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Another Sunday, another Fantasy Notebook. ... And another week closer to the 2009 NFL Draft. I hope you're enjoying the almost wall-to-wall coverage the annual selection process elicits from your television boxes. I also hope some of you are looking for a brief respite from the seemingly endless chatter from the Mayocks, Kipers and McShays of the world.

Because the Notebook, in keeping with a now-annual tradition, will try to provide Fantasy aficionados with an oasis of (mostly) nondraft-related news and notes. You know; the kind of stuff that tends to get caught up in the pre-draft wash. It's not that I find the draft disinteresting; I just find myself getting saturated (almost by osmosis) as ESPN and the NFL Network focus almost exclusively to the ongoing intrigue, rumor, innuendo, smokescreens and outright lies being floated as team's make every effort to keep us (and their opposition) from guessing their moves.

That includes ongoing trade rumors swirling around Anquan Boldin (get more here), Braylon Edwards (get more here) and Brady Quinn (get more here). It's safe to assume we'll be hearing more on all those stories in coming days. ...

In the meantime, let's get the ball rolling in Oakland where JaMarcus Russell has officially been put on notice.

As Pro Football Weekly's Dan Parr noted last weekend, after head coach Tom Cable expressed his reservations about Russell's less-than-ideal work ethic at the league's annual meeting in March, Oakland signed Jeff Garcia (on April 6) to add some insurance in case Russell falters in his second season as a full-time starter.

"If he can accept the responsibility of being an NFL quarterback," Cable told reporters, "working more, working harder, working longer than everybody else, accepting the responsibility that his teammates look to him as the face of the organization, that he has to go above and beyond almost on a daily basis, that comes with that position, whether that's right or wrong, that's what it is -- if he can accept that and become that, he'll be fine.

"He'll be great, I think.

"Has he done that? I think during the last six weeks [of the 2008 season] he started to."

Cable also made a point of mentioning that Russell -- the No. 1 overall pick from the 2007 NFL draft -- has been around the facility more, watching tape, studying, and doing some of the things expected of NFL quarterbacks.

He painted Russell as passionate and motivated -- something head coaches tend to do when trying to protect prized prospects (and often heavily invested-in commodities).

But the addition of Garcia could be a sign that Cable is open to change.

The company line would have you believe the 39-year old Garcia will mentor Russell while backing the younger man up. But as Parr suggested, it's likely that Garcia, a true competitor who has been through multiple QB controversies in his career, has his eye on the starting job.

Some might contend that by deciding to sign with Oakland, Garcia was picking the team with the weakest starter.

And based on what we've seen of Russell to date, Oakland's lengthy run of losing seasons and mercurial owner Al Davis, it's hard to argue with the veteran signal caller's logic if that was the case.

SportingNews.com analyst Clifton Brown reminded readers last week that Russell, who turns 24 in August, was drafted to be the centerpiece of the Raiders' resurgence. So far, the Raiders have not gotten their money's worth.

His rookie season was a waste because of a lengthy holdout, and playing for a bad team has hindered Russell's growth.

But there's reason for hope.

After a(nother) slow start last season, Russell finished with a three-game run in which the Raiders went 2-1 and he completed 62 percent of his passes (49 of 78) to go with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

It was unquestionably the best three-game performance of his NFL career.

It's certainly something he can build on heading into this pivotal season -- his third as a pro.

And in a column published earlier this month, Yahoo! Sports correspondent Charles Robinson suggested, in the "grand design of quarterback development," there has always been something about year three.

Robinson backed that contention by noting the three-year theory has long been espoused by offensive minds from the Bill Walsh coaching tree, particularly the branch belonging to Mike Holmgren. Whether it has been Andy Reid, Steve Mariucci or Brad Childress, all professed that year three often becomes the true divide between good NFL quarterbacks and those who will struggle.

Maybe that's what Cable had in mind last month when he made it clear: Russell's watershed moment has arrived.

