Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields threw only seven passes in each of the first two preseason games, leading one of his four drives to a field goal. He wasn't expected to suit up for his team's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns. That early "performance" didn't exactly get Bears fans or fantasy managers excited. Fields, who had a rather disappointing rookie season leading a mess of an offense, wasn't so popular in fantasy leagues, either. He entered this past weekend rostered in just 36% of ESPN standard leagues -- an afterthought of a late-round pick in some leagues.
Will anything change after Fields actually played on Saturday, completing 14 of 16 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of a 21-20 win? At the very least, Fields might make fantasy managers in deeper leagues start considering him. Bears fans have to be more excited today. We know the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft out of Ohio State provides value with his legs. Fields rushed for 420 yards in his rookie season, and ESPN Fantasy projects him to have 602 rushing yards this season, a figure topped by only three quarterbacks -- each of whom is a top-10 fantasy QB. These fellows don't need to throw like Joe Montana to be fantasy stars.
