It can be hard to sign off on rookie quarterbacks. Sure C.J. Stroud was awesome last year, but he's the exception, not the rule. But it's encouraging what the Bears are giving Caleb Williams to work with this year.
They drafted Rome Odunze at 9th overall, that's one plus. But more importantly, they've got a really nice pair of veterans on the field in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
Fantasy-wise, Chicago is the only team with a pair of top-10 fantasy wideouts from last season (in PPR, Moore was 6th and Allen was 8th). But they also appear to have perhaps the most efficient duo, too. Last year, 35 wide receivers saw at least 100 targets. Allen and Moore (even working as he was with Fields and rookie Tyson Bagent) were two of just 10 that caught over 70 percent of those passes sent their way.
| WIDE RECEIVER CATCH RATES, 2023 (100+ TARGETS) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Ctch% |
| Rashee Rice, K.C. | 102 | 79 | 938 | 11.9 | 7 | 77.5% |
| Adam Thielen, Car. | 137 | 103 | 1014 | 9.8 | 4 | 75.2% |
| CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 181 | 135 | 1749 | 13.0 | 14 | 74.6% |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 109 | 80 | 1297 | 16.2 | 8 | 73.4% |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 164 | 119 | 1515 | 12.7 | 10 | 72.6% |
| DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 112 | 81 | 1066 | 13.2 | 7 | 72.3% |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 150 | 108 | 1243 | 11.5 | 7 | 72.0% |
| Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 105 | 75 | 1342 | 17.9 | 7 | 71.4% |
| Zay Flowers, Balt. | 108 | 77 | 858 | 11.1 | 6 | 71.3% |
| DJ Moore, Chi. | 136 | 96 | 1364 | 14.2 | 9 | 70.6% |
| Michael Pittman, Ind. | 156 | 109 | 1152 | 10.6 | 4 | 69.9% |
| Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 171 | 119 | 1799 | 15.1 | 13 | 69.6% |
| Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 104 | 72 | 1014 | 14.1 | 4 | 69.2% |
| JaMarr Chase, Cin. | 145 | 100 | 1216 | 12.2 | 7 | 69.0% |
| Justin Jefferson, Min. | 100 | 68 | 1074 | 15.8 | 5 | 68.0% |
| A.J. Brown, Phil. | 158 | 106 | 1456 | 13.7 | 7 | 67.1% |
| Jakobi Meyers, L.V. | 106 | 71 | 807 | 11.4 | 10 | 67.0% |
| Stefon Diggs, Buff. | 160 | 107 | 1183 | 11.1 | 8 | 66.9% |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 160 | 105 | 1486 | 14.2 | 6 | 65.6% |
| Jordan Addison, Min. | 108 | 70 | 911 | 13.0 | 10 | 64.8% |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 122 | 79 | 894 | 11.3 | 5 | 64.8% |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 130 | 83 | 1024 | 12.3 | 3 | 63.8% |
| Chris Olave, N.O. | 138 | 87 | 1123 | 12.9 | 5 | 63.0% |
| Drake London, Atl. | 110 | 69 | 905 | 13.1 | 2 | 62.7% |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 132 | 79 | 1002 | 12.7 | 5 | 59.8% |
| George Pickens, Pitt. | 106 | 63 | 1140 | 18.1 | 5 | 59.4% |
| Davante Adams, L.V. | 175 | 103 | 1144 | 11.1 | 8 | 58.9% |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 136 | 79 | 1255 | 15.9 | 13 | 58.1% |
| Elijah Moore, Cle. | 104 | 59 | 640 | 10.9 | 2 | 56.7% |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 168 | 95 | 1042 | 11.0 | 3 | 56.5% |
| Amari Cooper, Cle. | 128 | 72 | 1250 | 17.4 | 5 | 56.3% |
| Calvin Ridley, Jac. | 136 | 76 | 1016 | 13.4 | 8 | 55.9% |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 119 | 66 | 1114 | 16.9 | 8 | 55.5% |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Ten. | 137 | 75 | 1057 | 14.1 | 7 | 54.7% |
| Marquise Brown, Ari. | 101 | 51 | 574 | 11.3 | 4 | 50.5% |
Those efficiency numbers aren't everything. Some of those guys got there because of the routes they're running (Adam Thielen). Some (like Rashee Rice) were working with elite quarterbacks, which probably won't be the case right away in Chicago.
But you have to like Williams' odds of not being let down by the talent around him this season. He should have at least two (more, if Odunze is a quick study) really good receivers helping him out every time he drops back to pass.
--Andy Richardson