Fantasy football is great, but it causes moral dilemmas.
You can always bet there will be at least one guy in the league -- and maybe more than one -- that actively goes after Bears players far too early in the draft. By the time you know it, Bears players' values skyrocket, making them bad investments. So be wary! Fantasy football is for your head, not your heart; it's important to separate the two.
That said, provided you're not jumping after players two rounds too early, there is some good value in the Bears' ranks this year. Let's count the ways:
Matt Forte: Forte is a top five overall fantasy back, and don't you forget it. During his rookie season Forte broke out as a multitalented fantasy player -- he can break long runs, he makes plenty of catches, the Bears trust him with goal-line carries, the whole bit. He could also be due for a sophomore boost; the league gets much easier in year two. So don't be shy about drafting Forte early. So long as you're not taking him No. 1 overall, among the mess of backs in the top of the first round, Forte is a pretty sure bet. (And if you get him lower than five, rejoice. Win-win!)
Greg Olsen: Olsen is a consensus fantasy breakout pick this year, which means he might end up a little overvalued, but the bottom line is that someone will take who they think is the top tight end (whether Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, or Dallas Clark) too early in your draft. If you can hang back and pick up Olsen as the third or fourth tight-end picked, that's fantastic. Given Olsen's newfound starting gig and his pure receiving ability -- and Jay Cutler, who we'll get too in just a second -- Greg could be that solid fantasy TE owners so frequently pine for.
Jay Cutler: Cutler is probably not as valuable as he was last year. That's just a fact. And given the excitement about Cutler here in the city, he will almost surely go too early in your draft. Stay away. Cutler is a great player, and he should manage games for the Bears quite well, but his fantasy value is marginal at best. Even if you're strapped for a QB, you can probably do better.
Bears defense: Eh. The Bears always force plenty of turnovers, but they're no longer the fantasy monster of years past. Then again, defenses are unpredictable. You shouldn't be drafting a defense until super late anyway, so if the Bears are available, maybe you want to take a flyer. Or maybe not. Like we said, eh.
Any Bears wide receiver: Um, no. Stay away. Far, far away.
Now get out there, restrain your enthusiasm, and win your league. It's just that easy!*
(*No, it's not. But it's more fun than conference calls and, like, work work.)
Eamonn Brennan is a Chicago-based writer, editor and blogger. You can also read him at Yahoo! Sports, Mouthpiece Sports Blog, and Inside The Hall, or at his personal site, eamonnbrennan.com. Follow him on Twitter.
