Another Sunday, another Fantasy Notebook. ... But it's not just any Notebook. This would be the first post-Favreapalooza Notebook.

I'm quite certain anybody with a television box capable of receiving either ESPN or NFL Network is already familiar enough with Brett Favre's self-described "itch" to return for another season. But in case you've somehow missed it, my initial story on the situation can be found here.

Since I posted that report, Favre responded by telling old pal and Biloxi Sun Herald reporter Al Jones, "It's all rumor." When Jones asked about a possible media firestorm, Favre text messaged, "No reason for it."

C'mon now. ...

Let's review: One of the greatest and most beloved Packers (and arguably one of the most popular NFL players) ever is considering coming out of retirement; he could force team officials to make monumental decisions on his and their future; he might even be willing to play elsewhere (with local reports out of Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit all stating the obvious -- that Favre would be more than welcome on any Green Bay's divisional rivals -- and with Favre's agent floating rumors his client wants to play in Carolina).

And Favre suggests there's no reason for a media firestorm??

I have now truly heard it all.

Hey, Favre either will or he won't play this year. That uncertainty alone is interesting enough. Add in the fact he has the leverage necessary to force the Packers' hand on the issue and their reported reluctance to have the veteran signal caller back and guess what?

We have the kind of soap-opera circumstances ESPN was built on.

Bottom line? Until we get resolution, prepare yourself for wall-to-wall Favre. I certainly have.

Except for the rest of this week's Notebook, which will be joyously Favre-free. ...

We'll get the ball rolling this week in Miami, where the accelerated recovery of Ronnie Brown, who is optimistic he will be 100 percent by the start of the season, is among this year's most positive off-season stories.

But as Miami Herald staffer Barry Jackson noted readers this week, other standout running backs who also tore their anterior cruciate knee ligament have been reaching out to Brown with cautionary advice.

"Don't rush," Edgerrin James, who speaks often to Brown, told Jackson. "You can't go out there expecting to be exactly the way you were in the beginning. Don't let the fact it's starting to feel good let you disregard [rehabilitation]."

Three-time NFL rushing leader Terrell Davis, an NFL Network analyst, also urges Brown to proceed slowly and said Ricky Williams should begin the season as the Dolphins' starter.

The logical question at this point is how have NFL backs historically responded in their first year back from reconstructive knee surgery?

Per Jackson, James averaged 4.4 yards per carry the year before (2000), 3.6 the year after (2002) but 4.1 and 4.6 in '03 and '04. Terry Allen (4.5 year before, 4.0 year after) and Jamal Anderson (4.5, 3.6) also fell off initially but still topped 1,000 yards in their first year back. (Anderson tore his other ACL a year later.)

But Jamal Lewis, who tore his ACL in 2001 training camp, had virtually no fall-off (4.4 in 2000, 4.3 in '02, 5.3 in '03). Willis McGahee, who sat out his rookie NFL season (2003) after tearing his ACL and two other knee ligaments in the Fiesta Bowl, averaged 4.0 in 2004, the second-best of his career.

Brown, meanwhile, told Jackson he believes he quickly will return to his pre-injury form.

"I feel good, feel no hesitation," said Brown, who expects to be cleared for contact when camp opens July 26. "The main thing Edgerrin and Willis said is they felt good the first year back, but they felt better the following year. But I look forward to being back to speed the first year.

"I've had a lot of time since surgery in November."

This might be a good time to remember what was going on before Brown went down last season.

The former first-round draft pick was off to a Pro Bowl-caliber start before tearing the ACL of his right knee last October. He was leading the league in total yards from scrimmage and averaging 5.1 yards per carry though Week 7. He was on pace for 2,265 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.

In other words, that injury turned out to be the only thing out there capable of stopping Brown.

So even if Williams handles more of the workload early on -- and even opens the season starting -- in order to give Brown time to ramp up to full speed, his current ADP (Brown ranks 19th among all running backs) could yield high-end value for Fantasy owners patient enough to see if he falls into the third round. ...

Also in Miami. ... Despite the arrival of second-round pick Chad Henne, head coach Tony Sparano has made it clear that John Beck and veteran Josh McCown will compete for the No. 1 spot.

McCown is more experienced, but team officials seem to like Beck, who has put considerable effort into making sure they do. In fact, The Sporting News reports that Beck's final tally of off-season passing repetitions exceeded 7,000 throws, a number that could easily exceed an entire year of work from some quarterbacks.

TSN went on to suggest that QB coach David Lee's tutelage has apparently created a higher ceiling for improvement, a notion that has given Beck even more confidence as he prepares to engage McCown.

