The 2024 NFL Season is rapidly approaching. The season kicks off on Thursday, September 5 and every day through Monday, September 2 we’ll be going team-by-team as we preview the new season. Be sure to come back here every afternoon as we look at a new team and get your ready for the 2024 season. We’ll cover off-season changes, the fantasy prospects, and the prediction for how the team will fare this season.

The 2023 Bears season was an enigma. The team struggled from the outset and losing Justin Fields for a bit with injury. But Fields returned and the Bears pulled it together, actually moving to 7-10. Still, the team finished fourth in the NFC North and, thanks to a trade with the Panthers, actually had the No. 1 overall pick. That meant some major changes this off-season. Will it be enough for the Bears to take a step forward? Let’s head to Chicago and look at the Bears.

Off-Season Changes

The biggest changes came to the offense. The Bears bid farewell to Fields, sending him to the Steelers for practically nothing. The Bears also saw receiver Darnell Mooney head out, signing with the Atlanta Falcons. But the Bears re-loaded, and quickly. The team brought in D’Andre Swift to add to the backfield. In 2023 with the Eagles, Swift rushed for 1,049 yards and five touchdowns. But that was just the beginning, as the Bears made a deal for former Chargers’ receiver Keenan Allen. Allen has 904 receptions for 10,530 yards and 59 touchdowns. He gives the team a huge weapon opposite D.J. Moore.

But the Bears weren’t done, making some huge moves with two First-Round picks. With the No. 1 overall, they took former USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams threw for 8,170 yards and 72 touchdowns in two years. He’s now the Bears franchise quarterback. With pick No. 9 overall, they grabbed him yet another weapon in receiver Rome Odunze. The receiver caught 214 passes for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns in his time at Washington. He figures to be an anchor in the Bears’ passing game for years to come.

Fantasy Prospects

The Bears have an embarrassment of riches on offense. Williams will be the starter and will surely take some lumps. Still, I like him as a QB2 this season. In the backfield, Swift pairs with Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. It will be something of a split, but I think Swift takes the biggest share. I like him as an RB2. The question is the others. I lean toward Johnson, but I think both could have some flex value.

Among receivers, the Bears have two receivers that were Top 10 in 2023. Moore was WR6 for the Bears and Allen was WR8 for the Chargers. I don’t think either is as high in 2024, especially with Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet in the mix. I like Moore as the best, finishing as a low-end WR1. I think Allen and Odunze split targets, and the mix ends up looking a lot like the split D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had in Seattle in 2023. That makes even more sense given that Seattle’s Shane Waldron is now the Bears’ Offensive Coordinator. I have Allen as a low-end WR3 and Odunze as a WR4. Kmet was TE8 in 2023, but it’s deceptive. His overall scoring was buoyed by some huge games. I think he’s the fourth or fifth option in 2024, and he’s a TE2 for me. Even that might be optimistic if we use the Seahawks’ 2023 pass distribution as a guide.

Prediction

The Bears weren’t as bad as you remember in 2023. They won seven games and I think they could have won more. So, how high can this team go? There’s a lot of great pieces and I think this will be a fun team to watch. They could win 10 or 11 games, as some have predicted, but more likely I think this team wins nine games to have a winning season and is right on the cusp of a Wild Card berth.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.