It’s early (very early!) in the 2023 fantasy football calendar. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a worthwhile exercise to look at how fantasy football managers value this year’s crop of Chicago Bears skill players.
According to the good folks at Fantasy Pros, here’s a breakdown of the average draft position (ADP) of the Bears’ primary offensive weapons.
Justin Fields: QB5, Pick 41 overall
Khalil Herbert: RB31, Pick 99 overall
D’Onta Foreman: RB42, Pick 131 overall
DJ Moore: WR20, Pick 42 overall
Darnell Mooney: WR48, Pick 107 overall
Chae Claypool: WR64, Pick 151 overall
Cole Kmet: TE13, Pick 127 overall
The premium player on this list, of course, is Fields. He’s beginning the 2023 fantasy football season as a top-5 quarterback, and for good reason. He nearly broke the NFL single-season rushing record for a quarterback in 2022, which, as any seasoned fantasy player knows, is the nuclear weapon in your lineup. Dual-threat quarterbacks are often what makes the difference in winning a league championship. He’ll have more weapons at his disposal in 2023, which should lead to better passing stats while maintaining an elite rushing upside.
Moore’s fantasy value will probably increase in the coming weeks and months. Even if it doesn’t, he’s still valued as a top-20 wideout, which for most leagues is a quality WR2. If he hits his ceiling as a playmaker for the Chicago Bears, he’ll be the biggest value selection on this list.
There isn’t much confidence in either of the Bears’ running backs right now. Perhaps Herbert’s value would be higher if it wasn’t for Foreman’s arrival. Herbert appeared on his way to being the unquestioned lead back for the Chicago Bears in 2023; now, it looks like a 50/50 split is coming. That’s always bad news for fantasy leagues.
And let’s not overlook Kmet, who fantasy managers rank just outside TE1 in 12-team leagues. Kmet is trending in the right direction as a touchdown scorer, and if he has an uptick in yardage in 2023, he could finish the year as a top-8 tight end in fantasy circles.
