Running back Matt Forte announced today that he and the Chicago Bears will be parting ways after a very successful eight-year relationship. Forte, 30, is heading into free agency this offseason and the Bears understandably aren't willing to break the bank for an aging running back. Though Forte has been one of the more consistent and versatile ball-carriers in the NFL over the last eight years, Chicago feels as if they have a capable replacement in 2015 fourth-rounder Jeremy Langford.
Langford boasts some decent downhill power at 6-feet and 208 pounds. He also has homerun speed as evidenced by his 4.42 40-yard dash. In the three games he started in place of an injured Forte last year, Langford showcased solid open field ability and great hands for the position. Without Forte dominating all of the touches, Langford could breakout in 2016.
"Although the Bears will want to see his 3.6 yards per carry climb in his second season, the fourth-round pick out of Michigan State gives Chicago some versatility at the position because of his ability to hold his ground in pass protection," ESPN NFL Insider Matt Bowen wrote. "That's key for any young running back with receiving skills who wants to stay on the field on third down. You better keep your quarterback off the ground.
"Even with Adam Gase leaving for Miami, I expect the Bears to have some carryover in the offensive game plan, with more run-pass options (packaged plays) and shotgun runs. That's where we will see Langford's ability to find daylight and push the ball through the hole with zone blocking up front."
Overall, Langford rushed for 537 yards and six touchdowns while catching 22 passes for 279 yards and one more score as a rookie. As Bowen mentioned, he'll have to be more consistent and improve on his low YPC average. However, given the workload he's about to inherit, he may be worthy of RB2 consideration in fantasy football.
Forte touched the ball a total of 262 times in 2015. As a team, Chicago finished the regular season with the sixth-most carries (469) in the NFL. It would be unfair to expect Langford to post similar numbers to Forte, but he'll likely touch the ball enough to remain a productive fantasy option throughout the season.