And given the caveat that ran throughout Cable's comments -- if Russell accepts the responsibility -- it's time for the former LSU star to begin working with a bit more urgency.

Or at least a little more dedication to honing his craft.

Cable admitted that Russell wasn't overly engaged in the offseason program last summer, particularly as it pertained to doing work on his own. And a source close to Russell told Robinson in mid-February that Russell had yet to start his expected off-season conditioning, choosing instead to relax.

Cable's comments made it clear the lackadaisical approach must end.

With his work ethic and with his performance, Russell needs to start showing he is worthy of being the No. 1 overall pick in '07. As Brown suggested, nobody expects Russell to be a Pro Bowl quarterback at this stage.

But now, Russell has someone breathing down his neck -- an element he hasn't had to deal with in the past. So in addition to playing well enough to keep Garcia on the bench, it would appear he still has to convince the Raiders he is their quarterback of the future.

To do that, Robinson believes Cable must continue his efforts to help Russell understand that responsibility, ownership and leadership typically trump size and arm strength.

As Cable put it, Russell can embrace having a game on his shoulders, but he has to understand what it means to actually be ready to succeed within those moments. The coach added that Russell is "motivated to not be a failure, to not be the kid from Mobile that couldn't get it done."

That said, Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio made an excellent point when he offered readers the following take with regard to Russell: "As we see it, fear of failure isn't enough, because it's easy to accept failure when you've got millions in the bank telling you otherwise.

"Great quarterbacks have an unflinching desire not to 'not fail,' but to be great. It's a passion that permeates everything they do.

"They assume ownership of the fate of the team, and they become fully and completely emotionally invested in whether the franchise rises or falls."

The team, meanwhile, has a responsibility to surround Russell with the kind of play makers necessary to excel. They've done that in the backfield, where Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush are at least capable of keeping opposing defenses honest.

That's not necessarily the case on the outside, however.

As Examiner.com's Patrick Patterson recently noted, the Raiders best receiver by far is tight end Zach Miller. Beyond that, the production from the Raiders receiving corps has been poor.

Positives? Patterson pointed out that Johnnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schilens both had late surges that showed promise for the future. Enough so for the club to release veteran Ronald Curry (who signed with Detroit on Friday).

According to PFW, Oakland considered cutting much-maligned veteran Javon Walker but ended up restructuring his contract to keep him around, instead. Despite a disastrous first season with the team -- 15 catches for 196 yards and one touchdown in eight games -- owner Al Davis, sources tell PFW, has a soft spot for Walker and players like him, who have had their faculties questioned.

Davis isn't willing to quit on Walker yet. But it's certainly not clear the former Packer and Bronco is a guy who can be counted on come September.

Hence the emphasis on youth. ... The Sports Xchange reports that team officials have gone out their way to talk up Higgins and Schilens but that hasn't stopped speculation on Oakland looking at a wide receiver with the No. 7 pick in the draft.

I'll also agree with Patterson's assessment of Miller.

With 56 receptions for 778 yards, the former first-round pick was the most productive Raiders tight end in terms of receptions since Todd Christensen was going 90-plus in the 80s. Miller was the first Raiders tight end with more than 50 catches in 18 years -- despite the fact that he was clearly the most reliable receiver on the team and drew the attention of opposing defenses.

He also got downfield much more than as a rookie, averaging 13.9 yards per catch. I'm looking for more of the same this fall. ...

A few final notes here. ... Russell is now present and participating fully in off-season work after limiting his efforts to classroom -- avoiding the on-field sessions -- before joining in all the festivities late last month. ...

Also: Russell and McFadden are both coming off recent surgeries. Russell had minor surgery to remove bone chips from his right ankle in February. McFadden had surgery on his ailing left shoulder in January.

McFadden injured his shoulder in Week 2 against the Chiefs, and also had his rookie season marred with a series of turf toe injuries. The fourth overall draft pick finished with 499 rushing yards and only four touchdowns.

The good news?

