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2019 Fantasy Football: Chicago Bears Defense and IDP

By Bill Zimmerman

CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 17: Khalil Mack (L) and Danny Trevathan #59 of the Chicago Bearscelebrate a defensive play against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on September 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Seahawks 24-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 17: Khalil Mack (L) and Danny Trevathan #59 of the Chicago Bearscelebrate a defensive play against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on September 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Seahawks 24-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Are the Chicago Bears the best fantasy defense in 2019?

The Chicago Bears defense rewarded fantasy owners handsomely in 2019.

The Bears tallied up 50 sacks, good for third in the NFL. The Bears also had 36 turnovers which easily led the NFL. The Bears returned six of those turnovers for TDs, good for first in the league and to top things off, the Bears averaged giving up 17.7 PPG which was good for? First in the league.

Anyone with half a fantasy brain knows that means the Bears, in any type of scoring for team defense, was the highest scoring defense in the league.

Can the Bears repeat that performance in 2019? There’s no reason to think they can’t. 36 turnovers seems impossible to duplicate, but new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is knows for aggressive schemes to create pressure on the QB and turnovers in the secondary.

If the unit stays healthy, it’s hard to imagine too much of a slip. There’s no reason not to have the Chicago Bears defense as your top unit when you are ready to draft a defense.

Ranking Individual Defensive Players (IDP) is a little more tricky because of the great difference in scoring from league to league, but here’s a few things you can count on.

Roquan Smith should be in your top 10 for IDPs. Smith is going to tally a ton of tackles and should be able to create and grab some turnovers as well. Pagano is also known to blitz his inside linebackers from time to time so Smith should get some sacks as well.

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If your IDP has an Edge position, Khalil Mack should up towards the top of the list. Mack should be in for a monstrous season in Chicago as he’s entering his prime and is fully healthy. If your IDP league lists Mack as an LB and has DEs as a separate position, that usually will hurt Mack because traditionally points are weighted more for defensive lineman to make them more valuable. It’s critical to know exactly how your defensive players are scored before you draft.

Akiem Hicks will be a monster at defensive end, especially if your league gives bonuses for tackles for loss (TFL). Hicks is a TFL machine and there’s no reason to expect that to change this season.

Bilal Nichols could be a sleeper, but it’ll be critical to monitor his snap counts. Eddie Goldman is a valuable defensive lineman, but he doesn’t show up in the stat sheet as much as some.

In the secondary, if your league gives heavy points for turnovers or defensive touchdowns, than Eddie Jackson needs to be at the top of your list. If your league is more tackle heavy and gives less value to turnovers, there are other safeties that are more valuable than Jackson.

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Regardless of how your defense is scored, Smith should be the top Chicago Bear on any IDP draft list. After that, it depends on how your league is graded, but Hicks, Mack, Danny Trevathan (due to tackles) and Jackson will most likely be the highest scoring Bears defensive players.

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