The new NFL season lies just around the corner, meaning the fantasy football news cycle cranks up and hype trains begin to leave the station.
Plenty of teams go fishing for big names over the offseason but the Chicago Bears landed the biggest catch of all in new head coach Ben Johnson. After a tremendously disheartening 2024, the franchise lured the top coaching candidate on the market to the Windy City with high hopes he can turn their rebuild into a title contender. With a former No. 1 selection at quarterback complemented by one of the NFL’s deepest group of weapons, this offense may take off in 2025 under their newfound scheme guru.
Will Caleb Williams live up to his potential? Which pass catchers emerge as top fantasy assets among the many mouths to feed? Find all the answers below!
How will a new head coach impact the Bears?
Finding a hotter name in NFL coaching circles than Ben Johnson feels borderline impossible. The Detroit Lions used to be a punchline for the rest of the league, at least until 2022 when Dan Campbell revitalized the franchise’s culture and promoted Johnson from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator. What exactly did the latter bring to the table in his first stint in a significant role?
Well, the evidence speaks for itself. During that first season with Campbell at the helm and Johnson designing and calling the offense, the Lions ranked fourth in total yardage and fifth in scoring as the team went 9-8 and just barely missed out on their first playoff appearance since 2014. The following year, Detroit finished third in yardage and fifth in scoring once more as the franchise won the NFC North and punched their ticket to the postseason. The hype hit a fever pitch in 2024 as the team took an already-impressive attack up one more notch and finished the season second in yards gained and first in scoring with 70 offensive touchdowns, the highest tally since the NFL moved to the 17-game schedule in 2021 and fourth-most in league history.
Johnson’s offenses scored plenty but it’s even more poignant to note how truly dominant they were over the last three seasons. The Lions ranked ninth, eighth and first in point differential over the former coordinator’s tenure in that role, and last season’s +222 mark ranked fifth-best among all teams since 2000 — while dealing with a banged-up defense which underperformed with respect to its own ceiling. The only teams to post a better point differential this millineum were Tom Brady’s New England Patriots three times, the 2019 Baltimore Ravens and the 2001 St. Louis Rams of the “Greatest Show on Turf” era. That’s elite company, no doubt.
Sure, the Lions’ talent at the skill positions played a major role in such eye-popping production. How could you not succeed with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and David Montgomery all playing significant snaps? However, Johnson was able to maximize those players’ skill sets in a system which played to the strengths of his signal-caller Jared Goff, who himself showed shades of damaged goods when he was traded to Detroit in exchange for Matthew Stafford just before that coaching staff’s first year in Motor City. Look at Goff now. His career was revived by this team, but also by a coordinator who put him in position to succeed.
Let’s travel about 300 miles westward on Interstate 94 to Chicago. Just a year ago, Caleb Williams looked like a disappointment of a top pick and had fans questioning whether he could live up to the expectations of his draft slot. Fast forward to today and the front office added even more high-quality weapons in first-round pick Colston Loveland and second-rounder Luther Burden, who join a group of playmakers that already included D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and D’Andre Swift (and to a lesser extent, Cole Kmet). Perhaps more importantly, they overhauled an offensive line which now looks like it could ascend as one of the NFL’s top units. Bring in a young head coach heralded for his X’s and O’s prowess and it’s easy to see exactly why the energy surrounding the Bears feels charged with excitement — dare one even call it hope — for the first time in, well, forever.
The NFC North appears stacked, but this team possesses the pieces to emerge as a contender in the NFL’s most difficult division. If anyone is capable of assembling the puzzle of a potent offensive attack, Johnson has proven he can do it. Now, exactly how those bits fit together remains a tad more uncertain — the Lions prioritized a run-first design which in turn set up the pass, but the Bears’ roster seems assembled with the passing game in mind to compensate for a lack of top-end backfield talent. In any case, Johnson can strategize with his assorted chess pieces like Magnus Carlson at the board. Chicago’s head coach seems unafraid to experiment as he not only defeats opponents, but often downs the enemy in creative ways.
