Fantasy football owners and would-be drafters of Steven Jackson have to be at least a little concerned about the murmurings coming out of St. Louis Rams camp during free agency. Tuesday the team signed Jerious Norwood as a change-up to Jackson, heretofore one of the last full-time backs standing, and despite losing the Ronnie Brown sweepstakes they're still looking for more help at the position. It could mean less work for the terminally dinged-up Jackson, if nothing else.

It's worth being concerned, but that might yet be good news for Jackson owners--and not just keeper leaguers who hope to eke an extra year or two out of their investment. Getting the grunt work out of Jackson's hands, however reluctant he might be to surrender it, leaves him free to do more things in Josh McDaniels's revamped offense--like score some touchdowns, for once.

Jackson, for his part, said recently that he'd like to catch more passes, which will be easier to do when the Rams don't need him to run head-first through the defensive line 25 times a game.