FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are activating wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, safety Damontae Kazee and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins from the reserve/COVID-19 list, a source told ESPN on Thursday.

Watkins was sent home before the Cowboys' third preseason game against the Houston Texans on Aug. 21, while Lamb and Hooker were placed on the reserve list Aug. 24. For a vaccinated player to return to a team's facility, he must have two straight negative tests separated by 24 hours.

Guard Connor Williams and wide receiver Noah Brown remain on the COVID list ahead of the Cowboys' opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Thursday.

Lamb has not taken part in a full practice with quarterback Dak Prescott since the Cowboys returned from Oxnard, California, in the middle of August. Last week, Prescott took part in team drills for the first time since July 27 and will do so this week as the Cowboys return to practice following a mandatory three-day break.

Kazee is a projected starter, while Watkins is expected to be a big part of the defensive line rotation.

To create room for the three players on the 53-man roster, the Cowboys are likely to move some combination of defensive tackle Neville Gallimore (elbow), tight end Sean McKeon (ankle), offensive tackle Josh Ball (ankle), cornerback Kelvin Joseph (groin), wide receiver Malik Turner (foot) and linebacker Frances Bernard (hamstring) to injured reserve. By doing so, those players would miss at least the first three games of the season.