One he finds the right move with his new team, the NFL may find itself checkmated.
Fantasy star fallout
Quarterback
Caleb Williams
Everyone’s heard the cliche about how quarterback’s the most important position in sports. It rings as true for the Bears as any other NFL franchise, but with a young gunslinger under center, things can get a little bit complicated. Thankfully, Caleb Williams finds himself with everything he needs to succeed — he just needs to perform now.
The former No. 1 selection completed 62.5% of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions during his rookie campaign. Those numbers averaged out to 15.0 FPPG, good for an overall QB16 finish though he ended the year as the per-game QB23 (excluding players who made one or fewer starts). Sure, the marks were respectable for a first-year pro, but Williams didn’t quite live up to expectations given his draft slot and the hype surrounding him.
With plenty of offensive weapons, an improved offensive line and a guru head coach, Williams should improve in his second NFL season. He probably won’t lead the league in sacks taken again, plus the other support around him should provide plenty of firepower if he can stay upright and deliver throws on time. There are slight concerns about that timing since Johnson’s offenses in Detroit relied on the quarterback’s anticipation with a field general under center rather than a more backyard-style guy like Williams. However, almost all factors point toward improvement for Williams in year two regardless of those stylistic differences, so he’s an intriguing bet for fantasy leagues if the offense takes a step forward as predicted under the new staff.
Running backs
D’Andre Swift
This team made no secret of their desire to explore adding talent in the backfield over the offseason after rumors of flirtationship with Ashton Jeanty and a couple of other names emerged. However, D’Andre Swift survived the spring unscathed as the clear-cut RB1 on the depth chart and now reunites with Johnson, who he played under in Detroit. Some people may point to a supposed rift between the two after how Swift was utilized during his Lions days, but none of that matters now — he’s a locked-in starter with little real competition behind him.
On Johnson’s offense in 2022, the former second-round pick rushed for 542 yards and five touchdowns on just 99 attempts (5.5 Y/A) while hauling in 48 of 70 targets for 389 yards and three more scores. Swift averaged a respectable 13.7 FPPG that season over a 14-game sample before a trade sent him to the Philadelphia Eagles the following year. Following an arguably career-best season behind that fantastic offensive line, the halfback then departed in free agency to join the Bears in 2024. Swift worked as the primary back and rushed for 959 yards and six touchdowns on the ground with 52 catches for another 386 scoreless yards. His 3.8 Y/A was a career-worst mark, sparking much discussion regarding his talent level. In fantasy football, he finished as the overall RB19 and per-game RB21.
While Swift isn’t among the NFL’s elite in the backfield, he still belongs in the conversation at his position in fantasy football. First and foremost, his spot atop the depth chart in a thin running back room keeps him undoubtedly relevant as the primary back in what profiles as a high-scoring offense. Swift should see a good amount of volume on the ground, and he also saw 70 targets under Johnson in Detroit. He’s the best receiving back on this roster, so the PPR appeal is there. Plus, the offensive line did add Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney in free agency. Behind an improved group of blockers with better play-calling, Swift should be able to take what he’s given and at least put up an RB2 season, if not flirt with borderline RB1 production.
Wide receivers
DJ Moore
A phrase I’ve turned to throughout this series is “how quickly people forget.” Well, DJ Moore averaged at least 14.0 FPPG in five of seven NFL seasons and has only missed that mark once since his rookie campaign, all while dealing with extremely shaky quarterback play. It feels like there’s been nothing but bad press for the veteran wideout this offseason after some questions were raised about his attitude, but really, the rep may be undeserved.
Moore remains a useful fantasy asset year in and year out despite whatever situation he finds himself in. No, he’s usually not a WR1-level talent, but he slots in as a very playable WR2 in most formats with some upside. Over his two seasons in Chicago, Moore averaged 16.9 FPPG with Justin Fields thanks to a 96-1,364-8 receiving line in 2023, then posted a 98-966-6 stat line last year for 14.0 FPPG. He did frustrate managers on occasion, but Moore still finished as the overall WR16 and per-game WR29 in 2024. He reached double-digit points in all but four games as well, so the floor looked pretty safe with a handful of outings with 20+ points to show for his efforts.
