What are you thoughts on him? Discuss!

Benson's days as the main RB in Chicago are numbered.

I hope is good because the only way Bears score a TD this year is Matt Forte breaking a 60 yarder after Devin Hester sets it up.

Here are a couple of recent blurbs about him from Rotoworld:

"Bears GM Jerry Angelo considers second-round pick Matt Forte a "three-down back."

Beware Cedric Benson, your job is in great danger. "I felt like our running game obviously was one of the weak spots on our football team," Angelo said, referring to last year. "He gives us a big back, a three down back." Forte is going to compete to start right away, and he just may be the favorite."

From the other day:

"Bears selected Tulane RB Matt Forte with the No. 44 pick of the NFL Draft.

Forte is a complete back who will immediately challenge Cedric Benson to be a starter. He is a big back who is a far better blocker than Benson, and has decent long speed and smarts. On a day when the top running backs got drafted as committee partners, Forte could wind up challenging them all as a sleeper with 2008 potential."

Judging by Angelo's comments, it certainly seems like that could be case.

Thank the Lord.

Im assuming everyone has seen Matt Forte play numerous times before making these comments.......Not one of you.

What comments are you talking about? Nobody in this thread made any predictions or said anything about him yet. I said I hope he is good, one member quoted Angelo, and another member said Benson's days may be numbered.

The only one who said Benson's days were numbered was me and I stand by it. The other posters did not make any predictions, not sure why you're trying to insult them.

I've watched film on him in college and owned him for a few season in our college ffbl. He was a beast, he'll outplay Big Ced. Nice pick by the Bears. Try looking him up on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvlcqe_5MqY

I know it's just highlight but I think he'll be a solid RB in the NFL.

Too much of that video were pitches to the outside. I'd have liked to have seen more up the gut runs. Is he going to be able to run between the tackles?

I think it was Mel Kiper that was hinting at this same thing about Forte. I guess we will have to see. I hope Benson gets injured again, this time the first game of the season. I'd just like to see someone out there with heart and determination. I wonder what happens to Wolf now...It seemed like they were working him into the offense little by little towards the end of last year, this is the main reason why I said I want Benson to get injured because I think this kid really can take advantage of a tired defense towards the end of games.

Da Bears do suck so he might not make a huge impact in year one but I like the pick

Well I'd prefer more of a 40 yd TD run after Hester set it up. More so because if it was a 60 yard run then that means Hester only got to the 40 (which isn't Hester like) or the other team kicked out of bounds.

Same thing will happen this year that happened last year. Hester is our only source of offense therefore they would rather give it to use on the 40.

I think going into camp they will have Benson "listed" as the starter and when he fails as usual during camp and the preseason Forte will be the man and put up decent numbers considering they have no passing game and their line is getting old.

Matt Forte is the future of Bears football.

Buh Bye Beer Belly Benson

Try saying that 5 times fast?!

He's just trying to make it easier to get rid of him.

Personally, I see the Bears' backfield situation as being pretty muddled. Benson will probably get first crack at the job, though it would surprise no one at this point if he loses it. I admittedly don't follow the Bears that closely, but I have to think Adrian Peterson would get in the mix if the Bears were to have Benson split carries. Then that leaves Forte, who the Bears would probably love to see step up, and 2007 third-round pick Garrett Wolfe, who I know very little about. Is there no chance of him getting involved in the offense this year? Personally, this is a situation I'd like to stay as far away as possible from, as nobody seems to be a clear-cut front-runner, and if we end up seeing a running back by committee, I don't think anyone will be highly productive with so little talent around them.

I like how Forte runs, he is a big guy too. Only thing I have to off is highlight films though, and those could make grossman look good. It will be interesting to see how he pans out, he does have some new blocking up front. Could turn out to be nice

The drafting of Forte may spell the beginning of the end for Benson in Chicago. He's basically everything Benson is not: tough, runs between the tackles, and as we know now, doesn't appear to have off-field issues. Definitely worth drafting in fantasy drafts.

I'll second that ! Forte' should have no problem surplanting Benson as the #1 by the start of the season IMO.

haha!

It looks like it will take an incedible summer for Forte to win the starting job away from Benson. This from Rotoworld earlier:

Bears coach Lovie Smith says Cedric Benson "is our starting running back right now."

"For someone else to be the starter, they’re going to have to beat him out," Smith said. "Matt Forte has never played a down for us. He’s like all other rookies, starting from the bottom and working his way up. But Cedric Benson has looked good in workouts. I’m hoping that Cedric will get back to form." May. 16 - 6:07 pm et

I still would be very surprised if Forte does better than splitting carries with Benson, unless Cedric gets injured again.

Keep it up Benson!

Let the Matt Forte era begin.

Indeed. It seems I'm eating my words here. Benson apparently is a complete moron. The Bears draft a running back, stating that the running game was a problem for them last year, so he goes and gets himself arrested twice in less than a month and ends up not even making it to training camp to fight for his job. I'm surprised a guy could care so little about keeping his job. Personally, I'd be surprised now if he catches on with anyone after making such a terrible exit here.

