Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert isn't a first-round pick in fantasy football drafts. He isn't a top-24 player at his position and won't be drafted by fantasy managers to be a starter in 2022. But that doesn't mean he doesn't offer value to your fantasy team this fall.
Herbert's role with the Bears this year is still somewhat undefined. At worst, he'll be David Montgomery's primary backup. At best, he'll emerge as the best fit for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's offense and become the lead runner. The most likely scenario lies somewhere in-between. Khalil Herbert will be Montgomery's top backup, but he'll also get more than a backup's share of carries.
According to Pro Football Focus, that has value, especially after seeing how Herbert was used by the Bears in their preseason win over the Seattle Seahawks Thursday night.
PFF: 'Khalil Herbert is Montgomery's clear handcuff'
"David Montgomery missed another preseason game with an undisclosed injury, allowing Herbert to play 100% of the snaps with the starters for a second straight week," PFF's Nathan Jahnke wrote. He again left the game once the starters were finished. It was good to see Chicago get him involved as a receiver (two receptions) and pass protector. Receiving and blocking aren’t his strengths, but even low efficiency there is better than being off the field. Rookie Trestan Ebner was the next back on the field and seems locked into the third spot on Chicago's running back depth chart, but he seems unlikely to contribute this season without an injury.
"Herbert is Montgomery's clear handcuff, but he could also see significant playing time depending on how the new coaching staff wants to distribute touches."
Herbert's average draft position (ADP), according to Underdog, is No. 151 overall. He's being drafted as RB49, which suggests fantasy managers in 12-team leagues view him as an RB4 at this point in the process.
That's fantastic value for a player who could conceivably become a full-time starter if there's an injury to Montgomery. We saw just how effective Herbert can be in 2021 when he ran for 433 yards and two touchdowns when he filled in for four games while Montgomery recovered from a knee injury.
If one thing has become abundantly clear for the Chicago Bears this preseason, it's that they have a deep and talented running back room. Khalil Herbert is a big part of that and could be a big reason why you win a fantasy championship in 2022.