4 years agoChicago Bears running back David Montgomery will head into his third season as a pro with as much to prove as he possesses potential. The first nine weeks of Montgomery's 2020 season was a stretch in his career he would like to forget. The 23-year-old tweaked his groin in training camp but was able to still suit up for Week 1. Montgomery posted 201 total yards of offense in his first two games but the wheels quickly fell off. The team benched then-starter Mitch Trubisky for veteran Nick Foles and the whole offense changed. The Bears offensive line struggled mightily as Montgomery would average only 3.09 yards per carry over his next seven games with the statuesque Foles under center. During the team's bye week the Bears benched Foles, went back to Trubisky as the starter, reshuffled their offensive line, and completely overhauled their offensive strategy. As a consequence, Montgomery suddenly went from fringe-FLEX starter to RB1 almost overnight. Over his last six games, there were few running backs in the game more productive than Montgomery. During that stretch, Montgomery averaged 5.2 yards per carry, posted 598 rushing yards (99.66 per game), 24 receptions for 266 yards, and scored a touchdown in each of his last six games (eight total). When Montgomery is given space (3.04 yards before contact during that six-game span), he can compete as a top-10 running back in this league. But his fantasy value will be tied to the Bears' offensive game plan and whether they can get their offensive line solidified and healthy (1.14 yards before contact during Montgomery's first nine games). All of this adds up to a talented player that should comfortably slide into the RB2 category with occasional RB1 upside. Fantasy teams will need to account for Tarik Cohen returning from injury this season and free-agent acquisition (and former Super Bowl hero) Damien Williams entering the mix, but Montgomery will head into camp as the unquestioned lead back for the Bears offense in 2021 and appears a bit undervalued at his current third round ADP.--Joey C - RotoBaller
Source: Chicago Bears