April. He had two carries for five yards and two catches for 20 yards in the preseason before he was released.
He has spent the entire season on the practice squad.
Fiammetta has missed the last two games with an undisclosed illness that cropped up following the Cowboys' win against Buffalo. He has undergone a series of tests to determine his ailment over the last few weeks.
Fiammetta has played a big part in the Cowboys' running game. With him, the Cowboys average 145.8 yards a game on the ground and 5.6 yards per carry. Without him, they have averaged 85.6 yards and 3.2 per carry.
The Cowboys have used their tight ends, mostly John Phillips, as the lead blocker in Fiammetta's absence. Chapas, who can also contribute on special teams, has the more natural feel for the position even if he lacks NFL game experience. He started 22 of 49 games at Georgia and finished with 40 carries for 155 yards and three touchdowns, while catching 26 passes for 221 yards and four touchdowns.
Owusu-Ansah, who averaged 7.8 yards per punt return and 18.7 yards on kickoffs, is eligible for the practice squad if he clears waivers.