Which Bears player should you target in 2022 fantasy football drafts?

The 2022 fantasy football season will be here before we know it. Fantasy drafts will get underway in just a couple of months, which means it’s time to begin preparing your strategy to win your league and, maybe, some cash (or, at the very least, bragging rights).

This year, the Chicago Bears offense won’t be a heavily targeted group in fantasy football leagues. Still, at least three players will appeal to intelligent fantasy managers willing to bet on the upside. New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is charged with rebuilding the rubble left behind by former coach Matt Nagy. It’s a project that begins (and ends) with second-year quarterback Justin Fields, who fortunately has a few quality skill players to lean on along the way.

But which Bears skill player is the most appealing in 2022 fantasy football leagues? We decided to run a poll on Twitter to see who fans felt the most confident in as training camp approaches, and the results were closer than you might think.

After nearly 600 votes, running back David Montgomery is the preferred choice amongst fantasy players in 2022. It was close, though, he received 39.4% of the votes compared to 38.1% for Fields. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney came in third with 21%.

David Montgomery is the Bears’ top fantasy football target

Montgomery makes sense as the top pick right now. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, which often provides a boost in fantasy value. There’s something very real about players in their contract years. He’s also proven on the field that when trusted as the bell cow of the Bears’ offense, he has the potential to be a top-10 fantasy running back.

Montgomery finished the 2021 season with 225 carries for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. He appeared in only 13 games because of a knee injury suffered early in the year when it looked like he’d shatter his 2020 career-best season when he ran for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns. Entering 2022, Montgomery will be the focal point of a Bears’ rushing attack that should cater to his strengths and trust him with a workload closer to 275 carries.

Justin Fields’ fantasy football upside is real

Fields, meanwhile, is entering a second season with high expectations but significant concerns. Those concerns aren’t about his talent (at least, not yet). Instead, the worry surrounds his wide receivers. It’s an untested and unproven group beyond Mooney. Free-agent signing Byron Pringle and rookie third-round pick Velus Jones Jr. are key starters despite no proof that they can handle that role. In recent days, Chicago added a few veterans like Tajae Sharpe and Dante Pettis, but neither player has proven to be a reliable long-term option.

But Fields isn’t a receiver-dependent quarterback. He can transcend his supporting cast. Fields is the kind of quarterback who can raise the level of play of his teammates and turn guys like Pringle and Jones into productive pros.

Fields’ arm talent was evident during his rookie season. His playmaking ability as a runner was, too. His first-year box score won’t earn him a trip to the Hall of Fame, but his film flashed plenty of “wow” moments to feel good about his emergence as a franchise quarterback in 2022.

Fields finished the 2021 season completing just under 59% of his passes for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He ran for another 420 yards and two scores. There’s no doubt he’ll enjoy a drastic improvement in 2022. He should have little trouble doubling his passing yards, increasing his passing touchdowns by three or even four-fold, and doubling his rushing yards. By the time the season comes to an end, Fields may be a top-five fantasy quarterback.

Darnell Mooney has top-10 fantasy WR potential

As for who Fields will throw to, Mooney is the clear WR1 and, by default, should rank high on fantasy managers’ wish lists this summer.

Mooney eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in his second season in the NFL, which is no small feat considering Nagy’s inept offense and the number of games he played with Andy Dalton. His route-running is among the best wide receivers in the NFL, and his ability to flip the field on a single touch makes him a high-ceiling, high-floor player.

Mooney finished the 2021 season with 81 catches for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns. He competed with veteran Allen Robinson for targets and didn’t emerge as the obvious go-to guy until Fields was named the starting quarterback. With an entire offseason working with Fields, Mooney will have a target share and volume of opportunities consistent with the top wide receivers in fantasy football.

Chicago Bears fantasy football ADP

The current 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) confirms Bears fans’ thoughts on Montgomery. He’s the highest-drafted player on Chicago’s offense. Montgomery is currently RB19 and the No. 42 overall pick. Fields isn’t the second-most coveted Bear, however. He’s QB18 and the No. 117 overall pick. Mooney, meanwhile, is being drafted as WR32 and the No. 82 overall pick. It’s important to factor fantasy positional value into this ADP ranking, though.

There are still a few months to go before fantasy football drafts kick-off. Training camp news and preseason highlights (or lowlights) could move Montgomery, Fields, and Mooney up or down draft boards, but if you’re willing to bet on fantasy football upside, the Bears’ offense has plenty of it.