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Another Sunday, another Fantasy Notebook. ... With the 2008 free-agent signing period winding down, it's time start the assessing the moves made. That being the case, I'll begin devoting some space in this and future Notebooks to helping you build the baselines of information needed to set reasonable expectations and values as the regular season draws nearer.

Remember, the best-informed owners are the most successful owners. And successful owners know it's never too early to begin gaining the depth of knowledge necessary to keep a step ahead of the competition.

With that out of the way. ...

We'll get the ball rolling this week in Atlanta, where the Falcons haven't had much reason to celebrate since the final month of the 2006 season. Fortunately, the team's intense pursuit and successful acquisition of free-agent running back Michael Turner finally gave them reason to rejoice -- and gave the rest of us reason to take notice.

According to SI.com insider Don Banks, the Falcons long ago identified Turner as their No. 1 priority in free agency. Their interest was understandable.

The 5-10, 237-pounder has 228 carries for 1,257 yards and six touchdowns in four seasons with San Diego. Turner also has three of the longest 11 carries in team history -- 83, 74 and 73 yards (a testament to his nickname: "The Burner").

He has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in his career.

So, when Atlanta was Turner's first stop in the free-agency period, Falcons officials made sure he didn't make any other visits keeping him in town until he signed a six-year deal worth close to $35 million -- with a hefty $15 million guaranteed.

As Banks put it: "This time, the Falcons didn't get turned down, the way Bill Parcells, Bill Cowher, Jason Garrett and Jim Caldwell had done them in December and January.

"This time, Atlanta didn't have to settle for its second choice."

And their efforts just might give Fantasy owners as much reason to celebrate as it did team officials.

According to Banks, Turner's speed and explosiveness should be a great fit for the fast track of the Georgia Dome. And based on four years of limited activity behind LaDainian Tomlinson, the Falcons are getting a 26-year-old with much less wear and tear on him than your average fifth-year NFL running back.

In fact, Banks believes Atlanta might just have a shot of getting all six of contracted years out of him -- at what in time could wind up being a relative bargain salary.

While Turner and speed-back Jerious Norwood have a chance to form a potent one-two punch, don't get the wrong idea. New offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey will rely on Turner as his unit's primary weapon.

Although he averaged six yards per carry last season, inside running isn't Norwood's strength. He provides a home-run threat, as does Turner. Norwood will continue to be an asset in the passing game, where he averaged 9.9 yards per grab but his chances of emerging in a featured role went by the wayside the day Turner arrived.

Turner showed his potential as a starter when given the chance to fill in for Tomlinson.

Indeed, Turner rushed for 316 yards on 71 carries last season and added 164 yards on 43 carries in the playoffs. In a Week 5 game against Denver, he set a career-high with 147 yards rushing, including a 74-yard touchdown run, in the Chargers' 41-3 win.

It was Turner's third career 100-yard game.

Of course, there are plenty of questions.

What about the supporting cast of skill players? What about the offensive line? What about the new coaching staff and their ability to get the entire team turned around?

The chief concern has to be under center.

As Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Steve Wyche pointed out Friday, Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and D.J. Shockley, perhaps all best suited for backup roles, will battle for the top two jobs. Even if the Falcons draft a QB early in next month's draft, Redman is the early favorite to start this fall.

That would be the same Redman who spent the 2006 season working as a door-to-door insurance salesman. ...

There are other issues.

As Wyche suggested, tight ends Ben Hartsock and Martrez Milner aren't going to make anyone forget released All-Pro Alge Crumpler.

The line is another concern, with Wyche advising readers help is coming at both tackle spots through April's draft. Meanwhile, the Falcons feel left guard Justin Blalock can only get better and right guard Kynan Forney will bounce back from a sub-par season. Center Todd McClure is getting up there in age. ...

Positives?

Fullback Ovie Mughelli will provide Turner with the kind of lead blocking he's accustomed to after running behind Lorenzo Neal in San Diego.