As I have pointed out in the past, nothing in McCown's history suggests he'll suddenly emerge as a legitimate starter, so the younger Beck could get the nod based on nothing more than long-term potential. ...

But what about Miami's receiving corps?

As Pro Football Weekly recently suggested, "The Dolphins need a receiver. Or two."

Per PFW, there's little chance the team will go into the season sporting the meager talent currently on hand. Not only does this mean the Dolphins are going to add a pass catcher or two, but also that one or two of the current receivers is going to be shown the door.

A club insider told PFW that the two most likely candidates to get axed are David Kircus and Greg Camarillo. PFW believes Kircus has the upper hand on maintaining a roster spot due to his toughness and special-teams value, but a pending trial for assault complicates matters.

And not everybody agrees with that assessment.

According to Herald beat writer Jeff Darlington, Camarillo, who is entering his third season as a pro, has made steady progress, proving to be one of the most consistent passing targets on Miami's roster.

Darlington concedes, however, that's not necessarily saying a whole lot.

Derek Hagan and Davone Bess reportedly impressed coaches during mini-camp. Bess, an undrafted rookie out of pass-happy Hawaii, has the best set of hands on the team, according to one club source.

As for players to be brought in, the insider tells us that Terry Glenn is a distinct possibility to come to Miami if he's released by the Cowboys. Glenn and Dolphins boss Bill Parcells have a mutual respect despite some rocky times, and reuniting in South Florida is a logical scenario. ...

But for now it still looks like second-year man Ted Ginn and former Jaguar Ernest Wilford will open the season as Miami's starters. ...

One last note here. ... Also according to PFW, David Martin may have started for the Dolphins in 2007, but he'll have to fight to merely keep a roster spot in training camp this year.

Newcomers Anthony Fasano and Sean Ryan and holdover Justin Peelle could end up being the team's tight end corps.

Fasano, who underwent off-season shoulder surgery, is working his way back from injury. The new staff knows him from their days together in Dallas. The Dolphins also invested draft-choice compensation to acquire Fasano, an indication he fits into their plans. ...

In Tennessee. ... The Titans' receiving corps remains a bit of a mystery heading into training camp. As Nashville Tennessean beat writer Jim Wyatt noted last week, Roydell Williams appeared on the verge of becoming a breakout player last year. He finished the season tied for the team lead in receptions (55), was second in receiving yards (719) and first in receiving touchdowns (4).

This offseason, however, Williams finds himself on the outside looking in because of an injury. Because of that, his chances of opening the season as a starter appear to be slim.

Williams broke his ankle in January and had surgery. He missed all the team's workouts through June, and while he's been working with trainers in rehab. According to those who follow the team closely, Williams looked good during straight-ahead running but he wasn't doing much side to side.

And even though head coach Jeff Fisher says Williams will be ready for training camp, Wyatt believes the wideout still has a ways to go.

Making matters worse for Williams is the fact that the Titans have a new offensive coordinator in Mike Heimerdinger, so he's fallen behind in the work on the field.

Right now, the Titans top two wide receivers are Justin McCareins and Justin Gage. Williams will likely have a hard time working his way back into the rotation when he returns.

"It has been really tough," Williams said. "I've had to sit and watch the guys at practice and I have to sit and watch guys run the new offense. So I have to learn the offense from on the sideline. And usually after the season I do a lot of speed work and I'll get a jump on conditioning. But I can't do any of that now, so I have a big challenge ahead."

Heimerdinger doesn't sugarcoat Williams' predicament.

"It puts him in a tough spot," the coach told Wyatt. "If the other guys keep competing and doing what they're doing, he's going to have to work uphill."

In addition to Gage, who also had 55 receptions last season, and McCareins, Biren Ealy (who has reportedly made a big jump this offseason), Brandon Jones, Paul Williams, rookie Lavelle Hawkins and Mike Williams are in the mix for playing time.

Heimerdinger likes what he's seen from Gage.

"I like Justin's work ethic," Heimerdinger recently said. "I like his hands; his technique is good. He is a very good player. He just has to keep working."

More interesting, Vince Young, when asked about the team's decision to re-sign the former Bear, referred to him as "my guy Gage. ..."

And where exactly does Williams stand?

"I don't know anything about him," Heimerdinger said. "I've done with Roydell what I do with everybody and that's not to make up my mind until I see them. I don't know what all those guys were asked to do last year or how they were asked to run routes or any of the things Roydell has done.

"I know he has been successful and done some things, but until I see him and see what he does, I am not going to make up my mind on Roydell at all."