McFadden was fully recovered from minor shoulder and ready to hit the weights when voluntary workouts officially began on March 16.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, ready to go," McFadden said before joining his teammates for those sessions. "I'm ready to get back on the field and get going again. People say (the offseason) is short but if you've just been chilling at home, it feels like it's been forever."

"I'm healthy again. It's a great thing and I'm very happy about it."

Walker is recovered from season-ending ankle surgery. He has not been part of the team's voluntary workouts but is working out on his own, Cable said this week. ...

In Jacksonville. ... With rumors variously suggesting the Jaguars are working like gangbusters to trade away their first pick in next weekend's draft or that team officials might draft a quarterback (USC's Mark Sanchez has been mentioned) with the eighth pick overall, current starter David Garrard is playing it cool.

"It's not like I'm not used to competition," Garrard said.

And if it comes, it sounds like Garrard will be ready for it.

According to Florida Times-Union staffer Michael C. Wright, a much more streamlined Garrard showed up for the team's off-season program last week.

"I just think it'll make me a little bit swifter, a little quicker, [so I'm] able to get out of the pocket a little easier and not get chased down by nose tackles," Garrard said when asked about the adjustment -- a loss of nearly 20 pounds.

"[Head coach Jack Del Rio] said, 'This is going to help you out more than just being faster. You're going to be a better leader through it. You're going to have more confidence through it. You're going to be a better ballplayer because this just shows how hard you've worked to get where you are now, and it's just going to spread to the other guys,'" Garrard explained.

Garrard attributes the weight loss (from his playing weight of 250 last season to 232) to cutting back his caloric intake from approximately 3,000 calories to 1,200.

Garrard also tossed away complex carbohydrates for three weeks.

Without the carbs, Garrard subsisted on a diet of "salads [with] a little bit of meat on top" and "a lot of shakes."

According to Garrard, Del Rio told him he could "almost guarantee" the quarterback would develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber player by getting down to his current size.

Garrard said his junior year in high school was the last time he weighed in the 230-pound range, and he doesn't plan to cut more weight. Garrard said he'd like to stay between 230 and 235 pounds.

Whether Garrard's weight loss translates on the field remains to be seen.

Having spent most of his career weighing approximately 250, Garrard has been able to rank third in rushing among quarterbacks since 2006, and he finished second last season with a career-high 322 yards.

Ideally, the Jaguars would like to limit the frequency of the times Garrard runs. But the offense employs lots of play-action passes and bootlegs, so increased mobility would help Garrard to set his feet faster and find open receivers.

In addition, improved mobility might have helped Garrard to sidestep some of the 42 sacks suffered last season, (double his previous high for sacks, set in 2007). It must be noted that his performance was hurt last year by playing behind an injury-depleted line.

Also worth noting, Garrard threw for 1,100 more yards in last season than he did in '07, but he also threw 10 more interceptions and averaged fewer yards per completion.

Meanwhile, as Wright suggested, Jacksonville's receiving corps remains a question mark.

The Jaguars cut Jerry Porter and have no plans to re-sign free agent Reggie Williams, who was recently arrested on drug charges. The team previously released receiver Matt Jones following an arrest last month on a probation violation stemming from drug charges last summer.

Jones led Jacksonville with 65 catches for 761 yards last season.

That pretty much leaves the team with Mike Walker and Dennis Northcutt as the top two wideouts on the roster.

The Jaguars are pursuing free agent Torry Holt and ESPN insider Chris Mortensen reports the two sides are close to reaching an agreement. Still, I have to wonder if Holt is the kind of playmaker Garrard is looking for.

"I see us having a big need for a receiver," the signal caller said during a recent appearance on Sirius NFL Radio. "You would hope that they would go out and get somebody to come in and be able to make those plays for you.

"The plays where you can put the ball in somebody's hands five yards down the field and they turn it into 60. Those are the kind of explosive plays that we need to bring in here."

Again, I'm not sure Holt is still that guy. ...

In St. Louis. ... According to Belleville News-Democrat beat writer Steve Korte, Marc Bulger undoubtedly has gotten new head coach Steve Spagnuolo's team-first message.

