Chicago Bears 2021 Season: 10 hot takes resulting in a playoff run

6. Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery will go for 2,000 scrimmage yards

Nagy wants to create a workhorse in David Montgomery this season, frequently saying he would like his starting running back to carry it 20 times per game in 2021. If that’s the case, then ESPN’s bold prediction of Montgomery rushing for over 1,400 yards is absolutely doable.

Last year, Montgomery rushed for 1,070 yards on 247 carries. But, he didn’t get going until late in the season when he did most of his damage over a 5-game span. Before that point, the Bears’ offensive line couldn’t block the sun with an umbrella. After they figured it out, Montgomery’s production soared.

Assuming the starting offensive line is better than it was in 2020 (and it is), Montgomery should get off to a much better start than he did a year ago. Let’s assume Montgomery rushes 20 times per game this season. He would end up with 1,462 yards if he averaged a modest 4.3 yards per carry as he did a season ago. Then, let’s take his receiving production from last year (54 receptions for 438 yards) and add it up.

This would give Montgomery exactly 1,900 yards from scrimmage. If he came up with just 100 more receiving yards in 2021, he’d top the 2,000-yard mark altogether.