Matt Forte has a lot of pressure for a rookie running back. He might have to carry the entire Bears offense in 2008.
The quarterback situation is a mess, with should-be backups in Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton competing for the starting job. There's no legitimate receiving threat, with retreads in Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd paired with the unproven talents of Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Greg Olsen. And the offensive line is falling apart, with rookie Chris Williams, who was projected to start at left tackle, now out with surgery on a herniated disc.
The burden of the offense now falls on Forte, who also must overcome a poor history of recent Chicago running backs. Sure, the Bears have had success with Walter Payton and Gale Sayers, and even Anthony Thomas was once the Rookie of the Year in 2001.
But plenty of Fantasy owners remember first-round flops in Rashaan Salaam in 1995, Curtis Enis in 1998 and Cedric Benson in 2005. Calling these three a disappointment isn't harsh enough.
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Matt Forte looked good in limited action in Chicago's preseason opener.
(Getty Images)
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Forte expects to be better than that. He expects to be a star.
"I have high expectations for myself," Forte said in an interview with CBSSports.com. "First I want to establish myself as a go-to guy in the backfield. Then I want to rush for 1,000 yards and be one of the best running backs in the league. And I want to help my team get back to the Super Bowl."
Forte, who was drafted in the second round out of Tulane, became the starter for the Bears when Benson was released. In his first preseason game against Kansas City, he had seven carries for 25 yards and caught three passes for 10 yards in limited action.
His main competition for playing time this year will come from veteran Kevin Jones, who was signed just before training camp but is coming off a torn ACL with Detroit last season. Jones could be limited early in the year and might not be ready for the start of the season. Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe also will get some carries.
But Forte has a chance to make plenty of plays, which is why Fantasy owners are excited. He is currently being drafted No. 75 overall, according to his average draft position on CBSSports.com, and should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy running back this year.
"Of course I'm excited about the opportunity," Forte said. "It's a great opportunity for a rookie. I'm ready to handle 20-30 touches a game. They are going to be tough carries in the NFL, but I'm ready for them."
Forte also said he can share the backfield with Jones if that's what the Bears want. Early reports when Jones signed expected the Bears to return to a tandem, much like they had in 2006 with Benson and Thomas Jones.
That would be OK with Forte, who said Jones has looked good in his comeback.
"We can work together," Forte said. "He's a good veteran back, and I can learn from him. He looks good right now and is a good complement to the backfield."
Forte, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, ran for 4,265 yards at Tulane with 39 touchdowns. He also caught 103 passes for 985 yards and five touchdowns, so he can catch the ball out of the backfield. With the Bears lack of playmakers at receiver, that could come in handy.
"I can run routes," Forte said. "I'm a good receiver coming out of the backfield, and you can see that from my play in college."
Forte wouldn't mind having a rookie season like his fellow NFC North division rival, Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. Forte said he studies Peterson and also admires LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and Brian Westbrook.
But Forte also wants to establish an identity of his own. He wants to standout among this year's class of rookies, which features plenty of talented running backs, including Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart, Kevin Smith, Chris Johnson and Felix Jones, among others.
"My running style is unique," Forte said. "It's kind of smooth and explosive. I keep hitting it in there and keep it physical. By the end of the game, the defense will hopefully wear down and not want to see me coming."
Fantasy owners want to see him coming. They want to see him thrive as one of the best running backs in 2008.
Hopefully by the end of the season, we're talking about Forte in comparison with Payton and Sayers and not about Salaam and Enis.
"I have high expectations for myself," Forte said. "I want to do great things as a rookie. I want to take advantage of the opportunity presented before me. I just want to go out and run hard and work hard and show what I can do."