And Wyche believes wide receiver could be an area of strength after Roddy White blossomed last season. Michael Jenkins will be in the No. 2 or No. 3 role. Wyche also believes Laurent Robinson is a potential big-time player. ...

Overall, however, it's safe to assume Turner will be quite busy.

As SI.com's Peter King put it: "I think -- and I'm not really concerned about the money -- that the Falcons needed a long-term running back and I think they got one with Michael Turner.

"The one thing that (head coach) Mike Smith's team is going to need to do is run the ball reliably for four quarters for 16 games. ..."

In Arizona. ... As NFL Network insider Adam Schefter suggested in a column published Wednesday, the team "pulled off a mega trade Tuesday. The Cardinals traded one set of wide-receiver issues for another."

After rewarding Larry Fitzgerald with a four-year, $40 million extension (that includes $30 million in guaranteed money), the Cardinals' salary spotlight shifted instantly to fellow receiver Anquan Boldin, who is scheduled to be paid considerably less than his counterpart.

Schefter went on to explain that last season, the Cardinals offered Boldin a contract extension. Boldin told them then that he wanted to wait for Fitzgerald to finalize his new deal.

Fitzgerald's new deal obviously dwarfs Boldin's, whose average annual salary is three to four times less than Fitzgerald's.

Boldin is scheduled to make $2.5 million in base salary this season, $2.75 million in base salary in 2009 and $3 million in base salary in 2010.

Yet, Fitzgerald did not sign a four-year, $22.75 million contract extension the way Boldin did back in July 2005, when he received $13.25 million in bonuses and salary in 2005-'06. Still. ...

As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers put it: "Anquan is human. ... None of us like to be paid far less than someone of comparable talent doing the same job."

True that. ... Boldin's decision now will be whether or not to approach the Cardinals for an extension.

Schefter suggests that Boldin's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, will plot the best course of action. Rosenhaus will certainly argue that his client's numbers compare favorably to Fitzgerald's.

To review: Boldin has been voted to two Pro Bowls; Fitzgerald has been voted to two Pro Bowls.

Boldin has 413 catches for 5,458 yards and 29 touchdowns; Fitzgerald has 330 catches for 4,544 yards and 34 touchdowns.

Both are an integral part of the Cardinals' young and improving offense. ...

And it's going to be very difficult to pay both men at similar levels.

As a result, Schefter believes the same teams that expressed interest in taking Fitzgerald off the Cardinals' hands via trade might be interested in doing the same with Boldin.

Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas have explored the possibility of acquiring a big-name wide receiver, only to find that there aren't any readily available.

Now, Schefter suggests, "those teams could wind up exploring Boldin's availability."

"Could" is the key word in that sentence.

As Somers wrote in response to Schefter's column, "I would be surprised if the Cardinals traded Boldin. Along with strong safety Adrian Wilson, he's the soul of this team.

"When management meets with college scouts to describe the type of player they want to draft, they essentially point to No. 81 and say, 'Get us more of this type of guy.'

"As good as Fitzgerald is, he's not a leader on this team. Boldin is. The Cardinals would be foolish to trade him."

Agreed. ...

Meanwhile, Boldin is recovering more quickly than expected from the hip and toe injuries that limited him in '07 and he expects to be at full strength for the opening of training camp.

According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, the toe problem was never a big deal to Boldin, knowing once he got some rest it would be okay. The hip will take longer to heal, but he has been running daily to keep his conditioning and stretching the area out and he already has seen dramatic improvement.

Boldin, who expects to be ready for all the offseason on-field work, also said there are no concerns about long-term damage in the hip.

"I'm not worried about it at all," Boldin said. ...

In Tampa Bay. ... As Orlando Sentinel staffer Chris Harry noted Thursday, Earnest Graham is back. So is Michael Bennett. And now Warrick Dunn, one of the most popular players in team history, is back in the Tampa Bay running back picture.

So where does that leave Carnell Williams?

More specifically, where will he be for the 2008 season? And beyond?