At the moment, the vibes among the fantasy community don’t match the situation the 28-year-old finds himself in. Fantasy players should be thrilled that Moore now joins an improved offense designed by Johnson, who can and will find ways to utilize the wideout’s skill set. The improved line play should buy Williams more time in the pocket to find Moore as a field-stretcher and there’s even been a whisper or two that the veteran may line up in the backfield from time to time. Worries about Moore’s target share aren’t necessarily unfounded since the Bears did add even more mouths to feed on offense, but if he could produce fantasy-relevant numbers with some horrible Carolina Panthers teams, a rebound in efficiency and scoring chances could negate a downtick in volume.
Rome Odunze
The hype train mentioned at this article’s intro includes several cars dedicated to this first-round wideout talent. Rome Odunze didn’t put forth the rookie campaign many folks predicted last year, but he now sees plenty of opportunity to truly showcase his talent with a head coach who can properly take advantage of his talents. There’s much to like moving forward.
Selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Odunze showcased sky-high upside in college for the Washington Huskies and truly deserved the draft capital he received. The 6-foot-3 receiver paced all NCAA players with 1,640 receiving yards as an All-American in 2023 and showed plenty of traits scouts look for in alpha receivers at the NFL level. His rookie season in the pros fell short of expectations with 54 catches for 734 yards and three touchdowns, but Odunze did rank 11th in average depth of target with a mark of 14.2 and his 13.6 yards per reception came in at a respectable 30th among wideouts. He finished with just 8.5 FPPG as the overall WR49 and per-game WR66, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bust.
Hype around Odunze has built over the last few months after Johnson was hired. With Week 1 fast approaching, it seems even more people are lining up for the chance to draft this second-year weapon. Much like Moore, better offensive line play means more deep-ball chances for Odunze to capitalize on as one of his best skills, plus he’s a larger target who can become a real threat for his quarterback in the red zone. The 23-year-old flashed upside last season with 20+ points in a couple of performances with 100+ yards on 10+ targets, so if Williams improves in Johnson’s scheme, the sky is the limit for this young talent.
Luther Burden
This rookie wideout presents a conundrum of sorts depending on how you view him as a prospect. On one hand, Luther Burden was one of the most hyped wide receivers in his draft class heading into the 2024 season. On the flip side, he underperformed on the stat sheet as a junior and fell from a near-lock for the early first round of the NFL Draft into the second before the Bears decided to take him with the seventh pick of Day 2.
Burden popped plenty during his sophomore season at Missouri — he caught 86 balls for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns for the Tigers in 2023. averaging 93.2 receiving yards per game as the go-to option on offense. He came crashing to earth last year though with 61 receptions for just 676 yards and six scores while averaging 56.3 yards per contest. He didn’t play significantly fewer games to drop his production and suited up for just one fewer appearance. However, his lack of raw output and a dip in efficiency from 14.1 yards per reception to 11.1 was clearly cause for concern in some war rooms come draft night.
The drop in production wasn’t entirely Burden’s fault as he dealt with poor quarterback play for the majority of the season. The good news is that his talent didn’t go anywhere, and while his route-running needs some development, the wideout’s ability after the catch still looks elite. That’s a trait you can’t just develop, so with some refinement Burden could become a legitimate threat at the NFL level with his 4.42 speed and 6-foot, 206-pound frame. He profiles as a slot receiver for this Bears roster and should see a fair share of snaps as the WR3 on the depth chart. If any staff can maximize Burden’s talent’s it’s this one. He may end up one of the best values in fantasy drafts as a guy to stash for later in the season once he settles into a role with his coaches’ trust.
Tight end
Colston Loveland
Chicago already had a starting tight end established in Cole Kmet, who’s played for the team since 2020. Despite signing Kmet to an extension back in the 2023 offseason, that didn’t stop the front office from spending premium draft capital on another player at the same position this past April. Tight ends typically take a while to develop, but it looks like the Bears might have secured a player with real star potential.
