Windy City Gridiron
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
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...
