Do the Bears finally have the answer at QB they've been needing for so long? Justin Fields certainly has the talent, and they gave up a lot to move up to get him, so they're all in. If he clicks, this could be the most exciting Bears offense in a long time. If there are a lot of growing pains, it could be the same old frustrations.
2020 Review
Record: 8 - 8 (14)
PPG: 23.3 (22)
YPG: 331.4 (26)
Pass YPG: 228.4 (22)
Rush YPG: 102.9 (25)
PAPG: 38.4 (8)
RAPG: 24.6 (27)
2020 Fantasy finishes
QB: Mitchell Trubisky* QB27; Nick Foles QB35
RB: David Montgomery RB4
WR: Allen Robinson WR9; Darnell Mooney WR49; Anthony Miller WR69
TE: Jimmy Graham TE13; Cole Kmet TE41
*No longer with team
Number to know: 6.4
As a team, the Bears averaged 6.4 yards per pass attempts in 2020, and they haven't been above 6.4 since 2018.
2020 Offseason
Draft Picks
1. (11) Justin Fields, QB
2. (39) Teven Jenkins, OT
5. (151) Larry Borom, OT
6. (217) Khalil Herbert, RB
6. (221) Dazz Newsome, WR
6. (228) Thomas Graham Jr., CB
7. (250) Khyiris Tonga, DL
Additions
QB Andy Dalton, RB Damien Williams
Key Departures
Available Opportunity
64 carries, 27 RB targets, 6 WR targets, 14 TE targets
Team Outlooks: Falcons | Titans | Ravens
Rankings and Projections
| Award |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Fields | 22 | 18 | 19 | 14 |
| David Montgomery | 21 | 18 | 21 | 19 |
| Tarik Cohen | 50 | 49 | 54 | 36 |
| Allen Robinson | 15 | 10 | 14 | 16 |
| Darnell Mooney | 53 | 44 | NR | NR |
| Anthony Miller | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Cole Kmet | 15 | 17 | 22 | 25 |
| Jimmy Graham | NR | NR | NR | NR |
Chris Towers' projections
| QB | Justin Fields | PA: 547, YD: 3886, TD: 26, INT: 14; RUSH -- ATT: 106, YD: 531, TD: 5 |
| RB | David Montgomery | CAR: 290, YD: 1246, TD: 8; TAR: 49, REC: 36, YD: 288, TD: 1 |
| RB | Tarik Cohen | CAR: 72, YD: 298, TD: 2; TAR: 71, REC: 54, YD: 411, TD: 2 |
| WR | Allen Robinson | TAR: 139, REC: 85, YD: 1103, TD: 9 |
| WR | Darnell Mooney | TAR: 72, REC: 43, YD: 468, TD: 3 |
| WR | Anthony Miller | TAR: 67, REC: 41, YD: 519, TD: 2 |
| TE | Cole Kmet | TAR: 71, REC: 43, YD: 448, TD: 5 |
| TE | Jimmy Graham | TAR: 44, REC: 27, YD: 268, TD: 3 |
Biggest Question
How long until Justin Fields gets the job?
The Bears told Andy Dalton he was the starting QB when he signed, and then they traded up for Justin Fields in the draft, arguably the most talented QB in the class after Trevor Lawrence. Dalton can be a fine placeholder, but we know who he is at this point, and he's not a difference maker. Fields could be that, and I would imagine it won't be long before he's under center.
One sleeper, one breakout and one bust
| ||||||||||
The question you have to ask with regards to Mooney is how much better you think he can play with improved QB play. He wasn't lacking for opportunities down the stretch, as he earned 55 targets over the final eight games of his rookie season -- a 110-target pace. The problem is, he didn't do much with it, putting up a paltry 70-catch, 652-yard, four-touchdown pace. Mooney is very, very fast (4.38 40-yard dash) and could be an excellent complement to Robinson, but if Dalton and Fields don't represent an immediate upgrade, it might not matter much. That being said, how often can you get potential 110-target deep threats in the 12th round or later? Mooney could be a No. 3 WR with high weekly upside if Fields is as good as hoped.
Fantasy Football Today Newsletter
Know What Your Friends Don't
Get tips, advice and news to win your league - all from the FFT podcast team.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
| ||||||||||
Start with the physical traits: Fields is 6-foot-3, 227 pounds and ran a 4.46 at his pro day. Even accounting for some pro day fudginess, you're looking at absolutely elite testing numbers; no QB has ever run faster than a 4.48 at the combine while weighing more than 225 pounds, and only Vince Young, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, and Jeff Driskel have run faster than 4.57 at 6-foot-3, 225-pounds or more. And, of course, Fields was a statistical performer in college, passing for 5,373 yards and 63 touchdowns and rushing for 867 yards and 15 touchdowns in 22 games at Ohio State. Could he be Deshaun Watson? Could he be Josh Allen? He wouldn't have to be that good to be a very good starting Fantasy QB -- remember, Jalen Hurts averaged 28.6 Fantasy points per game in his three full starts. Rushing QBs are the future of Fantasy, and Fields could be the next great one, while elevating this passing game all at the same time.
| ||||||||||
Of course, there's a chance the combination of Dalton and Fields doesn't elevate the passing game. Dalton played worse than expected in Dak Prescott's place last season, and Fields may not quite be ready to be a plus passer in the NFL. The bar in Chicago is pretty low, of course, but we've seen Robinson be held back by poor QB play before, so we know he isn't immune. The biggest concern is that Fields might step onto the field as a below-average passer while his rushing takes away from the volume Robinson has relied on to maintain strong Fantasy production despite subpar quarterback play. What if he's looking at more like 130 rather than 150 targets and his efficiency doesn't improve? You might be looking at just a low-end No. 2 WR, and that outcome seems more likely than it has in the past couple of seasons.
So which sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-five performance? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Josh Allen's huge season, and find out.
