Justin Fields 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Fantasy Football Outlook
For whatever reason in 2021, former Bears Coach Matt Nagy chose not to utilize Justin Fields’ elite talent with his legs. New Head Coach Matt Eberflus did not make this same mistake and took full advantage of Fields’ legs as he ran for 1,143 yards on the ground en route to a QB7 finish. We know Fields has an extremely safe floor, but just how high is his ceiling? Let’s take a closer look to determine just how good Fields can be this season.
2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
While Fields’ fantasy appeal last season came from his legs, his passing was not ideal, to say the least. According to Sharp Football, Fields ranked 35th among QBs throwing with no pressure, 44th when in the pocket, 41st against man coverage, and 40th against zone coverage. As my two Goldendoodles would say; “woof.”
The Bears did, however, add underappreciated wide receiver DJ Moore this off-season to help bolster their passing game. The addition is a sign they want to at least try to increase passing this year, and Moore’s arrival gives Fields the best wide receiver he’s ever had. Factor in speedy receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet, and this gives Fields a solid group of pass catchers at his disposal. If Fields can improve as a passer similar to what we’ve seen recently from Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts, then an overall QB1 finish is certainly on the table.
It’s probably not realistic to expect the same historic rushing pace we saw from Fields last year. Though any gains he can make throwing the football will help offset these concerns and keep Fields as a solid QB1. Just how much Fields improves as a passer will ultimately determine his true fantasy ceiling.
Dynasty Outlook
While Fields is secure for 2023, the future is where things get a little foggy. For all the highlight reel plays, Fields has only won five of his 25 starts in his career thus far. Now, that’s obviously not all Fields’ fault, but we did highlight some concerns above regarding his passing. The truly scary part? Fields graded worse in all these categories in 2022 when compared to 2021. Fields actually regressed as a passer last season, and that is troublesome.
We also have to factor in that the Bears’ ecosystem is not quite as friendly for Fields compared to Jalen Hurts in 2022 and Josh Allen in 2020. There’s also a completely different head coach and general manager combination than the ones who drafted Fields in 2021. Factor in the Bears are armed with two first-round picks in 2024 to potentially move up for a QB, and I begin reaching for some Pepto Bismal.
Fields’ current price in dynasty startups does not adequately bake in the question marks I have regarding his future and development. The Bears will have to decide on Fields’ 5th-year option next offseason and dynasty managers may be facing a similar decision as well.
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