Fantasy Football

The Chicago Bears' passing game should regain some relevance in the fantasy football world after the team acquired wide receiver Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of Tuesday's 2022 NFL trade deadline.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Bears sent their second-round pick in the 2023 draft to the Steelers for the third-year wideout.

Let's analyze how the deal could impact Claypool's fantasy stock along with those of Chicago quarterback Justin Fields and receiver Darnell Mooney.

Justin Fields

Fantasy managers who took a late-round flier on Fields with hope of a breakout year so far haven't been rewarded for their investment.

The 2021 first-round selection is tied for 18th among quarterbacks in average scoring (15.3 points per game), including a couple of clunkers below 10 points early in the season.

He's started to show some signs of fantasy life over the past two weeks, topping 20 points in road games against the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys, and now he gets another high-upside target to work with for the season's second half.

Fields' rushing production—424 yards and three touchdowns—gives him a strong fantasy baseline most weeks, but the potential for a more pass-heavy game plan with Claypool in the mix makes him an intriguing stash in leagues where he's been dropped.

It wouldn't be a shock if the Bears quarterback ranks inside of the top 10 in fantasy scoring at the position for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.

Chase Claypool

Claypool enjoyed a terrific rookie season for the Steelers in 2020, tallying 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games.

His TD production dipped last year, with just two scores in 15 appearances, but he otherwise remained reliable with 59 receptions for 860 yards.

Pittsburgh's struggling passing attack, which is a major reason why it owns a 2-6 record, and a crowded receiver room led by Diontae Johnson and George Pickens caused his numbers to dip this season, and it made him expendable ahead of the deadline.

It'll probably take a few weeks for Claypool to get up to full speed within the Bears offense, so don't expect a sudden, massive uptick in fantasy production. But like Fields, he's worth grabbing off waivers if any frustrated managers cut him loose.

Claypool should be firmly in the flex conversation moving forward, and he could even become a solid No. 2 fantasy wideout if he emerges as the clear top option in Chicago.

Darnell Mooney

Mooney is the toughest situation to analyze in Chicago because it's unclear how Claypool's arrival will impact his target share.

On one hand, any serious competition for looks from Fields could create problems for a team averaging an NFL-low 20 passes per game. If that number doesn't budge, it's possible the 25-year-old Tulane product lands firmly on the fantasy bench.

Yet, Tuesday's trade suggests the Bears may be angling for a more air-based offense in the coming weeks, and Mooney, who's been pretty much the only threat to opposing secondaries so far, could now see more single coverage.

So there's definitely a path for Mooney to get back on track after a frustrating first half of the season, which came after he posted 1,055 yards in 2021.

Some uncertainty is still baked into his fantasy outlook since it's unclear who'll get the most targets once Claypool becomes fully involved in the offense, but now might be the time to make a modest trade offer to see if an impatient manager is willing to deal.

The Pittsburgh Steelers alleviated their long jam at wide receiver by trading Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears Tuesday for a 2023 second-round pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates.

Claypool's departure might be good news for fantasy managers with George Pickens or Diontae Johnson on their roster ahead of the second half of the season.

Johnson is the team leader in receptions (43) and receiving yards (372), though he still hasn't scored his first touchdown.

Pickens has 26 catches for 338 yards and one touchdown in his rookie campaign.

Tuesday's trade doesn't catapult Johnson or Pickens into the elite tier of fantasy wideouts, but Claypool's absence means both players could see more targets each week.

Of the two, Pickens might stand to benefit more. CBS Sports HQ's Josina Anderson reported the Steelers "feel ready to give [Pickens] an expanded role."

The 2022 second-round pick went without a catch in a Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles but had 21 receptions for 273 yards and one score in his preceding four games. His stock was already trending upward as he steadily got more comfortable in Pittsburgh's offense.

Johnson's fantasy ceiling, meanwhile, still may not be that high without Claypool in the mix. He's only averaging 8.7 yards per reception in 2022, and he wasn't a big-play threat en route to making the Pro Bowl in 2021, either. He averaged 10.9 yards per catch while finishing with 1,161 yards overall.

Until Kenny Pickett takes major steps forward or the Steelers upgrade at quarterback in a big way, Johnson's fantasy boost after Tuesday could be marginal.

Pittsburgh is off in Week 9, so you'll have to wait before the impact of the Claypool trade is reflected on your squad. When the time comes to start Johnson or Pickens, both warrant flex consideration.

The Los Angeles Rams and fantasy football players alike were surely holding their breath Sunday when wide receiver Cooper Kupp went down with an injury.

Fortunately for both, it seems like the game-changing playmaker avoided something serious.

Kupp told reporters he thinks he ended up "dodging a bullet" on the ankle injury, while head coach Sean McVay said he was "kicking himself" for leaving him in during the final minute of a 31-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

So Kupp might not miss much time, but even one game would be a problem for fantasy players reliant on his production.

That means it might be time to head to the waiver wire or even find a wide receiver to trade for ahead of the Week 9 slate.

The first name to target is Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Damiere Byrd. The veteran wide receiver has never been a massive producer, topping out at 604 receiving yards as his career high, but he looks like a fantasy sleeper after his last two performances.

Byrd hauled in a 75-yard touchdown catch in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday and followed it up with three catches for 67 yards and one touchdown in an overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Only Kyle Pitts had more targets in the win over Carolina, suggesting Byrd is starting to establish some chemistry with Marcus Mariota.

Elsewhere, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is another ideal target for either a trade or a waiver-wire addition. Mike Williams is sidelined with an injury, and Keenan Allen has dealt with a hamstring setback for much of the season.

Palmer is coming off a showing against the Denver Broncos that saw him post nine catches on 12 targets and even earned a recommendation from his teammate:

A potential under-the-radar addition for fantasy players is Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., who impressed against the Falcons in Sunday's loss with four catches for 87 yards on nine targets.

The LSU product was a second-round pick in 2021 and had just 138 receiving yards as a rookie, but he looked like a difference-maker with quarterback P.J. Walker under center in Sunday's contest.

There was a reason the Panthers selected Marshall with a second-round pick, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they look to target him more after his latest showing.