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Updates from Week 4
Quarterbacks
Justin Fields showed out in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Browns, completing 14-of-16 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. He added a pair of rushing attempts and 11 yards on the ground. He did that in just the first half before hitting the bench. The Browns were without Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, but Fields looked spectacular. Luke Getsy’s offense puts Fields on the move often. He looked sharp on rollouts and comfortable going through his reads in space. Trevor Siemian got the nod after Fields, solidifying his role as the team’s QB2. It’s unlikely that Nathan Peterman will make the final roster, but the Bears hope to keep him on the practice squad.
Running Backs
David Montgomery saw his first bit of preseason action on Saturday. He racked up 28 yards on nine carries and another five yards through the air, all with the first team. Khalil Herbert saw four carries and two receptions for 39 total yards. Montgomery saw 20 snaps to Herbert’s 17, but Herbert came later in the game. All signs point to a balanced committee, but Montgomery should see most of the work if Saturday’s usage tells us anything. Expect Khari Blasingame to make the team as a fullback. Trestan Ebner has looked solid so far in camp and preseason, but the Bears will have to decide how many running backs they want on their final roster, with Montgomery, Herbert, and Blasingame looking to have locked in their roles. Ebner had an ankle injury that kept him out of Saturday’s matchup.
Wide Receivers
Darnell Mooney is locked and loaded as the team’s WR1. After that, there is no idea of what to expect. Third-round rookie Velus Jones Jr has looked good in camp, but his usage in preseason games has been largely held to special teams. N’Keal Harry and Byron Pringle have spent most of the preseason dealing with injuries. Isaiah Coulter has drawn some buzz. Dante Pettis had a nifty touchdown on Saturday night. Regarding fantasy purposes, Mooney is the only player that should be on your radar.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet hauled in a touchdown on Saturday after being kept out of the end zone for the entire 2021 season. He caught all three of his targets for 36 yards. Kmet is likely to be the de facto WR2 for the Bears. He will play in-line but expect to see him lining up all over the field. The eye test on Kmet is that he is bigger and faster this year and could be looking at a huge season. Behind Kmet, James O’Shaughnessy and Ryan Griffin have both been playing well. All three tight ends profile as strong pass-catchers. It will be fascinating to see if the Bears can fit all three onto their final roster.
Defense
Roquan Smith intends to play out his rookie deal, but he was held out of Sunday’s game due to “tightness.” The young superstar linebacker has made his frustrations with a lack of extension public, but the hopes are that he’ll be ready to go by Week 1. Jaquan Brisker was a standout in the early preseason games, but a thumb surgery also has his Week 1 in question. The Bears’ strength is on the defensive side of the ball, but we’ve yet to see the entire unit together and healthy.
Returners
Potential returner Dazz Newsome has already been cut, and Nsimba Webster is reportedly on the roster bubble. Rookies Velus Jones and Trestan Ebner have played well on special teams this preseason and can handle returns if Webster doesn’t make the roster.
Updates from Week 3
Quarterbacks
With a short week and trip across the country to Seattle, the Bears only logged two practices this week, one of which was closed to the public. There wasn’t much to talk about in the quarterback room, still clearly led by Justin Fields. Fields did what was expected of him in Thursday’s game, making accurate throws and showing off his athleticism. However, his offensive line was the biggest storyline, consistently missing blocks and leaving Fields exposed in the backfield. Trevor Siemian got the snaps once Fields was done and looks locked in as the team’s backup quarterback. Siemian threw the lone touchdown of the night, but Nathan Peterman threw for almost twice as many yards on fewer pass attempts. Peterman is unlikely to make the final roster but is playing the best football of his career this preseason.
Running Backs
With David Montgomery held out of another preseason game, Khalil Herbert took all of the snaps with the first team. Like last week, this could mean two things; either the Bears’ new staff values Montgomery enough that they aren’t willing to risk a preseason injury, or they want a closer look at Herbert. After a strong rookie season, the latter is more likely, and the backfield should be a bit more split than we’ve seen in seasons past. After Thursday's game, Herbert was carted off the field in practice but returned the next day. Trestan Ebner and Darrynton Evans looked sharp in Thursday’s game, respectively, seeing nine and eight targets. Evans had more total yards and punched in the lone rushing touchdown. Both backs should make the final roster in what is proving to be one of the Bears’ deeper positional corps.
