2022 Chicago Bears Odds, Schedule, & Fantasy Football Team Preview
Welcome to the 2022 NFL season preview for the Chicago Bears. It is a new era of football in Chicago as new Head Coach Matt Eberflus and new General Manager Ryan Poles attempt to get the franchise back on track after years of missteps by the previous regime. Justin Fields enters his second season as a professional and first as the full-time starting QB. Khalil Mack, Allen Robinson, and a host of other longtime Bears have departed as the roster is in the midst of a complete makeover. There are plenty of question marks in Chicago:
– Chicago Bears Betting Odds: Does Fields have enough help to keep this team out of the cellar of the division?
– Team Matchup Overview: Can the defense hold up despite the loss of Mack, Hicks, Goldman, and many others?
– Fantasy Football Drafts: Is the workload of David Montgomery safe in a contract year, or does Khalil Herbert and his success in limited action last year threaten to cut into his volume? Can we target any pass catchers outside of Darnell Mooney?
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2022 Chicago Bears Schedule, Lines, and Best Bets
Projected Odds, derived & modified from data originally published by Sean Koerner here.
Win Total and Total Games Favored:
6.5 (-120) / 3 Games Favored ( 0 Big Favorites / 7 Big Dogs)
The Bears are coming off a disappointing 6-11 season that saw Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace finally get shown the door. First-year GM Ryan Poles is seemingly allowing this team to take a step backward to acquire more draft capital. Khalil Mack was traded away. Allen Robinson, Akiem Hicks, and a host of others were allowed to walk in free agency. Very little was done to provide additional support for second-year quarterback Justin Fields. Only second and third-tier free agents were brought in to fill out the receiving corps and the offensive line.
On paper, this team looks more like it is competing for a top-five draft pick rather than a playoff spot. I suppose it is possible Fields exceeds all expectations and pushes this team towards a .500 record, but that seems unlikely given his lack of support.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 Wins
Frankly, I do not see how this team is any better than the team that won only 6 games last season. There is no chance I would wager on the Bears to win the division or make the playoffs. The offense is likely to struggle with efficiency as they have an inexperienced QB, a lack of talent at the skill positions, and a weak offensive line. The defense lost an elite pass rusher and a veteran leader from the interior of the line, among others, and is likely to take a step backward this year. I think they stay under 6.5 wins and pick near the top of the draft in the off-season.
Chicago Bears Props
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Favorite Prop: David Montgomery Under 900.5 Rushing Yards
Montgomery finished last season with 849 rushing yards on 225 attempts in 13 games. Sixth-round rookie Khalil Herbert looked very capable when he filled in for Montgomery, and he was more efficient as he averaged 4.2 yards per carry compared to 3.8 for Mongomery.
Montgomery is on an expiring contract, and I would not be surprised to see him lose work to Herbert who is under control on a rookie contract for two additional seasons.
Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Projections
Team Rankings and Ratings
Offense Ranks:Rank 30/ Below Average Rush / Weak Pass/ Rank 29 Points For)
Defense Ranks:Rank 29/ Below Average Rush / Weak pass / Rank 20 Points Allowed)
Opponent Strength – Rushing:7 difficult vs. rush. 5 soft vs. rush.
Opponent Strength – Passing:7 difficult vs. pass. 5 soft vs. pass.
The Bears project to be one of the worst offenses in football. Justin Fields flashed some upside at times even under Nagy last season, but the Bears did very little to support him in the off-season. They failed to bolster the offensive line or add a true number one wide receiver. Instead, they used mid-to-late round draft picks and second-tier free agents to fill out these positions on the roster.
The defense, typically a noted strength of this historic franchise, grades out as one of the weakest in football as well. The pass rush is banking on an aging Robert Quinn to follow up his career year and carry the team along with linebacker Roquan Smith. The defensive line saw several departures and looks to be in worse shape than last year. The one unit that has improved is the secondary as Ryan Poles used his first two picks in the draft to plug major holes at cornerback and safety.
Chicago Bears Top Fantasy Football Plays & Picks
Noteworthy Depth Chart
QB: Justin Fields – Underdog Rank: 183 (ADP 122 / -33.33% ADP Gap)
RB: David Montgomery – Underdog Rank: 47 (ADP 53 / 12.77% ADP Gap)
RB: Khalil Herbert – Underdog Rank: 203 (ADP 159 / -21.67% ADP Gap)
WR: Darnell Mooney – Underdog Rank: 64 (ADP 57 / -10.94% ADP Gap)
WR: Byron Pringle – Underdog Rank: 159 (ADP 219 / 37.74% ADP Gap)
WR: Velus Jones – Underdog Rank: 214 (ADP 231 – 7.94% ADP Gap)
TE: Cole Kmet – Underdog Rank: 130 (ADP 134 / 3.08% ADP Gap)
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New Additions of Note: Byron Pringle, Velus Jones, N’Keal Harry, Equanimeous St. Brown, Ryan Griffin, James O’Shaughnessy
Departures of Note: Allen Robinson, Marquise Goodwin, Damiere Byrd, Jakeem Grant, Jimmy Graham
Justin Fields enters his sophomore season locked into the starting role, but his cast of supporting characters is very underwhelming. He needs to improve his decision-making and get the ball out in a more timely fashion, especially playing behind a weak offensive line. It remains to be seen how often he will use his elite speed to rack yards on the ground.
Darnell Mooney is coming off a second-year breakout and really seemed to have great chemistry with Fields. He finished last season with 81 catches for 1,055 yards and 4 touchdowns. He should lead the team in targets, but he no longer has Allen Robinson on the other side to draw attention from the defense.
There is a wide-open path for opportunities available at WR2 in this offense. Byron Pringle came over from the Chiefs in free agency and looks to get the first crack at it. Third-round draft pick Velus Jones boasts plenty of speed but lacks NFL experience. Patriots cast-off and former first-round pick N’Keal Harry is in the mix as well.
Cole Kmet has not been productive at the tight end position in his first two seasons, but he should be on the field a ton. A breakout from him is not out of the question with the lack of pass-catching talent behind Mooney.
David Montgomery enters a contract year as the number one back, and it is uncertain whether he is part of the long-term plans for the new front office. There is the risk he does not hold down the same workhorse role he has in his first three seasons. Khalil Herbert proved capable in his rookie season and is a threat to cut into Montgomery’s rushing market share.
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