The NFL draft and the bulk of free agency are over meaning it’s now possible to start making some projections for the upcoming fantasy football season.

Certainly there will be some guys who come out of nowhere during the season ahead. But with the draft 24 hours into the rear-view mirror, some situations have definitely cleared themselves up.

For one, there will be no more running back by committee in Denver.

The Broncos surprised many “experts” by eschewing defense with their first pick in favor of Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno.

Moreno has a chance to make a fantasy football impact right away. He’s fast, he can catch the ball and he was drafted high enough where, unless he totally flubs, he’ll be the starter and main man in the Denver backfield starting with his rookie year.

Thus, while Josh McDaniels managed to mangle his quarterback situation, he has ended one of fantasy players’ most frustrating situations – the long-standing timeshare running backs employed by former coach Mike Shanahan.

Moreno isn’t the only rookie running back walking into a situation where he can make a difference. The Arizona Cardinals offense took off in the playoffs when the team started emphasizing running the ball around 20 times per game. Neither Edgerrin James nor Tim Hightower showed during the 2008 regular season that they could be the man. I expect Chris “Beanie” Wells, drafted at the 31st pick overall, to be the man they couldn’t during the regular season.

The Cardinals still thrive on passing the ball and that will continue. But Wells will bring a more consistent running threat that could only help provide even more opportunities for Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and, if he sticks around, Anquan Boldin.

Less visible but just as impactful to fantasy players were offensive linemen selected in the first two rounds by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Eugene Monroe will be a very solid tackle or guard while second rounder Eben Britton was a great value pick at number 39 overall. Last year the Jags’ season was derailed by injuries and poor play on the line. Add these two to William Tra Thomas, added in free agency, and running back Maurice Jones-Drew and and quarterback David Garrard have to be thrilled with the new protection upfront. I don’t think they addressed their need for a starting wideout to pair with Torry Holt, so there are still some holes to fill, but these additions will help this offense immensely.

Carolina’s duo of James Stewart and Deangelo Williams also got offensive line help. Jordan Gross and last year’s number one Jeff Otah will be joined this season by Duke Robinson, a fifth-round pick at guard that many experts expected to see selected in round two. There has to be a reason he fell that far, but I believe Carolina will end up finding that pick a steal.

While I didn’t like that the Detroit Lions went skill over trench players for the bulk of their draft, they did add a couple weapons that could bring fantasy impact. Derrick Williams from Penn State probably won’t put up great numbers himself but he could provide enough of a threat to draw some coverage away from stud fantasy wideout Calvin Johnson. I’m also intrigued by tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who I heard compared to Jason Witten while listening to draft coverage. He’ll catch some passes and help Kevin Smith run the ball. His impact as a fantasy player may be a  year away, however.

The problem with all of those guys is who will throw them the ball this year – and who will protect that quarterback. I think Matthew Stafford sits most of 2009, or at least for his sake, I hope so. Daunte Culpepper? Drew Stanton? Neither of these guys appear to provide a lot of upside, but Culpepper did connect with Johnson a few times last year.

On the downside, Thomas Jones lost value Sunday when the New York Jets drafted Shonn Greene out of Iowa. Now, even if Jones doesn’t hold out in a contract dispute, he not only has to contend with Leon Washington stealing series, but also a big, thug-like back that the Jets felt was “far and away the best player available” when day two began, according to Peter King and SportsIllustrated.com.

I’m not convinced that Greene will be as good as the Jets seem to think he will. But his presence alone threatens to make the Jets’ backfield a three-headed monster.

Joseph Addai of the Colts also decreased in value. I think he’ll be the top ball carrier in Indianapolis for the 2009 season as long as he stays healthy. But the team went from having a clear No. 1 RB with Dominic Rhodes stealing a series or a few carries here and there to having a second No. 1 draft pick in Donald Brown to share significant carries with Addai. And make no mistake about it – he will take carries. No team is going to take a running back in round one to have him sit the bench as merely insurance.

That’s a running back committee that I will probably avoid altogether.

I also think San Francisco third-rounder Glen Coffee could slightly muddy the running back situation in San Francisco. Frank Gore is still “the man.” But Coffee is a tough, powerful runner who could become a factor in short-yardage and, more importantly for fantasy players, at the goal line.

Two high first rounders I’d avoid are quarterbacks Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Coming off the success of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco last year, many might consider trying to show how smart they are by picking this year’s QB class. Thing is, while Ryan and Flacco were good leaders and solid players in “real” football, neither were a fantasy factor. I don’t expect Stafford to even play that much this year. Sanchez could earn the starting job, but the only way he matches last year’s rookies is if the weapons around him produce. For fantasy purposes, I’d suggest ignoring both.

Finally, there’s Minnesota. They added a huge right tackle in Phil Loadholt and an explosive-but-enigmatic wide receiver/running back/potential return man in Percy Harvin. Both will get an opportunity to contribute. Loadholt will likely upgrade an overrated offensive line, providing stud Adrian Peterson more lanes to run through. The question mark in my mind remains whether or not Brad Childress is creative enough to create an offense that takes advantage of Harvin’s skills. If Childress is, the offense might start catching up to the level of the Vikings’ defense. If he’s not, or if Harvin’s reported attitude problems, uncoachability, injuries, or drug issues resurface, the former Gator wideout will end up having been a wasted pick.