Williams, the third-year pro, suffered a devastating torn patellar tendon to his right knee Oct. 1 in a 20-7 victory at Carolina. Harry went on to explain that patellar tears are among the absolute worst injuries for football players.

Factor in that Williams runs with the ball for a living and it only compounds the issue.

Harry further advised readers that -- quietly -- there are some concerns within the organization that Williams' injury may have been career-ending. Given the magnitude of the damage, that certainly is a possibility, but no one has resigned themselves to that scenario yet.

The Cadillac himself (not surprisingly) being first and foremost among them.

In fact, the former first-round draft pick told the St. Petersburg Times on Friday he expects to play in 2008. "Oh yeah, no doubt," Williams said. "I definitely have a great shot. I feel good about it."

Williams, sporting a nine-inch scar on his right knee from surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon, took a break from rehab to discuss his future with Times staffer Rick Stroud.

He admitted that shortly after the injury occurred last October, he doubted whether he would ever play football again.

"You're laying in bed, you're doing rehab and you can't move your leg," Williams said. "So you start to think that even though the doctor is telling you, 'Whoa, they're just speculating, be patient.' But we're human. You get to thinking like, 'Man, maybe it is (career threatening).

"But at the same time, I bounced back, did a lot of praying and I feel like I'm going to be okay."

Williams said he working on building up his right quad muscles. He is able to do some light squats, run stairs at Raymond James Stadium, jog and do full-speed running in the pool.

Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery, told Williams it is a 9-12 month injury. But his goal is to be ready for training camp -- and at the very least -- play during the 2008 season.

Andrews told Williams that other players, including Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter and Broncos linebacker Nate Webster have returned from torn patellar injuries.

"There's been a couple guys who had this same injury who came back and have done well," Williams said.

Nonetheless, the Bucs do not appear to be counting on Williams this season -- even if they're not ready to count him out.

Graham, who rushed for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns in Williams' absence, is expecting a contract extension. The team re-signed Bennett prior to the start of the free-agent signing period and then added Dunn last Monday.

Given those developments, I'll go ahead and advise against Cadillac fans getting their hopes too high.

In an article published Saturday, Tampa Tribune staffer Anwar S. Richardson suggested that because (a more more realistic assessment indicates) Williams likely will not be ready for the regular-season opener, he could be placed on the physically unable to perform list.

That would make him ineligible to play in Tampa Bay's first six games. During weeks seven through 10, Williams could be activated or work out with the team. After the first 10 weeks of the season, Williams would have to be activated, waived or placed on injured reserve, which would require him to miss the rest of the season.

As Richardson summed up: "The Bucs eventually will have to decide if it is worth risking Williams' long-term health in allowing him to play -- especially if he misses training camp -- or if they should save him for 2009."

Despite Cadillac's claims to the contrary, Harry is lining up with Richardson's view: Virtually no scenario has Williams back on the field in time for training camp -- and the start of the regular season is a longshot, also.

Fortunately, with the Bucs' off-season conditioning program set to begin tomorrow, we'll soon get a better feel for exactly where Williams stands.

I'll undoubtedly have more on his progress (or lack thereof) in coming weeks. ...

In Tennessee. ... Pro Football Weekly believes the departure of Sherman Smith, who coached Tennessee's running backs for 13 seasons, is no insignificant loss.

According to PFW, Smith, who signed on as Washington's offensive coordinator last month, was a well-liked and respected assistant who helped Eddie George develop into a star and was charged with molding young LenDale White and Chris Henry into professionals.

And he was having success on that front: White was a dependable starter last season; Henry flashed intriguing ability as the Titans' change-of-pace back.

So, the Titans' recent interest in free-agent running back Julius Jones came as a bit of a surprise.

Although Jones signed with Seattle, he was certainly capable of coming in and pushing for serious playing time. And even now, the Titans continue to express an interest in adding another back on draft day.

Which could lead one to wonder what's in store for Henry given Chris Brown's departure for Houston.

