Dallas Cowboys WR Amari Cooper to miss preseason with plantar fasciitis

Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper is dealing with plantar fasciitis, putting his preseason in jeopardy.

League sources told ESPN and the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday that Cooper is expected to miss the preseason due to his heel injury. He sustained the injury while in Oxnard, Calif., but said his condition has improved the last few weeks.

"Like I said, it's not really that bad, especially just walking around," Cooper told the team's official website. "But to do the things that I do on the field, obviously, I'll be cutting really hard, stopping really hard, those things. I haven't tried to really do that, so I couldn't really tell you."

The Cowboys won't play their starters in their final preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 29, according to ESPN. Cooper hasn't practiced since Aug. 6, and the team doesn't plan to put him at risk for Dallas' regular-season opener Sept. 8 against the New York Giants by playing him Saturday against the Houston Texans.

"I mean I played with a lot of foot injuries. High ankle sprains. All those things, so I'm pretty good at playing with foot injuries. But I don't think I'm going to have to play with it," Cooper said.

The Cowboys acquired Cooper in a trade with the Oakland Raiders last season. In nine games with the Cowboys, he recorded 53 catches for 725 yards and six touchdowns.