Skip to main content

Player Profile: Matt Forte

Player Profile: Matt Forte
Will Matt Forte hit a wall as he approaches 30?

Will Matt Forte hit a wall as he approaches 30?

The 2014 season was a typical year for Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte. That may sound negative, but Forte has been one of the league’s best and most consistent players since joining the league in 2008. The Bears’ running back also seems to fly under the radar and stay out of the national spotlight (especially compared to some other players at his position), making his production seem standard.

However, as Forte has proven throughout his career, his production is far from standard. Last season, Forte set an NFL record for receptions by a running back with 102 while amassing 1,000 yards rushing for the fifth time in his seven seasons. He finished the season with 1,038 rushing yards, 808 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns to go along with those 102 catches. Forte is also one of the best fantasy players at his position, finishing 2014 ranked fourth in fantasy scoring for running backs (22nd overall) in standard scoring leagues and third in PPR formats (sixth overall). With that in mind, let’s look ahead to 2015 and try to gauge Forte’s production for the upcoming season.

Draft Wizard: Mock in minutes vs. the most accurate experts partner-arrow

Although Forte had an outstanding season last year, there are a number of changes that will make the 2015 Chicago Bears much different than the 2014 version. On the top of that list is an entirely new coaching staff. John Fox took over for former head coach Marc Trestman after a disastrous 5-11 2014 season. Fox, much different than Trestman, stresses balanced offense and firmly believes in running the ball and playing great defense. For evidence of Fox’s approach, simply look at the Denver Broncos late last season. With Peyton Manning struggling with injuries, Fox ran the entire Broncos’ offense through C.J. Anderson and leaned on his strong defense to stifle opponents. The outcome; Anderson is now a star running back. This balanced approach should benefit Forte as well. Even though he may not reach 100 receptions again, his production out of the backfield should increase.

In addition to Fox, the Bears also brought in offensive coordinator Adam Gase. This change should also benefit Forte, as Gase is known around the league for creative play calling, unique formations and generating big-play opportunities. Plus, Gase is a devotee to the Mike Martz system. While working with Martz in 2011, Forte was on pace for a huge year, but an injury derailed a portion of his season. Even with the injury, Forte still finished the season with 997 rushing yards, 490 receiving yards, and four TD. In general, Forte will be the focal point of the Bears’ offense and, with Gase in the fold, Chicago can expect to create mismatches for Forte to exploit all over the field.

On the other side of the coin, another change that may affect Forte heading into 2015 is his age. Forte is currently 29 (he’ll turn 30 in December) and some fear that the dreaded 30-year mark for running backs will affect Forte in the near future. At 30, most running backs wear down due to injuries and constant pounding. But, so far, Forte has been lucky in this respect. The 2011 season was Forte’s worst due to injuries, when he missed the last four games of the regular season and was placed on IR before Week 17. Outside of the 2011 season, Forte has only missed one game due to injuries in his seven seasons in the NFL. Now, it is hit or miss with an aging running back in today’s NFL, and Chicago has planned for the worst by adding three new running backs to their depth chart. Regardless, Forte is one of the best overall players on the Bears’ roster, and I expect him to get a bulk of the workload in the rushing and passing games, so expect to see similar numbers to his 2014 season.

Overall, Forte is a great option for any fantasy team, especially in PPR formats. He has only had two seasons in his seven-year career where he did not reach 1,000 yards rushing (and those two totals were 929 & 997), and he has always been a huge threat in the passing game. On top of that, the addition of Fox and Gase to the coaching staff will allow the Bears to be creative in getting Forte the ball in open spaces all over the field. Currently, Forte is viewed as a borderline top-10 pick in standard scoring leagues and a top-five pick in PPR formats in preseason fantasy mock drafts. I agree with the mock draft rankings, but I would seek out Forte in the top-10 of standard scoring leagues once the consensus top picks are off the board. In PPR formats, I would look to draft Forte in the top five ahead of lesser receiving threats like Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch.

Mock in minutes with our free draft simulator partner-arrow

Brad Behrens is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Brad, check out his archive or follow him @_BradBehrens.

More Articles

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

fp-headshot by Anthony Corrente | 2 min read
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: FFPC Best Ball Picks (2024)

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: FFPC Best Ball Picks (2024)

fp-headshot by Tom Strachan | 3 min read
3 Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Tight Ends (2024)

3 Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Tight Ends (2024)

fp-headshot by Mike Fanelli | 2 min read
RB3s with RB1 Potential (2024 Fantasy Football)

RB3s with RB1 Potential (2024 Fantasy Football)

fp-headshot by TJ Horgan | 3 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

3 min read

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

Next Up - 3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

Next Article