For what it's worth, Young said he misses Williams on the field and is "praying" for him.

"He is a big person in our offense," Young said.

But the big person appears to have a bigger problem: The ankle.

"I think it will be a season-long deal," Williams said of the pain. "But it's something I'm going to have to fight through and deal with. ..."

That doesn't sound very promising. It also goes a long way in explaining why Gage is the only Tennessee wideout currently found in the FootballDiehards.com rankings (as well as Williams' absence). ...

Meanwhile, NFL Network insider Adam Schefter advised readers this week that Mike Williams is the Titans' biggest loser. This offseason, Williams has lost 30 pounds, which is telling on a couple of fronts.

For starters, Schefter believes it shows how serious Williams has gotten about his football career, something that was hardly the case when he was a rookie with the Detroit Lions in 2005.

But it also shows how much Williams let himself go. Last season, Williams' weight ballooned to at least 270 pounds.

But this spring and summer, Williams has boxed and played basketball, nearly non-stop, and even has experimented with pilates. He has altered his diet, worked out hard and recommitted himself to a game in which he was running out of chances.

And he's not a lock to make the final roster yet. As Schefter suggested, the true test will come this preseason, when Williams will have to be as impressive with his play as he has been with his new look. ...

For what it's worth, receivers coach Fred Graves is very optimistic about his group.

"The chemistry in our room is as good as I've seen," Graves told PFW. "Guys just come to work every day."

The coach also believes Paul Williams might be ready to contribute after not catching a pass as a rookie.

"He's really made big strides," Graves said. "To be honest, (as a rookie), he thought he knew it all. He learned he had a lot to learn. ... He's been a professional."

Graves has told PFW that Hawkins' competitiveness and approach to the game reminded him somewhat of Panthers star Steve Smith's. Graves was Smith's position coach at the University of Utah. ...

Also in Tennessee. ... TSN reports that rookie running back Chris Johnson is getting more comfortable in the team's offense, though the Titans are trying not to overload him. Johnson, the team's first round pick, has lined up in the backfield, in the slot and at receiver and he'll likely figure into the mix at returner as well.

According to Wyatt, how well Johnson performs mentally and physically in training camp will help determine how much he helps the Titans early. ...

In Oakland. ... With Ronald Curry slowly recovering from off-season surgery and Javon Walker ailing from injuries suffered during a mugging in Las Vegas, SI.com insider Bucky Brooks advised readers this week the signing of Drew Carter may be one of the Raiders' best moves this offseason.

Carter, who caught 38 passes for 517 yards with four touchdowns in his final season with the Panthers, was signed to be the team's third receiver, but Brooks believes Carter's surprising performance during off-season workouts may lead to a bigger role.

"He has been really impressive," a team observer told Brooks. "He has looked like the best player at the position during workouts."

Carter flashed glimpses of developing into a top-flight playmaker during his four-year stint with the Panthers, but he never became the complementary receiver the team envisioned.

However, Raiders' officials believe that they Carter may be on the verge of a breakout season.

"His game is coming around," said a Raiders' coach. "You could see him making strides last season, but now you see the finished product ... We've been impressed."

Meanwhile, Walker's health remains a bit of a question -- as does his level of motivation.

According to PFW, Walker's night of partying in Las Vegas -- which ended with him being beaten, robbed and left in a street with a concussion, multiple facial wounds and a fractured orbital bone, according to some reports -- speaks to a larger issue of the wide receiver's immaturity.

Rather than stay home and prepare for the week's session of OTAs, Walker was out drinking and reportedly spraying people with champagne in a club. The extent of the impact from his injuries is not yet known, ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, however, reports that team officials claim Walker did not suffer damage to his vision in the incident.

Considering the nature of his injuries, that was a concern.

And I'll go ahead and remind you at this point the team expects Walker to be ready for training camp. It remains to be seen if that's how it actually plays out.

Whatever the case, the Raiders were counting on Walker to bring some much-needed experience to their receiving corps when they signed him to a six-year, $55 million contract in the winter.

Walker, who had been limited to just one practice per day during OTAs because of a bad knee, already was behind schedule in establishing a rapport with JaMarcus Russell, and this is yet another setback -- one that PFW believes doesn't bode well for Walker's future. ...

Also in Oakland. ... Contra Costa Times beat writer Steve Corkran notes that John Madsen was overshadowed by the performance of rookie Zach Miller last season. Even so, head coach Lane Kiffin views Madsen as a vital part of the offense because of his blocking skills, precise route-running and sure hands.

Kiffin also loves the fact that Madsen is a converted wide receiver who still has the speed to line up wide and create mismatches in the Raiders favor.