Bulger is coming off his two worst seasons as a starter in the NFL, but when asked about wanting to get back to his former Pro Bowl form, he said he hasn't thought about any individual goals.

"If we can get 10 guys on the offense to the Pro Bowl, and I'm the guy who is not there, that would be great," Bulger said. "As long as we are playing in January and early February, it doesn't matter."

Well. ... Fantasy owners might argue otherwise.

Then again, based on Bulger's recent efforts, his current level of interest to Fantasy Nation is at an all-time low.

Os Korte kindly put it: "The past two seasons have been difficult for Bulger beyond the Rams' 5-27 record over that span."

Bulger's passer rating was 70.3 in 2007 and 71.4 in 2008. His career passer rating before 2007 was 91.3. Worse yet, he has thrown more interceptions (28) than touchdown passes (22) over the past two seasons.

"You have to put it behind you, whether it's a player, a season or a game," Bulger said. "As a quarterback, you just can't let it bother you. Obviously, it has been two difficult years.

"With the team mentality right now, it would be selfish of myself to start thinking about how rough it was, or feel sorry for myself for how rough it has been. It's a clean slate. Coach told us in team meetings that we all have to act like we're rookies again, and I think everyone has taken that approach."

According to Korte, so far so good on that front. Bulger made a favorable first impression on Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur during the Rams' initial mini-camp last week.

"He threw the ball well," Spagnuolo said of Bulger. "He's probably going to be upset at me because we had the red zone drill going into the wind instead of with the wind. But I tell him it's already on the script what direction we're going."

Shurmur also was pleased with Bulger's passing in the mini-camp.

"What Marc showed me and us is that he's a good decision-maker, he's a very accurate passer and he gets the ball out on time," Shurmur said. "All things that are primary to being a good quarterback."

Shurmur, who was the Eagles' quarterback coach for the past seven seasons, will be the sixth play-caller for the Rams during Bulger's tenure.

"I think he has a real knowledge of this offense," Bulger said. “I think he was with Philly for nine years in the same system, same quarterback, same head coach, which gave him structure.

"When he's in meetings he's controlled, he's deliberate and he's confident. He's not up there just saying things to say them I think. He has a complete understanding of the offense. It's nice if you have a question, you get an answer and it seems like every time it's right. It's going to be fun to learn from him. ..."

But a major concern expressed in the items above regarding Russell and Garrard -- lack of high-end (or at least proven) play makers at receiver -- apply in St. Louis, too.

And while Bulger insists he hasn't felt the absence of Holt, you have to believe he will at some point.

"It's still early," Bulger said. "In the last couple of years he hasn't participated much in (the mini-camps) anyway. Donnie [Avery] and Keenan [Burton] are making their mark right now.

"Now that they're healthy and have had a couple of months off, they're flying around."

They'll need to do more than just fly around. Remember: With Holt gone, the Rams have no wide receiver with more than two years of NFL experience on their roster.

"They did a good job," Bulger said of the Rams' young wide receivers. "I know my first year in New Orleans, I struggled a lot more than those guys did. We're all learning together, which is a good thing."

Well. ... Sort of.

As PFW's Dan Arkush framed it earlier this month, "It's scary enough that the team's top three projected pass catchers -- Avery, Burton and Derek Stanley -- are all coming off injury-plagued campaigns. But making matters even scarier is the glaring lack of experience and leadership that now exists in the receiving corps."

While Arkush added the team's new system is expected to give the receivers less to think about in terms of how they run their routes, it's hard to paint that group as a strength. ...

In a related note. ... Arkush also suggested the team could eventually have some interest in veteran free agents like Amani Toomer, whom Spagnuolo is familiar with from their time spent together with the Giants, or perhaps Ike Hilliard, a former Giant who was released by Tampa Bay. ...

