As the summer continues to rage on, fantasy football drafts are only getting closer. With Ben Johnson taking over as head coach, the Chicago Bears have plenty of options that owners must consider on draft day.
While everyone is focusing on quarterback Caleb Williams and the passing attack, running back is usually the most crucial position in fantasy football. There are only so many strong starting options available, especially in 12-man leagues. Having two running backs guaranteed to put up numbers weekly isn’t as easy a task as it seems; ask any veteran owner.
D’Andre Swift is sure to get plenty of buzz, seeing as he is poised to lead Johnson’s run game. However, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report is predicting Roschon Johnson to emerge as the top handcuff running back. Meaning that if you draft Swift, you should most definitely be targeting Johnson. Furthermore, if you use a zero-running back strategy, Moton is urging you to consider Johnson late.
“Johnson could fit D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson into similar roles to those of Gibbs and Montgomery, respectively,” Moton wrote. “If so, both running backs would have great fantasy value. Gibbs was the RB1 and Montgomery finished as the RB18 in PPR leagues last season.
“If Johnson averages more than four yards per carry, as he did in his 2023 rookie campaign, the Bears’ No. 2 running back could be a massive steal in fantasy drafts. He’s currently going off the board as the RB51,” he concluded.
Roschon Johnson’s run with Chicago Bears
The Bears originally selected Johnson with the No. 115 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. During his rookie campaign, Johnson earned 81 carries, turning them into 352 yards and two touchdowns. His carries fell to 55 in 2024, but the running back took on a much different role.
Johnson matched Swift’s team-leading six touchdowns as a sophomore. While it came with just 150 yards total, he at least proved he can successful handle the goal-line work if necessary. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him stay in that role throughout 2025. But Johnson will need to do more than score short touchdowns to be a fantasy football star.
Working in his favor is a strong endorsement from general manager Ryan Poles, who expects the running back to take a massive step forward in 2025. Furthermore, the only real addition Chicago made at the position was seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai. Johnson isn’t facing much competition to make his mark on the depth chart.
Still, offseason hype is one thing, actual production is another. Johnson, the running back, will need to prove he is a strong fit in Johnson’s, the head coach, scheme sooner rather than later.
David Montgomery comparison
With Coach Johnson coming from the Detroit Lions, comparisons are already being made based on the current Bears roster. Swift is Jahmyr Gibbs while Johnson is David Montgomery. It isn’t that simple, as all four running backs possess completely different games. But from a pure fantasy football standpoint, it’s easy to see how Johnson would fill the Montgomery roll.
During the 2024 season, Montgomery earned 185 carries, running for 775 yards and 12 touchdowns. Gibbs was still the star and played a larger role in the passing game. But Montgomery was arguably the most dominant RB2 in the league and was a threat whenever the ball was in his hands, especially in the red zone.
While his yards per carry dropped to 2.7 due to his goal line usage, Johnson averaged a robust 4.3 as a rookie. Should he receive the same 185 carries that Montgomery did, there’s a chance he could break the 800 yard barometer. Now add in Johnson’s ability to score touchdowns and the comparison starts to make sense.
Still, Johnson had the Lions operating at max capacity while he is still building the Bears foundation. It’ll take time to get Chicago up to speed. But once the franchise fully understands the head coach’s gameplan, Johnson, the running back, could be one of the main recipients of an offensive boost.
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