Corkran stressed that Miller has a stranglehold on the starting position, but Madsen figures to get more playing time now that Russell is at quarterback and more apt to get the ball to Madsen on deep routes or ones down the middle of the field. ...

In Baltimore. ... We've all seen flashes of Demetrius Williams' potential, but the Ravens want him to become more consistent because they need a deep vertical threat again.

And according to Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston, Williams knows it's his time to step up or possibly step aside.

"We haven't talked about it yet," said Williams, a third-year player, of his role on the team. "The biggest thing we're trying to do is get the offense rolling, learn all the plays and get everybody on the same page.

"But I guess it will be the same as last year. They're going to need someone to come out and stretch the field, someone they can go to on third down. It's something I have done before, but I expect it to be a little expanded."

Preston went on to note the Ravens aren't expecting any miracles with Williams. They don't see him turning into a Terrell Owens or a Randy Moss, especially overnight.

But this team is in desperate need of a deep threat. The Ravens' two starting receivers, Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton, are both possession receivers. Further evidence of their limitations might be found in the fact that Baltimore averaged just 9.7 yards a catch last season. Mason was credited with a meager 3.1 yards after the catch.

The team needs someone to complement them besides tight end Todd Heap. Preston believes it could be Williams. Coaches seem to agree.

"Right now, he plays X and Z, and we'll play him on both sides of the ball," offensive coordinator Cam Cameron told Preston. "[Demetrius] had been banged up, and this is his first week of practice. But this has been his best offseason. If he continues to work, continues to get better, we'll see how it works out."

Williams' first goal is to stay healthy. Last year, he started four of nine games before being sidelined the rest of the season with a high ankle sprain. Williams showed flashes early last season, and he had 20 catches for 290 yards, 16 of which were for first downs.

"Last season was below average," he told Preston. "The injuries took place, and you can't produce if you're not playing. It was a fluke kind of thing, and I'm glad they are behind me."

According to Williams and the Ravens, he had a strong offseason.

New head coach John Harbaugh was adamant about Williams' spending time in the weight room, and he has added about 10 pounds -- and he's still much faster than Mason and Clayton.

Now, with Cameron calling the shots, Williams is very optimistic.

"I like this offense because it gives each guy an opportunity to get their hands on the ball," he said. "At no point in time is the ball going to just one guy. We're a spread offense, we're throwing the ball and we're attacking."

Now we'll just have to see if they can do it in chunks bigger than 10 yards a pop. ...

Also in Baltimore. ... Rookie running back Ray Rice has made a positive impression in his first few months with the Ravens and PFW believes the youngster could carve out a Maurice Jones-Drew-like role in the offense.

McGahee will get the majority of the workload, but the team made a concerted effort to keep him fresh last season and figures to do so in 2008. This creates an opportunity for Rice, who had a very productive collegiate career at Rutgers.

His progress in the passing game will go a long way in how much he can contribute in his first NFL season. Rice caught only 37 passes in college, and he'll have to consistently pick up the blitz -- an area in which Jones-Drew thrives. ...

In Cincinnati. ... Despite previously glowing reports, Dayton Daily News staffer Carlos Holmes recently warned readers that Chris Perry's playing status remains up in the air after missing nearly two seasons due to a broken and dislocated ankle.

Perry last carried the ball in Game 11 of the 2006 season against Cleveland. Now Holmes believes the former first-round pick is not only battling back from injury, but could be fighting for a job.

Perry appears to have his work cut out for him in what is turning out to be a crowded backfield for the Bengals. He will have to prove himself during training camp and will have some stiff competition. Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey and rookie free agent James Johnson are vying for playing time behind starter Rudi Johnson.

During an interview with Perry in mini-camp he proclaimed himself 85 percent healed from the injury, but insists that the road to recovery is going well.

"Everything is working out fine," he said. "I'm just getting back and used to playing football and trying to get better each and everyday."

Perry had a good showing in OTAs and mini-camp, but it was noticeable he was not at full strength.

According to Holmes, Perry lacked initial burst, quickness and struggled running the ball outside. But Holmes readily admitted that Perry still excelled in the passing game. He caught the ball extremely well out of the backfield and when flanked out in the wide receiver slot during recent workouts.

He also showed deceptive speed and power running between the tackles.

Perry brings a lot of versatility on offense when healthy. He's the complete package and a perfect change-of-pace back to Johnson. The only drawback is being injury-prone.

But if he can finally avoid the injuries that have plagued him, Perry could be in a good spot.

Remember, the Bengals' starting backfield enters the 2008 season with something to prove.