Wide Receivers
Once again, injuries are the main storyline for the Bears’ wide receivers. After missing the first preseason game, Velus Jones made his debut on Thursday. Although he only hauled in one pass for four yards, he racked up 78 yards on three total kick and punt returns. He appears locked in as the team’s biggest weapon on special teams and will contribute heavily there this year. Isaiah Coulter led the team in receiver yards while Nsimba Webster had the most receptions. With Byron Pringle yet to play, Darnell Mooney solidifies his role as the team’s WR1. After Mooney, though, the pecking order appears to be wide open. Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tajae Sharpe, NKeal Harry, and Dante Pettis have all struggled to stay healthy but are all currently in play for the team’s WR2 option.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet should be a focal point in the offense this season, seeing plenty of targets in Justin Fields’ opening drive. After missing the preseason opener, Kmet caught two of his three targets in Thursday’s game, including a 19-yard catch-and-run on a Fields’ bootleg. Entering his third season, Kmet is still just 23 years old and set for a breakout after failing to find the end zone last year. James OShaughnessy saw the most snaps at tight end but logged just one catch for 16 yards. His strength is as a pass-catcher, and he’ll likely make the final roster as an insurance policy for Kmet.
Defense
After missing some time, second-round rookie Kyler Gordon returned to practice this week and made his preseason debut against the Seahawks. However, fellow second-rounder Jaquan Brisker could not suit up after a phenomenal outing against the Chiefs last week. Brisker underwent hand surgery but should be ready for Week 1. Overall, the defense limited the Seahawks to just 11 points on Thursday. With Matt Eberflus’ history as a defensive coordinator, the Bears' defense is showing promising signs on that side of the ball. Roquan Smith recently ended his hold-in and stated, "It’s my last year of my deal. Hey, I'm just going to take it, run with it, bet on myself like I've always done, and the negotiations are over right now.”
Offensive Line
Fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones (Southern Utah) has been the pleasant surprise of the NFL preseason. Jones locked down the starting left tackle job for the Bears, and early returns have been tremendous. Veteran free agent Riley Reiff is at the right tackle spot, with Larry Borom battling hard for the job. Right guard Michael Schofield played poorly, so Teven Jenkins has converted to guard to compete. This line grades low due to all the drama, but there are reasons to invest.
Updates from Week 2
Quarterbacks
Justin Fields remains the clearcut QB1. He played the first three drives in Saturday’s preseason matchup and looked relatively comfortable in the new offense. He completed 4-of-7 passes for 48 yards while racking up another 10 yards on his lone rushing attempt. Trevor Siemian was next in the game, solidifying the thought that he will be the second-string quarterback. He accounted for both Bears’ passing touchdowns in the game, one to Dazz Newsome and another to Trestan Ebner. Nathan Peterman came in to close out the game as he continues to compete for a roster spot. The week of practice was a bit rough for the offense. The defense has been getting the best of the offense so far throughout camp, but the offense looked sharp this week. However, penalties remain an issue as the young team adapts to the new offense.
Running Backs
Khalil Herbert got almost all the work with the first team in the preseason game, with David Montgomery inactive. You can speculate in two ways: either the Bears want to protect David Montgomery, locked in as the team’s RB1, or they want to see what Herbert can do with the ones. The backfield still projects to be more of a split than we’ve seen in previous years, but Montgomery’s lack of activity in the match leads us to believe he will likely be the starter again. However, Herbert handled seven carries. Despite only racking up 20 yards, he ran hard and displayed the patience he is well-known for. Although three other running backs saw carries in the game, rookie Trestan Ebner flashed. In addition to his six carries for 31 yards, he had a nifty 12-yard receiving touchdown. Reports out of camp have been positive around Ebner, and the sixth-rounder should make the final roster. Darrynton Evans, who has dealt with injuries throughout his short career, had seven carries and three receptions. He profiles as a pass-catching back and will compete for a roster spot. Montgomery, Herbert, and Ebner appear locked in.
Wide Receivers
Tajae Sharpe has been the big name this week, and the veteran has been forced to step up in the wake of injuries to other wide receivers. Not only has he stepped up in practices, but he accounted for the best catch of the day on Saturday. Fields lofted a ball to the sideline, and Sharpe, draped in coverage, corralled the ball with one arm while staying in bounds. The connection that Fields and Darnell Mooney have spoken about proved to be true in Saturday’s game as well. While breaking inside, Fields skied a ball to the outside, knowing that Mooney would get there. Sure enough, Mooney broke to the ball and made a contested airborne catch in tight coverage. He is locked in as the team’s WR1. Byron Pringle, Velus Jones, NKeal Harry, and Dante Pettis all remain injured as the Bears are forced to play without four of their top six wide receivers.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet is day-to-day with an injury and did not play in Saturday’s preseason game. The injury is undisclosed, likely meaning that it is not serious. There isn’t any reason to be concerned that he won’t be ready for the season. He is locked in as the team’s TE1.