Also in St. Louis. ... Like his teammates, Steven Jackson is still getting to know Spagnuolo. Still, Jackson had learned this much:

"You can tell he's definitely a disciplinarian. ... A straight shooter," Jackson told St. Louis Post-Dispatch staffer Bill Coats after his first mini-camp exposure to the new boss. "There's no gray areas. He's going to tell you what he expects and coach you up."

That could be just what the Rams need, Jackson suggested, after going 5-27 over the past two seasons.

"You could definitely feel the tempo, the change of the team, the aggressiveness of the defense now and the timing of the offense," he said. "It looks to be exciting. We have a lot to learn still, and it's good to start."

Jackson also is excited about the free-agent acquisitions of center Jason Brown and fullback Mike Karney. "Both guys are big-time pickups for us," Jackson said. "We're really excited that we were able to sign Mike and then put the icing on the cake with a center that comes from an organization that is known for running. I think they're really going to help us out. ..."

In Detroit. ... Although we haven't heard much from Daunte Culpepper in recent weeks, MLive.com's Tom Kowalski reports the veteran signal caller let his actions do the talking during the first several weeks of the team's offseason workout program.

More to the point, Culpepper, who weighed 292 pounds when he was signed midseason last year, has dropped significant weight.

"He came in this year about 260 (pounds), so he's definitely getting himself in shape and he's just very upbeat and positive. He's a veteran guy who brings that veteran leadership, and it's very noticeable out there," said veteran receiver Bryant Johnson, a free agent signed in the offseason. "He looks good, and I look forward to working with him."

Tackle George Foster, who recently re-signed with the team, told Kowalski that Culpepper is making a statement to his teammates.

"The biggest thing I can say is that he's leading by example. The guy looks amazing," Foster said. "He looks like he's coming out of college, and that takes dedication in itself. He's been working and he made an impression on me. He means business."

Culpepper was out of football last year until early November when he signed with the Lions. A week later, he was in the starting lineup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He started five games, completing 52 percent of his passes with four touchdowns, six interceptions and a passer efficiency rating of 63.9.

While Culpepper is the Lions' clear No. 1 quarterback, there are rumors the team will take Georgia's Matthew Stafford with the first overall draft pick. But as Detroit Free Press staffer Nicholas J. Cotsonika noted Friday, even if the Lions draft Stafford, Culpepper could be the man until the newcomer is ready.

If the Lions don't draft Stafford, Culpepper could be the man, period.

Either way, the speculation does not bother Culpepper, who finally broke his silence on Friday.

"My mindset is that it has nothing to do with me. I have no say in it and there's nothing I can do about it," Culpepper said after the team's mini-camp workout. "Whatever they choose to do, that's fine with me. My thing is to do what I'm doing now, get myself in the best shape I can, physically and mentally, and be the best player I can be."

Johnson added: "We can't really pay attention to that because we don't really have any say in who they draft and how they go about their personnel. All we can do is continue to work hard as we have been doing and just be prepared to get ready once we have our whole team together.

"Daunte's a competitor, and he's looking good out there. He's showing it with his leadership. He's a veteran guy who's been around, and he's been with (offensive coordinator Scott) Linehan before in Minnesota so he has some familiarity with the offense.

"He's definitely going to use that leadership to lead us on offense."

Culpepper is understandably excited about reuniting with Linehan, his coordinator in 2004 -- the last year Culpepper was totally healthy. That year, Culpepper threw for 4,717 yards, 39 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and had a rating of 110.9.

"We just click," Culpepper said of Linehan.

If that's indeed the case, Culpepper will also have something else going for him -- something no other quarterback in the league can lay claim to: Calvin Johnson.

It's a factor that shouldn't be overlooked. ...

In Miami. ... South Florida Sun-Sentinel correspondent Mason Kelley notes that Ronnie Brown is currently going through his paces in voluntary workouts pushed by the knowledge that his coach expects more from him this season.

Recently, head coach Tony Sparano said he is confident Brown will "take the next step in his progression."