Johnson comes off the worst season of his career and fullback Jeremi Johnson is under pressure to pick up his play. Rudi Johnson looks bigger and stronger after hamstring problems limited him to only 11 games in '07 and were a big reason why he gained a career-low 2.9 yards per carry.

Jeremi Johnson's weight has long been a hot-button issue, but a source close to the club would be surprised if he surrendered his starting job to upstart Daniel Coats. ...

In Tampa Bay. ... As his career spiraled downward over the past three seasons, Michael Clayton spent much of the time in head coach Jon Gruden's doghouse and some weeks on the trading block, as well.

He dropped balls in practice and seemed to have completely lost his focus. Clayton had a breakout first season in 2004, setting franchise marks for receptions (80), receiving yards (1,193) and receiving touchdowns (seven) by a rookie.

However, he has unraveled since then, averaging just 29 catches and 343 yards while scoring only one touchdown over the last three campaigns.

Sources tell PFW, however, Clayton may be set to turn the tables on Gruden.

Clayton has hinted that he feels he hasn't been given enough opportunities in recent years, and while Tampa appears set to enter the season with a nearly identical receiving corps to last year's, Gruden may have to put more of his trust in Clayton this time around.

It's not clear that the Bucs' decision not to aggressively pursue receivers in free agency is necessarily a vote of confidence for Clayton.

However, with veterans Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard a year older, and major question marks surrounding the additions of Antonio Bryant and rookie Dexter Jackson, who figures to make more of an impact as a returner initially, PFW believes Gruden may have to consider making Clayton more of a factor in his '08 game plans.

Team officials, however, are talking up Bryant.

"He's probably been one of the two or three best guys we've had working at wide receiver," Bucs pro personnel executive Doug Williams told the Tampa Tribune last month.

"He's got a great passion for the game, and he really missed it. You can see that in him. He's hungry and he's showing us that he really wants to be here and be a part of this team."

Gruden agreed.

"I'll tell you, Antonio Bryant has really been impressive," the coach said after the team's last mini-camp. "We really like the things Antonio Bryant has done here, so we'll see how it works out."

It will be especially interesting to see interaction between player and coach. Remember, the 49ers were his last club, but they let him go in March 2007 after Bryant had a run-in with head coach Mike Nolan.

A similar exchange with Parcells resulted in the Cowboys trading Bryant to the Browns in 2003.

So you'll pardon me if I'm not convinced Bryant will respond to Gruden's personality and coaching style in a positive manner. ...

In Kansas City. ... The Chiefs' lack of receiver depth behind Dwayne Bowe leaves the team with quite a dilemma at its No. 2 WR spot.

Kansas City signed free agent Devard Darling in the offseason, but he brings just 20 career catches with him from Baltimore. Considered the front-runner not too long ago, PFW reports that Darling may now be third in the pecking order for the job.

Fourth-round rookie Will Franklin looked very good this spring, running sharp routes and separating from his defender. He quickly has vaulted into the conversation for a starting spot, with the No. 3 slot looking like the worst-case scenario.

If Franklin doesn't capture the No. 2 spot, third-year wideout Jeff Webb likely would be the guy.

He showed some flashes last season, even starting two games, and he's the only one of the trio to have experience playing with Brodie Croyle.

PFW concedes that Webb's game still needs work, but he currently has a loose grip on the open job.

Regardless of who's victorious in this battle, the Chiefs will need their second receiver to be productive at least moderately or else Bowe can expect to face a whole lot of double coverage. ...

In Houston. ... Despite re-signing Andre Davis to a multi-year deal in the offseason, Houston Chronicle staffer Megan Manfull doesn't expect to see the team's No. 3 receiver upending Kevin Walter for the starting job.

The Texans needed to re-sign Davis for depth at receiver and as their primary kick returner.

Walter and Davis both put together the best seasons of their careers last year. Davis proved to be a big playmaker -- capable of picking up big yards after the catch. Walter proved to be a solid receiver, who ran routes well and had the capability to be a deep threat.

Manfull reports the Texans are hoping they can follow their big years last season with similar production this season. If that's the case, the team will have three solid starters and defenses won't be able to focus solely on Andre Johnson when he is in the game. ...

And finally this week, in San Diego. ... In the most positive tidbit I've seen on the subject in recent memory, San Diego Union-Tribune staffer Kevin Acee reports the Chargers are cautiously optimistic that Antonio Gates will be healthy enough to start the season after February toe surgery.

It won't be known when he will be ready to go until he gets out and practices, but the team believes his progress is substantial enough to project him playing in the opener. ...

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.