GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Eddie Lacy and James Starks have given the Green Bay Packers an effective one-two punch at running back the last two seasons.

In fact, as we pointed out this summer, they're the only twosome who played together the last two seasons and totaled more than 3,000 rushing yards where the No. 2 back had at least 800 of those yards.

But Lacy has always been the one and Starks the two.

Even if it's just a temporary situation, that changed Wednesday, when coach Mike McCarthy revealed that Starks would be the Packers' top running back Sunday against the Detroit Lions and Lacy would serve in a more complementary role.

Starks, however, is still looking at it like a tandem role.

"If that's where they're going to put me, me and Eddie, it's still a tandem, a one-two punch," Starks said. "And that's how it's going to continue to be."

Starks has never been a full-time starter in his six NFL seasons. In fact, coming into this season, he had only started five of the 51 regular-season games he played in since the Packers drafted him in the sixth round in 2010.

His longest stretch as a starter came in the postseason of his rookie year, when he started all four games -- including Super Bowl XLV. He rushed for 123 yards in the wild-card game against the Philadelphia Eagles and finished that postseason with 315 yards on 81 carries in the four games. Prorated over a full, 16-game season, that would have equated to 1,260 yards.

Injuries or opportunity prevented Starks from ever becoming a full-time starter. In 2011, Ryan Grant came back from the injury that gave Starks his chance in the playoffs the previous year (although Starks still ended up as the team's leading rusher, with 578 yards, that season). That Starks missed 13 games combined in 2011 and 2012 likely played a role in the Packers' decision to pick Lacy in the second round of the 2013 draft.

Six years into his career, Starks might be more prepared for a leading role.

"You learn more, [you're] experienced, [you've] seen it," he said. "Just knowing to be more valuable, make sure you're there at all times. So just getting a repetition of a lot and seeing a lot and knowing the system and everything like that, I think that slowed the game down for me."

Starks has a team-high 334 yards this season (Lacy is second at 308), prompting Lacy to say, "He's been the better player between us two so far [this season]."

Starks also has been a factor in the passing game. He caught six passes for 83 yards, including gains of 29 and 30 yards on screen passes, in Sunday's loss at Carolina and has more receiving touchdowns (two) than rushing scores (one).

"You need multiple backs healthy and solid backs to win in this league," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "He's earned some opportunities, and he's done a great job on screens the entire year. He's a very good running back. He has a very good attitude every single day. He's one of my favorite teammates, just the way he carries himself and prepares. He's earned an opportunity. But we're going to need Eddie as well to be healthy and to play."