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I usually have a no-Bears draft rule when it comes to fantasy football. For one, I'm emotionally invested enough in watching my Bears - having Bears players on my fantasy team underperform would just send me further through the roof and there's only so many remote controls I can throw at the wall. More importantly, for years now the Bears just don't have anyone that you can start with confidence. Aside from Gould in '06 and the Bears defense/special teams, it's just a bunch of bench fodder when you're looking at 10-team leagues, at least.

At any rate, I was looking at my pay site for their latest (9/1) rankings and I was amused that it's just the same old thing this year - not that I was surprised. Here's where the Bears rank by position for redraft leagues. I will remind you there are 32 NFL teams :

Orton - #30 QB (in your FACE, Joe Flacco and Brodie Croyle !)
Forte - #29 RB (would have been lower if not for the Panthers RB by-committee approach)
Hester - #61 WR (yes, this means there are teams with 2 and even 3 WRs listed before our first entry)
Olsen - #18 TE
Gould - #12 K (whooooo !!!)
Bears Def/ST - #7

UGLY.

I fully realize fantasy rankings don't tell the story of how a team is going to perform. Fantasy football, after all, is based on individual play, not team play and there are plenty of fantasy "studs" on crappy teams. But I think this tells a story of a team with no identity and no offensive stars to speak of. It speaks to just how bad our offensive system is yet again. We'll be looking at field goals and depending on the defense and special teams to do some scoring.

In short, if you didn't know it already, avoid those Bears on draft day.

I have Gould way higher than #12 Kicker. I drafted him in both leagues. We can't get in the end zone. Our only chance is FG's!!!!!!

ChronicKerr wrote:I have Gould way higher than #12 Kicker. I drafted him in both leagues. We can't get in the end zone. Our only chance is FG's!!!!!!

Well, the Bears finished 7th in kicker scoring last year and I'm not sure what about the offense would lead you to believe he's going to be in a position to have more chances in 2008 but it could happen. He missed his only two attempts from over 50yds last year and he missed a couple from 48yds in the preseason (one that could have won the game) and he's usually money that 40 to 49 range. With kicking it's ALL about the # of attempts, though, and that's squarely in the offense's hands - that's why you'll see DAL, NE, and IND with their kickers routinely in the top 10.

Chewie wrote:

ChronicKerr wrote:I have Gould way higher than #12 Kicker. I drafted him in both leagues. We can't get in the end zone. Our only chance is FG's!!!!!!

Well, the Bears finished 7th in kicker scoring last year and I'm not sure what about the offense would lead you to believe he's going to be in a position to have more chances in 2008 but it could happen. He missed his only two attempts from over 50yds last year and he missed a couple from 48yds in the preseason (one that could have won the game) and he's usually money that 40 to 49 range. With kicking it's ALL about the # of attempts, though, and that's squarely in the offense's hands - that's why you'll see DAL, NE, and IND with their kickers routinely in the top 10.

Cliff Levingston would rather have a kicker that you can count on for at least a couple extra points per game. They're bound to get some FG attempts here and there along with those PATs.

Orton will have a solid season, definitely better then #30 if he plays all 16 games. Around 2800-3000 yards, 15 TDs, 11 INTs. I didn't draft him but I would have for my #3 QB in one of the last two rounds if he was available.

Forte is my #3 RB. I think he'll put up around 900-1000 yards and 5-6 TDs this season.

No Bears WRs are solid fantasy options right now. One might step up and be a solid backup on a fantasy team, but who knows. I did pick up Rasheid Davis with my final pick.

Cliff Levingston has not a single Bear on any one of his 3 fantasy teams, for good reason.

I would take Gould or the Bears team defense. In a league that gives points for return yardsage I'd take Hester (though leagues that do that are rare).

I'm in one 16 team league, and I have Brady as my starter, and Orton would be a nice backup, but I couldn't afford him in the auction

The only guys I have faith in really are olsen and forte from a fantasy perspective

I've never played in a league without the Bears defense before this season, and I've done pretty well in my leagues. Won a couple, finished top 2 in others, and did bad just once.

Last year our defense sucked in real life but fantasy wise our D/ST... 41 sacks, 16 picks, 17 fumbles recovered, a safety, 8 blocked kicks, a defensive TD, and Devin Hester.

The league I am in counts return yards as a stat so I have Hester on my team.

Same here so I took Nate Burleson and Ted Ginn Jr. at the end of the draft.

Matt Forte... Bears Defense... Robbie Gould... all did well for me.

dougthonus wrote:I'm in one 16 team league, and I have Brady as my starter, and Orton would be a nice backup, but I couldn't afford him in the auction

Hmm...well...I think you're going to have to start looking at having Orton as your starter...just saying!

dougthonus wrote:I would take Gould or the Bears team defense. In a league that gives points for return yardsage I'd take Hester (though leagues that do that are rare).

I'm in one 16 team league, and I have Brady as my starter, and Orton would be a nice backup, but I couldn't afford him in the auction

You must be crying over losing Brady this weekend eh doug?

And whoever picked Forte was pretty smart. Although he should have had 2 TD's instead of 1, but still a lot of yards for him!