The Chicago Bears got off to a slow start, but the offense has seemingly found its rhythm over the last two weeks. While Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze haven't posted great numbers over the past two weeks, Caleb Williams, D.J. Moore, and D'Andre Swift are beginning to realize their Fantasy promise. Over the past two weeks, Williams, Moore, and Swift have combined to average 31.5 Fantasy points per game, and there's good reason to believe their Fantasy output, collectively and individually, will only improve.
Despite the uptick in production, Jamey Eisenberg isn't quite sold on him at this juncture. "He's absolutely just a matchup guy at this point, but in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, he's a must-start quarterback, Jamey said. "So, I think that how you're viewing him, he's getting better, and that's the best part of this. You know, last week, the run game got solved, and it carried over to this week. The offensive line is starting to protect a little bit better. He had a huge game connecting with D.J. Moore today, which has been somewhat of an issue, so that's a positive in the right direction. …"
Williams is beginning to figure it out. In the Bears' 36-10 victory over the lowly Carolina Panthers, he posted 304 yards and two touchdowns. He's looking more composed in the pocket, and he's merely taking what the defense is giving him, especially against zone coverage.
Shane Waldron is also doing an excellent job of taking prudent risks on second down, as he's calling a fair amount of "shot plays" with built-in checkdowns that keep the offense on schedule. This approach has legs and can certainly be built upon as the season goes along. Though Jamey might have other quarterbacks rated higher, he's a believer in Williams' upside, especially heading into Week 6.
"I think he's trending in the right direction. He's not a must-start quarterback by any stretch, but next week, if you're stuck, you would love to start him against Jacksonville because Joe Flacco just tore apart this team. And while Caleb Williams won't do that, he's still capable of 20-plus Fantasy points."
DJ Moore exploded for 27 Fantasy points in Week 5, and there's no reason to believe he can't continue producing at a high level. As a playcaller, you never want your playmakers to have to work too hard to get the ball. This is why many (including myself) believed that many of Moore's receptions would be closer to the line of scrimmage. It's beginning to look like Moore is the Bears' best deep threat. The separation he's creating down the field is remarkable, and that's due to the moves he makes at the top (also referred to as the stem) of his routes.
As Dave Richard stated, everyone is starting DJ Moore anyway, but given his latest performance, now we can feel a lot better about it. Moore has had at least eight targets in four or five games, and now he and Williams are beginning to connect. If Shane Waldron can continue to keep offenses off-balance, he'll likely continue to get the most out of the Williams-Moore connection.
D'Andre Swift isn't an RB1 for most, but there's an argument to be made that he should be. He's extremely versatile and can give your Fantasy squad production on the ground and through the air. He'll benefit from more check-downs from Caleb Williams than several running backs in the league, and it appears that the Bears have found the type of runs that work best for him.
Between the 20s, expect a large dose of outside zone with Caleb Williams under center. This allows the offensive coordinator to marry the pass game with the run game, so everything looks the same. This keeps defenses unsure of whether they can anticipate run or pass. This approach should yield better results in the run game. In goal-line situations, look for the Bears to run more power run plays with pulling linemen.
Despite the changes to the run game, Heath Cummings feels slightly less optimistic when it comes to Swift.
"I think you just view D'Andre Swift almost right back where he was when we drafted him. My RB2 is going to have some spike weeks and some awful weeks. That's exactly what he's done. And I think there are some more spike weeks and awful weeks to come."
There will likely be more peaks than valleys when it comes to Swift's play this season, and he'll have every opportunity to remain at the top of the mountain in Week 6.
"I think he's the Bear that's benefited from matchups the last two weeks," Dave added. "He'll benefit again against the Jaguars in London."
Dave is likely right here, but he's only projected to reach 10.80 Fantasy points in Week 6. Given that there are a couple of new wrinkles in Chicago's run game and a newfound interest in getting Swift the ball in the pass game, look for Swift to outperform Fantasy projections.
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