With the fantasy season upon us and most drafts occurring this weekend, self-proclaimed “Fantasy Head” Bryan Orenchuk and WCG’s official Fantasy Guru Jack R Solo touch on the top ten Chicago Bears for this upcoming fantasy season. Next up, we have the top 3! Jack and Bryan have included the rankings from ESPN, Fantasy Pros, Yahoo!, and NFL.com for your reference and have averaged their own rankings to construct this list. Enjoy.
Here’s how we have the top ten ranked so far:
10. Kyle Monangai
9. Olamide
Zaccheaus
7. Cole Kmet
3. Rome Odunze (ESPN – WR35, Fantasy Pros – WR34, Yahoo! – WR32, NFL.com – 32)
What they love:
Bryan Orenchuk: I love Rome’s route running and athletic profile, especially in a Ben Johnson offense. I love his size and contested catch prowess so that not only can he take the easy targets to the house when he’s schemed open, but he can go up and get it in coverage when he is in tight coverage.
Jack R Salo: I love a year two for a receiver who had all the promise in the world, only to find himself lost in a Bears offense that couldn’t keep games competitive last year. Follow the money, and you’ll see the Bears should heavily target DJ Moore and Rome Odunze above all others. Last year he had 101 targets but only 54 receptions. If the targets stay (or increase!) but that gap closes, he’ll be a 1,000 yard receiver and then some.
What they like:
Bryan Orenchuk: I like that Rome no longer has to vie for targets behind Keenan Allen and figures to be 1A or 1B along with DJ Moore. By all reports at camp, Rome has been clicking with Caleb as well, so hopefully that translates to the regular season.
Jack R Salo: Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze played college ball in the same conference and were drafted together in the top 10. I like their connection as their careers progress together. If the Bears’ third downs are more manageable with a competent offense, then Caleb’s reliance on Rome on the money down will lead to the chains moving, giving Odunze more opportunities.
What they worry about:
Bryan Orenchuk: While Rome succeeded against man coverage, he actually struggled more than expected against zone last season. While I would pin that on the poor offensive scheme more than anything, it is worth monitoring. I am also a bit concerned about his drops. He had more drops last season than I would have expected, and in limited action this pre-season, also had a couple. Hopefully, that is all out of his system.
Jack R Salo: Is Odunze better between the 20s than in the red zone? He only managed 3 touchdowns in 17 games last year. That’s horrible for a starting receiver. Keenan Allen is gone, and he scored 7 last year. Could every one of those go to Rome this year, plus more touchdowns all around in Ben Johnson’s system? Sure. Could the Bears also rely on the running game in the red zone? That’s probably more likely. Odunze will need more touchdowns to be a comfortable WR2 in fantasy leagues.
Draftable?:
Bryan Orenchuk: Absolutely. I expect a significant year 2 jump from Rome in both real life and fantasy football. Worthy of being a WR2 for any team, but easily a steal at WR3.
Jack R Salo: Odunze will certainly get drafted in leagues with at least 8 managers. He’s a solid flex play, so depending on how the draft falls, you could justify taking him as your last pick before you fill your bench. The upside makes him worth reaching for in keeper leagues, but otherwise, wait and see if he falls to you.
2. DJ Moore (ESPN – WR20, Fantasy Pros – WR22, Yahoo! – WR28, NFL.com – WR14)
What they love:
Bryan Orenchuk: I love that DJ is playing for an offensive coach that can take advantage of his skillset to scheme him the ball in space. DJ is a menace in the open field and has even been taking more carries out of the backfield. Expect him to get plenty of touches from a variety of alignments this season.
Jack R Salo: This man hates being tackled. His entire career with the Bears so far has involved him catching passes and just fighting for every single yard. Does this work when 6 guys are coming one-by-one to bring him down? No. But it should work much better when the play is designed to get him in open space with one man to beat. Averaging about 127 targets per season over his 7-year career, nearly 8 per game, Moore remains the best bet this year to make his first Pro Bowl.
What they like:
Bryan Orenchuk: I like that he will have plenty of other weapons taking the focus away from opposing defenses. With Ben calling plays, expect a lot of 1 on 1’s for DJ where his chemistry has only grown with his young QB.
Jack R Salo: Luther Burden III is here, and the hope is he can run the plays where the Bears throw the ball out behind the line of scrimmage and try to set up a run in space. This will free up Moore to run plays downfield, where he’s always been a burner and can rack up fantasy points. If Moore does continue to see those plays behind the line, Burden spent the preseason buying into the “no block, no rock” mentality. Moore has even seen some action at running back in practice, so the different ways he’ll get involved in the offense will be fun to watch.