Benson is quite obviously an idiots idiot. I drafted Forte with the 5th pick in a couple of dynasty leagues and am smiling all the way to the bank! However the Bears will have to rebuild their O-line for him to get into top 10-15 RB consideration. This year he projects and a solid #3 RB with low-end #2 value if everything goes right with the marginal talent around him. This first year he could easily be a victim of his own success. Meaning the better he does the more teams will be able to hone in on him and only him, and the rest of that sorry ass team probably won't be able to make the opposing defenses pay.

Dynasty/kepper leagues I rank him as a top three RB career-wise. Stewart/MenMan/Forte/Dmac. Dmac will have to muscle up those toothpicks he calls legs b4 I buy off on his long term value.

Wow, Matt Forte's stock just went through the roof.

Not so sure that's true. CHI will bring someone else in to share carries. Benson wasn't a huge threat to Forte's carries as of yesterday. The fact that he's gone won't change much. They didn't draft Forte with the idea of him being the main guy this year. Benson just eliminated himself from the mix, and added an unnamed back to the mix.

Another year with TWO Adrian Petersons....I won my championship with them 2 starting last year.

Agreed. At best, Forte gets an opportunity to wow the Bears' coaching staff in training camp out of all this, but don't be surprised if they bring in a veteran before then to bring has value right back down to where it was when he was drafted.

I think that the only vet that can be brought in and completely take away any chance of Forte being the #1 guy by week 5 is Kevin Jones, who is reportedly in teriffic shape and ready to report to camp .......... somewhere.

Coach Lovie Smith says the Bears have no current intentions of pursuing a veteran running back to compete or share carries with Matt Forte.

It's a lot of faith to put in a rookie, not that the backs available other than Kevin Jones are intriguing. "We don't have any plans to do that," Smith said. "We like all of our players and those are the ones that we're going with." Forte could be in line for 300 carries as a rookie if Lovie sticks to his guns.

I really like Forte this year, especially if the involve him in the passing game like they say they want to. My reading has shown me that he was noted as a solid pass protector at Tulane, and given his size, he shouldn't have any problem with it.

Now, let's assume the Bears don't go after a veteran RB to share carries with Forte. The biggest obstacle in his way will be his fellow rookie Chris Williams at LT. Between Kreutz at center, the guard duo of Garza and Metcalf, and the right tackle John Tait, the Bears have a much improved line over last season when the play of veterans Fred Miller and Ruben Brown just absolutely sucked.

Now I'm not saying that Forte is as good as Thomas Jones was when TJ played in Chicago, but as a 3 down RB, Forte could approach TJ's numbers, which would make him a fine pick, likely in the 3rd round.

Matt Forte + Garrett Wolfe = A very nice Duo. Though Turner would have to pull his head out of his a$$ this year and crack open the play book. If we can get Orton to be a competitive QB out there, the OL comes together as planned, Hester develop into a slot receiver, and our defense stay healthy...we may be able to compete in our division. With that said, I think RB is the least of our concerns as far as position players go. I actually think Benson's departure helps the Bears as not the coaching staff won't have to worry about sticking true to "their" guy. Lovie gets on the mic this year and started saying Benson is our RB, Rex is our QB, and Booker is our WR...I may have had to move so I could cheer for a different team.

How early should he go in a dynasty PPR?

In a 12 team league, I think he makes a fine 4th round choice in a dynasty, once you have your stud RB and a pair of solid WRs.

Make me an offer.

Go to Pitt, KJ!!!

Even if the Bears sign KJ, there's still a decent possibility he starts the season on PUP. If Forte is as good as some of us think he is, he'll show it and keep KJ to a minimal role when he returns.

Very true.

I believe Forte would still have first crack at the job, but if the Bears do indeed bring in Jones, he'd probably lose a handful of carries to him, and would possibly be on a shorter leash if he struggles early on this year. I'm not downgrading him significantly just yet, but I think I might move Forte down a notch below Kevin Smith in my dynasty league rankings by the end of the day.

Kevin Jones has agreed to terms with the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal, according to NFL Network's Adam Schefter. He'll sign this afternoon.
And the air starts leaking out of the Matt Forte sleeper balloon, if only a little. Forte remains the heavy favorite to lead the team in touches, and it's unclear if Jones will even be ready for the season. It's a terrific low-risk move for Chicago, who will now likely use a version of a committee. Training camp reports will be key, but Jones should be a mid-to-late round RB4 pick.

I would consider Kevin Smith over Forte in 2008, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Forte doesn't have a brighter future. That's all individual assessments of the two players, though.

So KJ is healthy and ready to play? or is he still healing? what's the deal with him right now?

Until Lamont Jordan signs with the Lions.

Interesting take from Gregg Rosenthal-

"
I like Matt Forte's game a lot. I like Kevin Jones' quite a biit too. They remind me a lot of each other: big backs that are highly versatile, even if they aren't going to break big plays. If Jones can get healthy, I could see the Bears using the two like they used Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson.

Thomas Jones was the lead back in that scenario, usually getting double the touches of his backups. Evan Silva and I argued whether that was a committee or not (I say yes), but either way Forte will be in the lead role. He is the future of the team, and Kevin Jones is the guy who is trying to save his career with a one-year deal for the league minimum."

http://blogs.rotoworld.com/Fantasy_Footbal...ow_matt_for.php