Justin Fields might have as much upside as anyone in the 2021 NFL Draft not named "Trevor Lawrence." The Bears recognized this and pulled the trigger on a trade with the Giants to move up to No. 11 and select their hoped-for franchise quarterback. He has difference-making skills, but the question is, will he get the opportunity to make a difference as a rookie?
Rated a consensus five-star prospect out of Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga., Justin Fields eventually took his dual-threat capabilities to Ohio State after committing to Penn State, then changed his mind and spent his first year at Georgia. With the Buckeyes, Fields was a two-year starter who led them to a combined 20-2 record and two berths in the College Football Playoff.
On the strength of 51 total touchdowns in 2019, Fields collected big-time accolades including first-team All-Big Ten, the Big Ten Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year. He was also a Davey O'Brien Award Finalist and a Heisman Trophy finalist then and was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Quarterback of the Year in 2020.
More Fantasy breakdowns
We're breaking down everything you need to know about Fields from a Fantasy manager perspective, including best fits, dynasty outlook, measurables, scouting report, key stats and an NFL comparison.
Quarterbacks who can run should always be at the top of your draft list, and Fields can run. He rushed for 1,133 yards in 34 college games, and he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at his pro day while weighing in at 227 pounds. Even allowing for the possibility that pro day times are inflated, that's elite speed at the QB position. By comparison, Jalen Hurts ran a 4.59 at 222 pounds at the combine and Robert Griffin III ran a 4.41 at 223 pounds.
But he's not just a one-trick pony. Fields was excellent as a passer in college, throwing 67 touchdowns to just nine interceptions while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt. Chicago isn't an amazing landing spot for a quarterback, but they do have Allen Robinson, a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver who has dragged much less talented quarterbacks than Fields along with him over the years.
The only question is whether Fields will get the opportunity to start from Day One. Given that the Bears apparently told Andy Dalton he would be their starter when he signed as a free agent, it's fair to wonder if they'll stick with that in training camp. Obviously, Fields has much more upside than Dalton, and Fantasy players (and Allen Robinson) will be rooting for Fields to get the job.
If he does, Fields could be a starting-caliber Fantasy option as soon as he is the starter. Think of guys like Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, or Jalen Hurts in recent years doing so. Fields wasn't as prolific a rusher as those guys in college, but he's got all the physical tools to be a plus rusher. If Fields was going to start from Week 1, I would probably rank him as a top-12 QB for Fantasy. - Chris Towers
Head on over to Spotify, Apple, or wherever else you consume podcasts to subscribe to Fantasy Football Today in 5.
Fields went off the board 10 picks after Zach Wilson, but I'd take Fields over him in a Dynasty league. That means I would probably target him as a first-rounder in a standard rookie draft, and he might be the No. 2 overall pick in any Superflex or 2QB league.
Fields has said in the past that he's modeled his game after Russell Wilson, and that's who I keep coming back to for comparison. I especially see Wilson when Fields takes off and runs when a play breaks down, as well as when he uncorks a deep ball and connects through a tight window. A wrinkle is that Fields is bigger than Wilson, and it's believed that Wilson fell in the draft in part because of his size. That's not going to happen to Fields.
