LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The NFL Annual League Meeting is taking place this week, and the NFC head coaches met with the media on Monday. I tried to speak with as many of them as I could to gain some insight for the upcoming season.
Here are injury updates, news items, and just general things of interest that the coaches said from the media session.
Fantasy buzz: Lions | Packers | Bears | Vikings | NFC
Chicago Bears
The Bears added two high-profile additions this offseason in D'Andre Swift and Keenan Allen. As expected, Matt Eberflus is counting on both to be impact players in 2024.
For Swift, he should lead the backfield that, for now, also has Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. But Eberflus said Swift brings a different element to Chicago's offense.
"We just felt that we wanted a home run hitter there," Eberflus said. "I think D'Andre brings that. ... He's got tremendous speed. You can feel that when he is running the football, but you can definitely feel that as a pass catcher."
Swift is worth drafting as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back as early as Round 5. He just averaged 12.5 PPR points per game with the Eagles, and we'll see how the Bears use Swift with Herbert and Johnson.
With Allen, we'll see how he meshes with a new quarterback, most likely Caleb Williams. Allen, who turns 32 in April, also might be the No. 2 receiver for the Bears behind D.J. Moore.
But Eberflus is still counting on Allen to be a pivotal playmaker for a young quarterback, and Allen should be drafted as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver as early as Round 5.
"When you've got to have a play, he can make that play," Eberflus said. "He's been great on third down, great in two-minute, great in critical situations. He's a disciplined and just a fast route runner, and he has the ability to be open and stay open with his body, so he understands how to do that."