According to Nashville Tennessean staffer Paul Kuharsky, since taking over for Smith last week, Earnest Byner has chatted with White on the phone but managed only to leave a message for Henry.

So when the team officially introduced Byner on Monday, he took the opportunity to leave another message.

"Chris, if you're out there, need to hear from you," he said with a laugh.

Byner went on to explain his early days in the post would be about learning what his backs want to accomplish.

"They don't care what you know unless they know that you care," he said. "I want them to know that I care about them personally, first and foremost, and want the very best for them. But I also want the best for them on the football field."

As for White, Byner said he's impressed with the third-year pro's vision, ability to gain yards after contact and the way he protects the ball in the pile.

"I like what I have seen," Byner said. "I'd like to talk to LenDale and find out what some of his goals are and see how I can best assist him in that process."

As for Henry, whose critics thought he showed a lack of instincts as a rookie, Byner said much could be developed from athleticism.

"Chris has some great athletic ability," he said. "One thing that I would like to try to find out is what is he looking at when the different plays are called? So again, that's getting to know Chris and trying to find out what he knows about football, and then being able to offer some assistance in that regard.

"We have something in Chris that we can definitely develop and work with."

But recent comments by head coach Jeff Fisher clearly suggest the Titans still plan to address the position in the draft.

Ideally, Kuharsky believes, that addition would complement White's power style and offer new coordinator Mike Heimerdinger a faster, third-down, change-up back capable of turning short passes into yards and first downs.

"There are some limitations, as we speak, in free agency but we are hopeful," Fisher said. "There are a number of backs that are coming out in this year's draft that can certainly do that.

"And who knows, we may have that guy in Chris Henry. That's part of what Earnest is going to set out to do this offseason, to develop Chris because he has the quickness and the breakaway speed."

While by no means a negative characterization, all the talk about adding another back to the mix is hardly a ringing endorsement of the second-year man. ...

Also in Tennessee. ... Vince Young, who is enrolled at the University of Texas, hadn't been at the Titans facility since he left at the end of the 2007 season. Since then, the team fired Norm Chow and replaced him with Heimerdinger.

While Heimerdinger and Young had talked by phone in recent weeks, they met face-to-face for the first time last Friday. Young then hung out at team headquarters throughout this past week watching film and also discussing some of the things Heimerdinger has in mind for 2008.

"It was a great meeting. We kidded around. He's cool," Young said of Heimerdinger. "I like the direction things are going with the offense, some of the things we're going to do.

"With everything I learned from Norm, that should help me get things even quicker. It's going to be good."

The team begins its offseason program March 24. Young said he plans to come to Nashville more regularly in April and May for long weekends. The Titans aren't scheduled to hold mini-camps until May and June. The spring semester at Texas ends in mid-May.

It's also worth noting that Crumpler, the team's top free-agent addition, called Young just a few days ago.

"I am excited about what he can bring, a Pro Bowler, a veteran. That's going to help the offense, give us another weapon," Young said. "And we got my guy Justin Gage re-signed. I feel like we're going to do some more things to help the offense (in free agency and the draft), too.

"I'm excited about things, the direction we're headed."

Young isn't alone. ... According to PFW, team officials believe they landed one of the bigger bargains of the signing period in Crumpler.

Concerns about long-term durability dampened Crumpler's market value, but he quickly could become an important part of the Titans' offense if he can stay healthy.

I'll go ahead and remind you that another suitor, the Seahawks, had serious concerns about the condition of Crumpler's knee, which limited him last season. ...

Moving on to some other Fantasy-specific tidbits of interest. ...

In Miami. ... Recent free-agent signee Josh McCown, who has 31 NFL starts and 35 touchdown passes in six seasons, and John Beck, coming off a tough rookie season, are currently in line to compete for a starting job. But the Dolphins are expected to use next month's draft to add another quarterback, who will also be in the mix.

