RADIO
After weeks of speculation, the Chicago Bears decided to move down from the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Ultimately, the Carolina Panthers gave up a king’s ransom for a shot at a potential franchise quarterback.
The Panthers gave up their first and second-round selections (ninth and 61st overall) in this year’s draft, a second-rounder in 2025, and wide receiver D.J. Moore to move up the board. The deal increases the Bears’ pick total for 2023 to ten, giving general manager Ryan Poles and his staff enough ammunition to address their roster needs.
It is also a vote of confidence for quarterback Justin Fields, who finished the 2022 season with 1,143 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. The former Ohio State standout showed his blazing speed when he dashed for 178 yards against the Miami Dolphins and 147 against the Detroit Lions in consecutive weeks.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!While his passing yards were pedestrian in both games (123 and 167, respectively), his performance on the ground gave him 42.7 and 40.4 fantasy points in Weeks 9 and 10. Those numbers were the first, and fourth-highest single-week points total among all NFL quarterbacks last season.
But if the third-year player were to jump from good to great, he would have to become a better passer. His completion percentage improved from 58.9 to 60.4 percent, and his passing touchdowns increased from seven to 17 from years one to two. Unfortunately, he had double-digit interceptions in both seasons.
However, a quarterback can only excel with the right pieces around him. Trading for Moore is a step in the right direction. Last season, the 2018 first-rounder collected 888 yards and seven touchdowns despite the quarterback carousel in Carolina. The Maryland alumnus also has three 1,000-yard seasons and missed only two games in five years.
Watch Out For Justin Fields In 2023
To his credit, Fields played behind a patchwork offensive line that surrendered 55 sacks, tied for league-worst in 2022. If that’s not enough to curtail their passing game, he played with a receiving corps with much room for improvement. Darnell Mooney ended up being their best wideout with 493 receiving yards despite missing five games, while Equanimeous St. Brown had 323 in 16 games.
Likewise, running back David Montgomery (316) had more receiving yards than receivers Dante Pettis (245), Byron Pringle (135), and Velus Jones Jr. (107). Chase Claypool and N'Keal Harry played only seven games each for Chicago but ended up having only 140 and 116 yards, respectively.
But the talent level around Fields will improve with Moore’s addition. Suddenly, opposing defenses must watch a legitimate deep threat who can swing for the fences. If Mooney gets healthy, Claypool elevates his game, and tight end Cole Kmet remains steady, the Bears will have solid weapons in their aerial attack.
In effect, Fields could see his passing stats improve significantly. With more targets in every snap, the running lanes will open up for him, leading to more rushing yards and touchdowns. It remains to be seen if these upgrades will lead to more victories. But he is poised to have a breakout year if all the pieces fall into place, making him a top-tier quarterback in fantasy football.
However, these lofty results will only happen if Poles can provide solid protection around Fields. If he does, he has no excuse to put up the same numbers from 2022 or, worst, regress.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Win More With RotoBaller
Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:More Fantasy Football Analysis