Michigan product Colston Loveland played on one of the least pass-happy offenses in college football over the course of his NCAA career. Yet that didn’t stop him from tallying 101 catches and 1,231 yards with nine touchdowns over the last two seasons as a key option in the receiving game, earning a Second-Team All-American nod and multiple All-Big Ten selections while finishing as a Mackey Award finalist twice. Oh, and did we mention one of those Michigan teams won a National Championship?
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 241 pounds, Loveland brings size and athleticism to the table and affects the game in a variety of ways. He’s an excellent route-runner with soft hands, so the receiving upside does seem like something to latch on to. However, Loveland is also a productive blocker which means he should see plenty of time on the field as a rookie. With top-10 draft capital (teams wanted to trade up to Chicago’s spot, but notice the calls slowed down significantly once they took the tight end) — and a head coach who helped Sam LaPorta break the all-time rookie tight end receptions record and finish as the overall TE1 in fantasy football in 2023 — the Bears may have discovered a real weapon here. Even if he doesn’t see a high volume of targets, red-zone opportunities like LaPorta saw could ensure Loveland can be fantasy-relevant in year one.
Cole Kmet
Chicago’s incumbent tight end hasn’t ever been a true fantasy star aside from one season, which came in 2023 with 10.7 FPPG. Cole Kmet is a solid NFL player and finished as the overall TE8 and per-game TE9 during that career-best campaign, but he was one of the clear losers of this past offseason when the Bears took Loveland with the No. 10 pick.
The fantasy community largely recognizes what Kmet is — a usable but uninspiring option at the game’s most shallow position. The veteran eclipsed 60 catches and 612 receiving yards just once across his five-year career, and he’s coming off a season in which he caught 47 of 55 targets for 474 yards and four scores. Kmet averaged just 7.1 FPPG, his second-fewest since his rookie year, and finished as the overall TE19. That’s simply not difference-making fantasy production.
Could Kmet still have a role this season? Sure, and he likely will! That doesn’t mean he’s going to bounce back though since that ship sailed when his team brought in such highly-touted competition. In an offense where targets may already end up hard to come by, the odds don’t favor a fantasy-relevant season from Kmet as he fights for starting snaps with the Ben Johnson’s shiny new toy. He may find himself in a backup role by midseason, if not sooner. The best hope for Kmet? There’s an out in his contract after this season, so perhaps he can find his way back into a larger share of responsibilities via a trade or other form of departure in 2026.
Fringe names to watch
This Chicago roster appears absolutely loaded with pass catchers, so pretty much every name has been covered to this point. However, there’s one position battle that’s worth monitoring over the remainder of training camp as Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai battle for the backup halfback duties. Swift should see plenty of touches but his body isn’t built for a bell-cow role, meaning someone will need to step up to spell him when he needs a breather.
The incumbent Johnson saw opportunities over the last couple of seasons but never truly popped with what he was given, logging 502 rushing yards, 313 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns over his 29 NFL appearances. Still, he’s a solid bet to hold onto the backup backfield job since he stands out in pass protection and is well-built at 6-foot, 227 pounds which means he can take on short-yardage and goal-line work. He averaged 6.8 FPPG as a rookie and 5.5 FPPG last season, and he could pop a bit if the Bears utilize a two-back system like the Lions did. However, things have felt eerily silent in regard to updates on Johnson’s work on the field with virtually no updates from coaches.
Monangai lingers in the background though as he’s received some praise from the coaching staff this offseason and showed some promise at Rutgers. He led the Big Ten with 1,262 rushing yards as a junior in 2023, then surpassed that tally with 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024. He’s solidly-built at 5-foot-8, 207 pounds but is still much smaller than Johnson, and Monangai received just seventh-round draft capital. There’s an outside chance he takes over the RB2 role, but banking on a seventh-rounder doesn’t work out very often.