Still, according to Palm Beach Post staffer Edgar Thompson, McCown is confident he'll come out on top of any competition.

"I plan to win the job," McCown, who led Arizona to six wins in 13 starts in 2004 (only to see the club sign veteran Kurt Warner in the offseason), told Thompson. "It's a great opportunity. It's the first time I've had all the details I've looked for in a situation."

In Oakland last season, McCown won the starting job last summer, but knew his days were numbered because the team had drafted JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 pick.

So when the Dolphins offered McCown a two-year deal on Feb. 29, he jumped at a chance to become the team's 13th starting quarterback since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. Few question if the 6-4, 215-pound McCown has the tools to become an effective NFL quarterback.

He's mobile, competitive and has enough arm strength.

McCown, who has 40 interceptions and 39 fumbles (14 lost), hopes his career continues to progress like former Raider Rich Gannon and a couple of other Bay Area legends -- Super Bowl winners Jim Plunkett and Steve Young. They didn't hit their stride until their 30s.

"Those guys are major encouragement to me," McCown said.

ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, however, recently offered some discouragement.

According to Mortensen, McCown "definitely" will be Miami's No. 2 quarterback this year with Beck and a (likely first-day) draft pick battling for the No. 1 spot.

In fact, Mortensen believes that new offensive coordinator Dan Henning has taken a shine to Beck after watching the second-year man-to-be throw extensively over the last month.

Others have chimed in, too.

"I was impressed how quickly the ball came out of Beck's hands," former Packers GM Ron Wolf, who watched the Dolphins' finale with old pal (and new Dolphins vice president of football operations) Parcells, told the Miami Herald. "He's got a very, very quick release and some mustard on the ball."

Dan Marino recently told the South-Florida Sun Sentinel that it's impossible to judge Beck on his 2007 performance -- but his general view was positive.

"It was tough for him because they were struggling as a team and he had some tough road games," Marino explained. "One thing I noticed about him is that his decision making is quick. He's real decisive in his decisions and getting rid of the ball.

"But I haven't seen him up close to see things like arm strength, and we haven't seen enough him because he's only played in a few games. ..."

If Mortensen is right -- and McCown is wrong -- we should get ample opportunity to learn more.

Also in Miami, following up on an item from last week's Notebook. ... Despite losing their top two running backs to season-ending injuries last season, Sun-Sentinel staffer Harvey Fialkov noted on Saturday the Dolphins haven't signed a tailback in free agency and seem confident that both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will answer the bell on opening day next season.

So do their agents.

"He's started running a while ago, is lifting weights, is in great spirits and on track," Brown's agent Todd E. France told Fialkov Friday.

"We don't see any obstacles in our way. … He's got the drive to be ready."

Brown was off to a Pro Bowl-caliber start before tearing the ACL of his right knee in game seven against the Patriots in October. He averaged a career-high 5.0 yards per carry and was leading the NFL in total yards with 991 before injuring his knee.

When Williams finally returned from his 18-month suspension for repeatedly violating the league's substance abuse policy last November, he would only get six carries against Pittsburgh before getting stepped on and tearing a chest muscle.

"Ricky has just been cleared for all activities, other than heavy lifting," said agent Leigh Steinberg. "His exchanges with Bill Parcells have all been positive. Knowing Bill's track record, Ricky is encouraged and excited about the coming season.

"You could say he's chomping at the bit."

Although the team officials haven't gone on the record, Fialkov believes the rapid recoveries of both Brown and Williams seem to have had a direct impact on the team's free-agent strategy.

Thus far, the Dolphins have not signed a running back with any of their recent 11 free-agent additions, while allowing Brown's primary backup, Jesse Chatman, sign with the Jets last week. They've also shown no interest in retaining free-agent running back Samkon Gado. ...

In Oakland. ... With McCown off to Miami, the Raiders continue to look for a quarterback. They have stayed in touch with Daunte Culpepper, which is an option. They also looked seriously at Quinn Gray of the Jaguars.

