What should Fantasy Football Owners expect from the Chicago Bears defense this season?
The final piece in our fantasy projection series is the defensive side of the ball. The Chicago Bears’ defense is a very good unit, but how do they translate to fantasy points? We’ll take a closer look at the Bears team defense and if you play IDP fantasy, some of the individual players worth having on your roster.
The first issue with the Bears defense is that much of what they do doesn’t reflect on the fantasy radar. The defenses that usually tally the most fantasy points are the ones that land a lot of sacks and force a lot of turnovers.
The Bears aren’t great in either of those categories. Last season the Bears forced 22 turnovers which tied them for 13th, basically the league average. Their sack total was 42 which tied them for seventh, but that is a misleading number. The Bears pressure as a whole was not great last year, and with a void still opposite Leonard Floyd, they still may not be able to bring steady pressure. Their sacks were probably a bit fluky and also a result of some coverage sacks as well.
The Bears defense should benefit from a better offense. Their players won’t be on the field as much and that should result in more rested players that perform at a higher level. Opponents also won’t be playing ahead as often this year, which means they should have to pass a little more frequently which could help turnovers and sacks.
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At this point, it’s still hard to feel that the Bears’ defense will do anymore than roughly 10th in each category. By default, they should score a couple of defensive touchdowns. Basically, that means the Bears are looking at being a low-end D1 and a very high-end D2. If the Bears defense breaks out a little, they could move into a middle of the pack D1, but don’t expect this unit to be an elite defensive fantasy unit.
If you are looking for some IDPs to look at with the Bears defensive squad, here are some names to add to your squad:
Akiem Hicks, DE- Hicks was on his way to an All-Pro season before he ran out of gas the last 5 or 6 games. Hicks will be a very good defensive end for you. Expect the Bears to decrease his snaps which should increase his production. He will tally some sacks, a few tackles, and get some TFLs along the way. Hicks should be a low-end DE1.
Danny Trevathan, LB- The biggest concern with Trevathan is health. When he plays, he’ll get some tackles and some passes defended. He should recover a couple of fumbles and get to the quarterback a couple of times on blitzes. If he plays 16 games, he should be up around 100 tackles. Trevathan should be an LB2.
Roquan Smith, LB- If you are in a dynasty league, Smith should be the first defensive player selected in your rookie draft. He should be perfect for fantasy and should be the leading tackler on the Bears by next season. If you know Vic Fangio’s defenses, think Patrick Willis. This year, consider Smith as an LB4 or roll the dice on him as your LB3.
Eddie Jackson, S- Jackson has a chance to become a really good playmaker for the defense. He has the chance to get some turnovers and maybe get to the end zone a couple of times, especially if the Bears use him at all returning punts. Depending on your point structure, Jackson could be a sneaky good pick. Draft him as your S3 and he could work his way into your starting lineup.
Adrian Amos, S- He’s worth a roster spot, but be careful. Amos does everything pretty well but nothing spectacularly, so if he drops off a little from last year, the Bears may look to give someone who they control longer contractually (Deon Bush) a few more snaps. If Amos repeats last year, he should be a solid S2 for your squad.
Kyle Fuller, CB- CBs are tough in IDP leagues because the elite CBs don’t score any points. Fuller is good enough to be a threat when he’s thrown at, but not elite enough to be ignored by an offense. Fuller will see some balls his way which should result in some tackles, passes defended, and hopefully a few interceptions. He’s definitely on the CB1 radar.
Next: 2018 Cody Parkey Fantasy Projections
Notable names to avoid:
Eddie Goldman, DT- It’s not Eddie Goldman’s job to get statistics. Yes, he’ll chime in with the occasional sack or TFL, but for the most part, he’s drawing double teams and opening up the stat page for Hicks, Trevathan and Smith. He might be worth having as a backup DT but don’t rely on him to start.
Leonard Floyd, OLB- For Bears fans, hopefully this is the year that Floyd breaks out and really becomes a pass rusher, but based on history, Floyd is going to struggle to play 16 games. On top of that, Floyd doesn’t get a lot of tackles, which LBs need in an IDP league to be productive players. Floyd is a pass rushing specialist which means he will get some sacks and maybe a couple forced fumbles, but he won’t light up a stat sheet. He should be considered a backup linebacker but not worth starting in most IDP formats.
Prince Amukamara, CB- Prince is a solid CB, but he doesn’t do much that lands on the stat sheet. He will get some passes defended, but he can’t be relied upon for interceptions and he doesn’t make enough tackles to offset his inability to get turnovers. He’s a middle of the road CB from a fantasy perspective and not worth a roster spot.