PRO FOOTBALL: DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Gary Emerging as No. 1 Running Back

Although Chuck Knox insists the Rams plan to rotate their running backs, Cleveland Gary has emerged as the clear-cut featured back the past two weeks and Robert Delpino has at least temporarily faded out of the picture.

Gary has carried 36 times for 150 yards in the last two games, including 74 yards in 19 carries in the Rams’ 18-10 victory over the New York Jets Sunday.

Delpino, meanwhile, has carried only twice in two games, both on Sunday, and one of them resulted in a lost fumble.

Before the Jets’ game, Knox said he wanted to use Gary, Delpino and newly acquired Anthony Thompson against the Jets. Thompson did not see action on offense Sunday.

“We didn’t get Thompson as much playing time as we wanted to,” Knox said Monday. “We planned to rotate the backs in there this week, but Cleveland Gary got going and got running and was running well. So we left him in there.

“He ran well. We evaluate a back on what he gets after first contact. The yardage that he gets. And he did an excellent job.”

So, after months of uncertainty at the position, is Gary the featured back now?

“I don’t know,” Knox said.

Last week, the only time Delpino touched the ball was on a third-down flair pass that he dropped. But Knox says he remains confident in Delpino’s ability as a runner-receiver.

“The way you have to look at that, it’s a temporary setback and you’ve got to block that out, a fumble, dropped pass or whatever,” Knox said. “Because the next play becomes the most important play and you have to take an attitude that I’m going to do it the next time.”

Knox said he wasn’t sure if the Rams would activate any of the three players eligible to come off injured reserve this week. The most likely player to be activated is defensive end Robert Young, who has had a shoulder injury. The other two are rookie offensive linemen Darryl Ashmore and Shawn Harper, both of whom could be shifted to the practice squad--enabling them to practice with the team while remaining on IR. . . . Tight end Jim Price, who sat out the Jets’ game because of an injured shoulder, is expected to return Sunday, Knox said.