Fantasy Football 2018: Early NFC North running back rankings
2. Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
His rookie season was no fluke. Jordan Howard is one of the best running backs in football. And now he might have the supporting cast he needs to reach the next level as a fantasy option.
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The Bears have been aggressively trying to strengthen their offense this offseason. General manager Ryan Pace has focused on surrounding young quarterback Mitch Trubisky with talent, and this will help Howard too. Chicago has signed wide receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel in free agency, as well as tight end Trey Burton.
Along with the hiring of new head coach Matt Nagy, there’s reason to be excited about the potential of the Bears’ offense in 2018.
Howard already has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons to his name. In his first two seasons in the league, he’s rushed for a combined 2,435 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Howard is less effective in half-point and full PPR formats as he isn’t regularly used as a pass catcher. Maybe that will change under Nagy.
But make no mistake, Howard could be among the top-5 running backs for fantasy points this season. Considering he will likely fall into the second round of most drafts, the value is tremendous.