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There is always an enormous amount of pressure on those that hold the No. 1 overall pick in a fantasy football draft, and the 2014 NFL season is no exception. Some people will always take Peyton Manning no matter what, and that is a debatable strategy, but a few other stellar fantasy options are getting a fair share of consideration at No.1 this season, including Chicago Bears RB Matt Forte, whom the Bears clearly feel is more than worth it.
@nflnetwork underrated @MattForte22 in the #Top100. Smart fantasy owners won’t. http://t.co/vnWs2MFEKn #DraftForte pic.twitter.com/DQHm4LSM78
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 15, 2014
Forte was dominant in 2013, his first season under head coach Marc Trestman and offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer. Forte accumulated the most carries (289) since his rookie campaign in 2008 (316) and thrived on the extra opportunities. He ran for 1,339 yards and nine TDs, had a career-high in receptions with 74 along with 594 yards and another three TDs receiving. Plain and simple, Forte was fantasy gold–particularly in PPR settings.
Even if Forte were to take a step backwards during the 2014 season at 28 years old, expecting over 1,200 yards rushing with six TDs minimum, along with 60 receptions for 500 yards and two TDs receiving would still be a fair assumption, which essentially guarantees a stellar fantasy campaign if he stays healthy.
The only RB I would take over Forte every time in standard settings, is Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs need Charles to dominate far more direly than the Bears need Forte to, which would be the main reason. LeSean McCoy is close, but the Philadelphia Eagles, like the Bears, have a ton of other players that can make big plays.
The verdict on this edition of fantasy “Buy or Sell” is fairly simple: buy Forte at No. 1 overall every time in PPR leagues, but in standard settings, you’re better off with McCoy or Charles by a narrow margin.
Timothy Downs is a St. Louis Rams/NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. You can add him on Google or follow on Twitter @Tidow1212.
