Is Roschon Johnson or D'Onta Foreman The Bears RB2 Behind Khalil Herbert? Fantasy Football Outlook

August 21, 2023

Is Roschon Johnson or D'Onta Foreman the Bears RB2 behind Khalil Herbert? The latest news and fantasy football outlook for the Chicago Bears running backs.

With David Montgomery now with the Detroit Lions, Khalil Herbert looks poised to take over the No. 1 running back role with the Chicago Bears in 2023. Herbert rushed for 731 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Behind Herbert, two players will be fighting for snaps, with D'Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson set to compete for the backup role at running back.

Which of the two is currently ahead in that battle? Let's look at the latest news in the battle behind Herbert.

Who Is The Bears Backup Running Back?

While Khalil Herbert appears to be locked in as the starting running back in Chicago, the situation behind him is seemingly wide open. Last season, David Montgomery had 201 carries as the team's starting running back, but Herbert carved out a sizable role, with 129 carries and 12 targets. The winner of the position battle between D'Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson should have a fantasy-relevant role.

The big question though is which of the two will earn that role. According to the team's depth chart, Foreman currently holds that job.

That's not to say Johnson can't overtake Foreman, but the veteran back has the current edge in the position battle.

D'Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook

Both Foreman and Johnson are talented players with pluses and minuses. In redraft leagues, Foreman has more fantasy value because of his current role as the team's backup running back.

Foreman scored five touchdowns with the Panthers last year, finishing with 203 carries for 914 yards. He should see more carries than most No. 2 running backs because Herbert won't have full control of this backfield, with Foreman likely to see some early down looks at times. He is the RB47 in RotoBaller's half-PPR rankings, making him a low-end RB4. He should have a higher floor than other backups, but his ceiling is relatively low.

Johnson is a more athletic player with more upside in the receiving game. He's the back to roster in dynasty leagues. As far as redraft goes, he could be an intriguing play in full PPR leagues because of his receiving skills, as he caught 56 passes in his time at Texas. He is RotoBaller's RB59 in half-PPR and has a lower floor than the other two since he's unlikely to see many early down touches or goal-line looks, but his ceiling is higher than Foreman if he's able to surpass Foreman in the pecking order at some point this season.

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