What they worry about:
Bryan Orenchuk: I worry that Rome Odunze will overcome DJ as Chicago’s WR1 and that will impact DJ from a fantasy perspective. I also have concerns about his usage combined with his physical running style and worry about his durability.
Jack R Salo: Speaking on “no block, no rock,” Ben Johnson made a comment shortly after getting hired that he believes DJ Moore is one of the best run-after-catch receivers in the league, but that he needs to be blocking as well [on other plays]. At the time, this seemed like a slight, so has DJ Moore bought in to the gameplan? We already saw plays last year where the camera crew caught him on the bench looking upset. I truly believe this will be DJ Moore’s best season as a pro, and he’ll accomplish a lot of the things he’s been working for. There are just some lingering questions and a head coach who won’t have any of last years bull.
Draftable?:
Bryan Orenchuk: Yes. DJ Moore is a low-end WR1 and elite WR2. Draft accordingly.
Jack R Salo: Based on rankings in most fantasy apps, you should be able to get DJ Moore outside of the top 50 picks. That’s a steal! If you can pair DJ Moore with one of the top-end receivers in the NFL (Chase, Jefferson, Lamb) you’re in great shape.
1. Caleb Williams (ESPN – QB12, Fantasy Pros – QB14, Yahoo! – QB14, NFL.com – QB12)
What they love:
Bryan Orenchuk: The offensive line additions after being sacked a record high 67 times as a rookie. Not only does he have an elite playcaller now, but his OL should give him more time than he had last season. Oh, and his weapons are as good as it gets from a QB’s perspective.
Jack R Salo: The Bears are going to have Williams playing on time, which should greatly reduce the sacks but also open up scrambling opportunities. Last year he held the ball far too long, and it led to sacks and throwaways as everything came apart. With a large investment made in three new starters on the interior of the line, two more weapons drafted in the first two rounds, and a proven offensive system to play in, Caleb is going to move the ball one way or another. He was able to consistently gash teams with his legs in college, and when the receivers aren’t open this year, he’s going to take off.
What they like:
Bryan Orenchuk: I like that Ben overloaded Caleb with the new offense early in camp and has been scaling it back since then and will continue to cater it towards Caleb’s strengths during the season. Mentally and physically, he should be ready and should only get better as the year progresses.
Jack R Salo: I like what he was able to accomplish in fantasy at times last season, despite the horrendous situation around him. Five separate games he finished in the top-10 of fantasy quarterbacks, including weeks 12 and 13 where he finished in the top-5 and fought tooth and nail to keep the Bears in the game. (They lost both). Consistency will be the biggest factor in starting or sitting Williams this year, but there’s no doubt he has the ability to be a top tier fantasy quarterback in any given week.
What they worry about:
Bryan Orenchuk: I worry about the Left Tackle position, especially after a division rival has added a premier pass-rusher. If Caleb doesn’t have time to throw, he is prone to make mistakes.
Jack R Salo: This schedule. The Bears will face the Ravens, Cowboys, Vikings twice, and Packers twice, all of whom finished the 2024 season in the top ten for team sacks. Yes the Cowboys no longer have Micah Parsons, but where did he get traded to again? The Bears also face the Commanders, who allowed the fourth-least passing yards; the Lions, who allowed the second-lowest completion percentage; and the Steelers, who tied for third-most team interceptions. Williams will need to take a massive step forward to compete with some of the defenses on this schedule. Of course there’s optimism with all the moves made this season. This schedule will either sharpen Caleb Williams, or it will break him.
Draftable?:
Bryan Orenchuk: Definitely. I am not averse to punting on QB until rounds 9-11 and drafting Caleb as your B1. Load up on talent at all other spots and see if Ben can mold him into a premier pick come fantasy playoffs. I would advise spending another pick in the next few rounds on one of the first backup QBs, though, just in case. In dynasty, Caleb is a must for me.
Jack R Salo: I love Caleb Williams in two-quarterback leagues. He’s worth reaching for to be your QB2. In single-quarterback fantasy leagues, he’s a fringe/spot starter. He’s worth drafting, yes, but more comfortably if you have enough bench spots to stash a quarterback.
How do you feel about each of these Bears players this season? Will Da Bears finally have a legit QB option in fantasy?