Defense
Jaquon Brisker looked phenomenal in his preseason debut and will bring a physical element to the Bears’ secondary. The defense continues to be the team's strength, as Matt Eberflus’s history as a defensive coordinator is apparent at practices. Roquan Smith has been vocal about his lack of a contract extension and is holding in.
Returners
Early on, the Bears have many options but little clarity at returner. In addition to veterans Khalil Herbert, Dazz Newsome, Nsimba Webster, and Byron Pringle, Chicago drafted two promising rookies-- Velus Jones (SEC Special Teams Player of the Year) and Trestan Ebner (Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year). With so many candidates, there is unlikely to be any clarity until late in the preseason, or perhaps not even until the season opener.
Updates from Week 1
Quarterbacks
After a frustrating quarterback battle last offseason, Justin Fields has the full support of the new staff and is getting all the first-team reps. His early camp has been a bit of a roller coaster. There aren’t many negative reports coming out of camp this early, but the offense as a whole has struggled with pre-snap penalties and alignment mistakes while adapting to a new offense. However, he’s shown plenty of flashes of athleticism, and the Bears’ success hinges on his development. Although most of Fields’ rushing yards came on scrambles last year, the new staff has been working on plenty of designed runs that could help him elevate both his floor and ceiling in fantasy. In addition to the designed runs, the team has spent more time this year on scramble drills. Trevor Siemian has been taking all his reps with the second team and will be unlikely to see any time in-season without an injury to Fields.
Running Backs
The biggest story from the first week of camp was that David Montgomery was spotted taking special teams reps. The story was probably overblown, though, as Montgomery personally asked for the reps. Even so, Montgomery is in the final year of his contract, and it’s unknown whether he fits into the team’s long-term plans. Khalil Herbert showed some flashes as a rookie and has gotten plenty of first-team reps. Jacob Infante with Windy City Gridiron said Getsy will likely split carries a la A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones. Coming from Green Bay, it makes sense that he would implement a similar committee in Chicago. Initially an afterthought, Khari Blasingame has been heavily involved in the play-action passing game. Darrynton Evans has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but the 24-year-old has also showcased his abilities as a receiver. Though Montgomery has been a workhorse the last few seasons, expect to see carries and targets distributed in 2022.
Wide Receivers
The clear weakness on the offense is headlined by third-year receiver Darnell Mooney. Fields and Mooney spent a lot of time working together early in the offseason, and Fields was quoted saying, “He pushes me to be better.” Mooney’s route running has drawn ooooooo’s and aaaaaaaa’s from the fans. Injuries have highlighted storylines in the receiver room so far. Byron Pringle picked up a hamstring injury, but Matt Eberflus is hopeful that he’ll be ready for the regular season. Velus Jones and Dante Pettis also picked up injuries by the end of the week. Jones was a burner in college and ran a 4.31 at the combine. He and Fields have regularly connected downfield for big plays. There was plenty of criticism regarding Jones’ age, but his experience is obvious in camp, and he already looks like a polished NFL receiver. This offense will run primarily on the ground. Because of the limited pass attempts expected, Mooney and Jones are likely to be the only heavy contributors on offense.
Tight Ends
Third-year tight end Cole Kmet is the only guy in the corps drawing any buzz. Getsy has raved about his versatility, saying he can line up out wide, run runs outside, and block in-line with the linemen. Getsy said, "He’s on the brink right now of taking his game to another level." After setting career-highs across the board in 2021, the second-round pick will likely finish second in targets behind Mooney. Kmet struggled with some drops and concentration issues in his first two seasons but has had some great catches so far throughout camp. James OShaughnessy profiles as a decent pass-catcher and was taped burning cornerback Eddie Jackson but is unlikely to see the field much behind Kmet.
Defense
The defense lost some of its biggest playmakers this offseason as the team leans into a rebuild. Cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker were the Bears’ first two picks in this year’s draft. Most of the reports out of camp regarding Gordon have been about him giving up touchdowns to receivers, which is certainly concerning. He ended the week injured and is still day-to-day. There isn’t much room for rookie safeties to stand out in camp, but Brisker has repeatedly been reported to be making good plays on the ball. Roquan Smith, Eddie Jackson, and Jaylon Johnson are the returning vets of importance. Smith is “holding in” for a new contract, and Johnson commented, "He's just a different animal when he's out there with us." The Bears' strength has come on the defensive side of the ball for decades, and despite the offseason losses, that appears to be the same going into 2022.
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