NFL Power Rankings: Projecting the best receiver groups in the league
By Nick Villano
18. Chicago Bears
Top 3: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool
This might be high for a Chicago Bears team that was dealing with a decrepit receiving core last year. Darnell Mooney was injured. Chase Claypool never got used to the scheme. Justin Fields ran for his life, and the Bears earned themselves the number-one overall pick.
All the pain was worth it to get DJ Moore. The Bears used that number-one pick to get the Carolina Panthers' number-one receiver along with a few other picks. They used their first pick on Braxton Jones, a future star on the left side of the offensive line. So far, the trade is paying major dividends for the Bears, and it propelled them into the top 20 of this list.
Moore isn't the only reason the Bears have progressed their wide receiver position into a formidable position. Darnell Mooney can be a really good player when he's healthy. He started to show flashes of a partnership with Fields last season before he got hurt. He only scored two touchdowns, but they came in the last three games of his season. He was finally getting consistent when his season ended.
Claypool can be anything at this point. The once star-prospect of the Pittsburgh Steelers now is hanging onto his NFL career. After the Bears overpaid for Claypool near the trade deadline last year, he needs to show he can contribute to this offense in a meaningful way.