Fantasy Football 2014: Chicago Bears RB Rundown
“Da Bears” got their offensive groove back last season under rookie head coach Marc Trestman who kicked the passing game into high gear even after Jay Cutler went down with an injury. Don’t think that Trestman’s offense only makes points for wide receivers, though, as Matt Forte was the third-best fantasy running back last year and is back for another big season this year.
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The Bears tied for seventh in the NFL last season in yards per carry, and were in the top five in first-down rush percentage. Those numbers show that even though Trestman lets Cutler (or McCown) throw the ball, he also emphasizes running early and will get his backs the carries to succeed especially since defenses have to stay balanced to protect against the vertical passing game.
Here’s a quick look at how I think the Bears backs will do this season from a fantasy football perspective. The ranking included is based on my overall RB rankings which should give you a good idea of where to target the Minnesota RB’s in your fantasy football drafts
Chicago Bears. Matt Forte. 4. player. 57. Forte defines workhorse back and played more snaps than any other running back last season. That being said, his usage could even go higher especially around the goal line now that Michael Bush isn’t around to vulture touchdowns. Forte found the end zone 12 times last year and had a career-high in fantasy points. Because the Bears have so many weapons and he’s had such a heavy workload, I do think he’s a bit riskier than the elite trio of Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, and Jamaal Charles, but he’s definitely still a first-round pick in all formats and a top five running back. In PPR leagues, he’s clearly #4 since he catches the ball more than the rest of the second tier of options. RB
57. The Bears drafted Carey in the fourth round as he was coming out of Arizona. Right now, he’s third on the depth chart, but I think he’s the handcuff you want for Forte. If Forte is healthy, Carey could get some work as a change of pace option by midseason, but he’s still nothing more than a late-round selection or a handcuff for Forte owners.. RB. Chicago Bears. Ka'Deem Carey. 63. player
RB. Chicago Bears. Shaun Draughn. NR. player. 57. Draughn is officially the backup for Forte on the depth chart at this point in the preseason and is taking second-team snaps. The journeyman back is on his third team in three NFL seasons and was only given four carries (for two yards) last season with Baltimore. Draughn will only be fantasy relevant if the Bears backfield is riddled with injuries, so leave him on your waiver wire until the situation changes.
This post is part of a series detailing the backfield situation for each NFL team from a fantasy football perspective. Check out my top 80 rankings and click here for the full series.