Russell is slated to be the starter, but as ESPN.com's John Clayton notes, it's hard to see the Raiders heading into training camp with Andrew Walters as the top backup. ...

Meanwhile, a recent column by Banks has generated considerable buzz.

"At this point, quarterback is again a concern, because no one knows if JaMarcus Russell is ready to take over the starting job. There are rumors that he's close to 300 pounds and not exactly prepared for his close-up," Banks wrote.

Banks also suggested the fact Russell hasn't been seen at team headquarters added to the concerns.

The Raiders immediately jumped into the fray in an effort to calm the waters.

Russell does not weigh 300 pounds and he has worked out at team headquarters since season's end, two unnamed team officials told the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday.

"Ridiculous," said a front-office employee, told the paper on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak on the issue said. "JaMarcus is nowhere near that. He's been here. He's been working out. He's in great shape. ... That's something everyone's going to see at our first mini-camp."

This might be a good time to remind you that Raider officials also "corrected" initial reports about Javon Walker's contract figures last week -- except it turns out their corrections were incorrect. ...

That said, Clayton chimed in late this week, advising readers that Russell recently weighed himself and, according to a source, he came in at 272 pounds, right around his playing weight. ...

In New Orleans (following up on another item in last week's Notebook). ... The Saints and Deuce McAllister agreed to push back his $1 million roster bonus from March 15 to April 15, giving the team a better chance to gauge his health before making any financial decisions.

McAllister is recovering from surgery on both of his knees in late September.

And while we were all aware that McAllister, who tore the ACL in his left knee in Week 3 against the Titans, underwent reconstructive surgery on that knee, we weren't aware the procedure performed on his right knee to clean up some of the damage left over from when he tore his right ACL in 2005 was actually microfracture surgery.

Microfracture surgeries have become more popular and effective in recent years. Several small holes are drilled into the knee bones to promote cartilage growth. Techniques have improved in recent years, but it's a serious procedure that can take up to six full months to rehab.

McAllister is jogging and doing light running and agility drills, but he said he hasn't been released to do any hard cutting or planting. He also said he has been able to stay in shape and keep his weight down.

He expects to be ready for the team's summer mini-camp (usually around June 1). But he said he was agreeable to the postponement because it gives him more time to prove he'll "make good on the investment."

Bottom line? McAllister and the Saints will know more a month from now. So will we. Those interested will want to check back in April. ...

And finally this week, in San Francisco. ... The 49ers, usually tone-deaf when it comes to honoring their past, put a pending issue to rest Wednesday. Jersey numbers will be assigned this week and, as San Jose Mercury News columnist Ann Killion suggested, "no sacrilege will take place. There will be no blasphemy when Isaac Bruce gets dressed for his first practice."

"Isaac Bruce will not be wearing No. 80," team spokesman Aaron Salkin said. "We are leaving it in honor of Jerry Rice's legacy."

Ever since Bruce, who wore No. 80 throughout his stellar career with the St. Louis Rams, signed with the 49ers two weeks ago, the question has been lingering about which number he would wear.

Killion went on to suggest that no 49er in his right mind would ever consider donning No. 80, but Bruce never said that. Nonetheless, the story gained further attention when Rice himself weighed in and gave his blessing if Bruce wanted to wear the number.

Rice, however, was only doing what Steve Largent had done for him when Rice signed with Seattle in 2004. Largent's gesture registered with Rice. As he said at the time, "If somewhere down the road that should happen with me, I'm going to do the same thing. Because of him."

Now we are somewhere down the road. Besides following Largent's generous example, Killion believes Rice might have had an ulterior motive. By offering up No. 80 to Bruce, Rice has issued a public reminder that jersey No. 80 still hasn't been retired by the 49ers. ...

Whatever the case, it's hard to argue with Yahoo! Sports columnist Michael Silver's contention that even though he won't be wearing No. 80, Bruce will be the closest thing to Rice that the receiver-poor 49ers have on their roster this season. ...

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.