RADIO
The Chicago Bears finished the 2017 season 3-13 and last in the NFC North for the third straight season. It was a step-back season for GM Ryan Pace and Head Coach John Fox as injuries and a carousel of quarterbacks derailed a team trying to build upon its young talent.
The Bears will take the field for the first time in eight seasons without Jay Cutler teasing fans with tantalizing talent combined with frustrating results. Now a successful draft class last season and a possible franchise quarterback waiting in the wings brings hope for the future of the franchise. There are few around the NFL that believe the Bears will compete for a playoff spot this season but the arrow is pointed in the right direction. They are a strong bet to exceed their win total from last season but coach Fox will certainly be on the hot seat. The question remains whether the talent on the current roster can win enough games to save his job.
Outside of standout running back Jordan Howard, the Bears will struggle to offer fantasy value consistently this season.
Notable Acquisitions: QB Mike Glennon, QB Mitch Trubisky, RB Tarik Cohen, WR Victor Cruz, WR Kendall Wright, WR Markus Wheaton, CB Prince Amukamara, CB Marcus Cooper, FS Quintin Demps
Notable Losses: WR Alshon Jeffery, QB Jay Cutler, CB Tracy Porter
Quarterback
Whether the Bears like it or not, they will have a quarterback problem all season. Mike Glennon was signed away from Tampa Bay after serving as backup for Jameis Winston the past few seasons. He was signed to a short-term deal but the contract came with the promise that he would be the starting quarterback this season. The last time Glennon received significant playing time was in 2013 and 2014 when he combined to throw for 3,025 yards, 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions over 18 starts. He has averaged 211 yards per game in his career.
The Bears then went ahead and traded up one pick to secure the rights to draft Mitch Trubisky with the second overall pick. Trubisky has all the tools but lacks the experience (only 13 college starts) to immediately step in and help an NFL franchise. Trubisky has played well in the preseason, flashing athleticism, accuracy and a very strong arm.
Glennon is mostly viewed as game manager and thus far has had a rough preseason. He struggles with down the field throws but has a history of staying accurate in the short-to-intermediate area of the field. The Bears will focus on making the running game a priority and will try protect the football at all costs. Glennon's history and the offensive weapons on the team make it hard to envision a scenario where Glennon cracks the top-12 among fantasy quarterbacks. At best, he could be a player that can help a fantasy roster during a bye week and possibly throw 20+ touchdowns and 3,000 yards and minimal turnovers.
If Trubisky sees the field it would be best to err on the side of caution before inserting him into fantasy lineups. Rookies rarely make an instant impact in fantasy and often follow up strong performances with inconsistencies. Trubisky has all the tools to one day be a coveted fantasy quarterback but this would not be the year to stake your championship chances on the rookie from North Carolina.
Running Back
Second year running back Jordan Howard will enter the season as the highest ranked Bear on the fantasy draft board. The former fifth-round pick began the season as the number three back on the Bears but quickly rose up to starter status and never looked back.
Howard made a lot of fantasy owners look smart last season, going from the waiver wire to a player that posted seven 100+ yard rushing games and 10 games of 80 yards or more. He only scored seven total touchdowns but put up 5.2 yards per carry while rushing for 1,313 yards plus 298 yards receiving. Word out of camp is that Howard is in even better shape than last year and appears primed to take another step towards becoming a perennial Pro Bowler. Injury aside, it would not surprise many if Howard posted the similar rushing numbers while also tacking on a few more touchdowns than last season. Howard is a sure-fire first/second round pick in fantasy heading into the season.
Rookie backup Tarik Cohen has opened a lot of eyes in the preseason. The 5'6" fourth round pick is a combination of elusiveness and blazing speed. He has done an excellent job in the preseason with using his speed on the edge and has showed toughness running between the tackles. Cohen may not fill up the stat sheet but could take on a Darren Sproles/Danny Woodhead-type role in the Bears offense this season.
Wide Receiver
Cameron Meredith has emerged as the number one receiver in the Bears offense. The third-year un-drafted receiver hauled in 66 receptions for 888 yards and four touchdowns. He led the team with 97 targets and had five games with six receptions or more last season. The quarterback carousel last season (Jay Cutler, Matt Barkley, Brian Hoyer) certainly affected the offense but Meredith continued to make plays. Meredith has the speed and the strength to lead the team in receiving again this season. It is reasonable to believe Meredith could put up 1,000+ yards and six-plus touchdowns this season.
The Bears also will look to veterans Kendall Wright, Victor Cruz and Markus Wheaton to make plays this season. Cruz is coming off his first healthy season since 2013 and finished with 39 receptions and 586 yards last season. Wheaton, however, could not stay healthy last season and appeared in only three games due to a shoulder injury. Wright fell out of favor in Tennessee last season and is looking to resuscitate his career with former coordinator Dowell Logains.
Wheaton will look to recapture his 2015 season, catching 44 passes for 749 yards, five touchdowns while averaging 17.0 yards per catch. He will be depended upon to stretch the defense and burn cornerbacks downfield but has battled injuries this preseason.
Tight End
When healthy, Zach Miller is one of the better tight ends in the NFC, posting 47 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns last season. He has excellent hands and can run the seam route about as good as anyone. The only issue is that Miller has never played 16 games in his career and will often end up on the questionable list heading into Sunday's. Miller is a high-floor/low-ceiling TE1/2 and if he is drafted absolutely needs a backup option ready to insert into fantasy lineups.
Rookie Adam Shaheen should see his opportunities increase as the season moves along. Shaheen stands at a monstrous 6'7" and has looked fluid running routes in training camp. If he can master the blocking aspects of the position, Shaheen could be a red zone target in the second half of the season.
Kicker
Connor Barth made 18-of-23 field goals last season of the Bears. Barth was solid but the Bears brought in Roberto Aguayo to challenge him at the position. The move was made mostly because of Barth's limitations on kickoffs and Barth is expected to win the job in the end. Barth's upside is solely attached to the improvement of the Bears offense this season.
Defense/Special Teams
The Bears defense has been a work in progress after bottoming out three seasons ago under former coach Marc Trestman. The Bears D forced only 11 turnovers all last season, dead last in the league and a stat that magnifies the ineptitude of the state of the unit. After addressing the front eight two off seasons ago via free agency, GM Ryan Pace focused on the secondary this offseason. Additions like Cooper, Demps and Amukamara bring a veteran presence to the back-end that have experience causing turnovers. All eyes on defense will be on second-year rusher Leonard Floyd. The edge rusher bulked up this season after posting seven sacks in 10 games played last season. Floyd will need to stay healthy but indications out of camp is that Floyd is in for a dominant, double digit sack season. As a whole, the defense will be better but cracking the top-12 is a best case scenario for the group. Whether they can create more splash plays will be key to whether this Bears team can begin to turn losses into wins.