"I think that's good," Brown told Kelley. "Obviously he's got a lot of confidence in me if he says that. That's motivation to go out and work harder. It makes me prepare myself in a manner to where I can do what's asked of me, whatever it may be."

It has been about a year and a half since the knee injury that ended Brown's campaign in 2007. He recovered enough to have a Pro Bowl season last year and, while he won't make any predictions on possible statistics for 2009, he is agrees with his coach that he expects to get better.

"I'm going into my fifth season, so I feel comfortable," Brown said. "My goal each year is to continue to get better. I don't try to set any numbers or any stats and stuff like that. I just want to try to build on what I did last season."

Asked specifically about Brown last month, Sparano was upbeat and optimistic about the former first-round pick's chances of having a big season.

"Not having to battle the offseason rehab, and doing all that he was able to do, I would hope that Ronnie would be able to take the next step in his progression with another good offseason," the coach said. "Ronnie had a great offseason last year with that rehab, he really did, but as you know we had to kind of wean him into the spring a little bit.

"But now we don't have to guard those reps. Ronnie can go. And we can get Ronnie going early in this process, which should just help him."

Still, Sparano told reporters he intends to keep the status quo as far as splitting carries between Brown and Ricky Williams this season.

"All I know is I look around the league right now and I see fewer and fewer teams that have one guy running around back there. And the teams that do, you better guard him pretty good, honestly, because these guys are too big and too strong on the other side for one back to be bringing it up in there 35 times a game, 16 weeks of the season. That's a hard deal."

As Sun-Sentinel staffer Ethan J. Skolnick suggested after hearing Sparano's comments, the two-back system works well for the Dolphins, and it was almost a three-back system last year if you include Patrick Cobbs.

Skolnick's only concern is that, statistically, Brown traditionally gets better with more carries.

That being the case, Skolnick went on to suggest the Dolphins would be wise to ride the hot hand a little more often this year, especially if it's Brown, who can be quite effective when taken into the 20-25 carry range.

Skolnick summed up: "That's the best possible scenario and, if Brown can stay healthy, he could finish in the 1200-yard range. ..."

In New Orleans. ... Reggie Bush figures the Saints are saying it's time for him to become the main guy. That's what Bush read into the February release of Deuce McAllister, the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 6,069 yards.

"They're looking for me to be the guy back there," Bush said earlier this month.

Pierre Thomas led the Saints last year with 625 yards and nine touchdowns. Bush had 404 yards and two scores. That doesn't change Bush's outlook.

"By the moves that they're making, it definitely speaks volumes to me as to what I need to prepare myself for," Bush said.

With the New Orleans Times-Picayune suggesting this week the Saints are considering selecting a running back with the 14th pick overall (Beanie Wells and Knowshon Moreno being mentioned as possible candidates), we'll see if Bush takes that same approach after next weekend's draft.

And what about Thomas?

According to SportingNews.com, "With McAllister gone, the Saints need a big back who can handle the pounding between the tackles. Thomas can do some of that, but can't hold up in that role as a full-time player."

While Fantasy owners might be struggling to accept that, it would appear that head coach Sean Payton already has. ...

And finally this week, from the "Good Men Know Their Limitations" file. ... Peyton Manning has few peers in the NFL. But on the golf course, he knows his place. And he's no easy mark, not even when Tiger Woods is prowling for easy money.

Playing a round of golf last month with Woods, Indianapolis Star beat writer Mike Chappell reports that Manning considered a friendly wager with the planet's best player.

He quickly reconsidered when appropriate terms couldn't be agreed upon. Manning said he plays to an 8-handicap. Woods countered by telling Manning he was "a zero."

"He said, 'I'll give you eight shots,'" Manning said. "I said, 'You're out of your mind. I think I at least need 18 shots."'

And once again, Manning makes the right call before the play begins. ...

That's it for this week's Notebook. I'll check in again next Sunday. ... In the meantime, keep an eye on the News & Views section of this site for late-breaking news and other tidbits of interest. Watch the Headline News section for more in-depth reviews of current events -- including the Fantasy Notebook.