2023 NFL Free Agency Fantasy Tracker: Will DJ Moore shine with Justin Fields after Chicago Bears swung monster trade?

Keep it locked up right here while Matt Harmon sorts out every fantasy deal made during NFL free agency.

DJ Moore moved to Chicago Bears

The Bears have been signaling all along that they want to trade the first pick before they become free agents to plan for the offseason. It was obvious that they wanted to bring back the big player in any deal.

Here’s exactly what we got:

The Panthers chose to include a 2025 first-round player in the package they sent to the Bears. General manager Ryan Poles pushed for a wide receiver dj moore and reportedly did not budge. Carolina bowed and sent Moore to Chicago to finalize the deal.

Moore has been a productive player for the Panthers since being drafted in 2018, which is a massive improvement over what Chicago introduced in 2022. In my opinion, Moore is not on the same level as some of the best receivers we’ve seen this past offseason. . He is a very good, but not elite, #1 wide receiver. I view Moore as one level down (at least) from where I would rate AJ Brown or Stephon Diggs type of player prior to their trade, but Moore is definitely in the top 20 in this position no matter what.

This is still considered a home run for the Bears. Moore has shown an ability to win as a vertical receiver and flanker who can also slot with 30-40 percent of his snaps. This is valuable for a team that is still trying to figure out what type of passing is best for the game. Justin Fields. The Bears quarterback is a big game hunter, which would fit Moore’s former role, but Fields desperately needs a quick break target that would fit Moore’s latest role.

While Moore isn’t at the same player level as AJ Brown, it’s very reminiscent of last year’s Eagles trade for a Titans wide receiver. It’s hard to remember now after the Super Bowl, but there was a lot of uncertainty around. Jalen Hurts entry last season. Giving him a high-profile No. 1 receiver that could beat the people in coverage was the best way to get a real appreciation for their quarterback. They got this and more in 2022.

The Bears most likely won’t offer Fields a 1B receiver (ala DeVonta Smith (ur. or an elite-caliber attacking line like Hurts’s Eagles, but trading for Moore should allow their quarterback to swing a lot. With Moore at the top of the depth table, they fielded for the first time in their career at least some serious and arguably pretty solid receiver room.

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Historically, it is always difficult to project huge jumps in passing volume due to the offense and how Fields broke out as a rusher last year, the Bears are likely to remain in dire straits as long as he is under center. However, the 2022 Eagles were a great reminder to leave your imagination open to an environment that exceeds performance expectations as new talent emerges.

Fields still hasn’t established himself as a pure passer, so it’s hard to say the move to Chicago was a win for Moore’s fantasy. However, if we consider Fields best passer Moore has paired with by the end of this season, it won’t be a shock anymore. Overall, I think I would target Moore for about 1,000 yards and 5-7 touchdowns. That’s not bad at all, but keep in mind that these are roughly his career averages at the moment.

Overall, I think Moore’s trip to Chicago is more of a boon for Fields in the fantasy field than for the recipient himself.

Jimmy Garoppolo signs with the Raiders (3 years, $67.5 million)

Raiders have always found it difficult to immediately upgrade to Derek Carr it’s off season. I don’t think you’ll find a long list of people willing to argue. Jimmy Garoppolo achieves this goal. However, I’m not sure if that’s all that matters here.

They get Garoppolo in the building for only $24.3 million a year, far less than what the Saints are paying Carr this year. Despite great theoretical guaranteesThe Raiders can exit this deal at any time during the next two offseasons.

Getting Garoppolo was probably the most realistic scenario for fielding a quality starting quarterback in 2023, and that doesn’t preclude their ability to pick the top pick in the draft next or even this year. Whatever you say about Jimmy G, he was an effective passer throughout his career when on field. He was certainly buoyed by his circumstances in San Francisco, but the Raiders have a great run game, three top-notch pass catchers and a coach who knows Garoppolo.

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The biggest issue with Garoppolo’s game has always been his lack of ability and/or willingness to push the ball across the field. The Raiders’ top three receiving options can work in the short to medium areas of the field that Jimmy G loves to throw at. Davante Adams had a career-high receiving yards last year, and there’s no doubt something’s wrong with this quarterback, but he can still dominate closer to the line of scrimmage. This move also rekindles my interest in the recovery season for Hunter Renfroe. Overall, I consider this move a win for the fantasy assets of the Raiders compared to possible alternatives after Carr.

Mike White signs with Dolphins (2 years, up to $16 million)

It’s the perfect back up plan for Miami that we clearly have high hopes for and that won’t completely run out if a player misses games. Mike White has given the Jets the best quarterback (low bar, of course) rushing performance in each of the past two seasons. There is also some familiarity with the system after White played in another 49ers offense with the Jets.

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Now we can feel much better about Dolphins wideband receivers if Tua Tagovailoa misses time. A stark contrast to last season.

Robert Woods signs with the Texans (2 years, $15.25 million)

I am skeptical about how Robert Woods left. On film, he looked like a fading player to me even before he tore his cruciate ligaments with the Rams in 2021. However, if Woods still has something left in hand, this signing is of great importance to the Texans. Woods will give them a solid receiver by coaching the young quarterback and he will be a fantastic blocker for a team that will likely set up a Shanahan-style offense.

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I don’t think Woods alone will change fantasy much. I’m more curious if this opens the door for Brandin Cooks trade and WHO trades for him.

Javaan Taylor signs with the Chiefs (4 years, $80 million)

Here, the Chiefs are at great risk on offense. The team moves from Orlando Brown Jr. and the signing of former Jaguars right tackle Javan Taylor to the big deal. Taylor spent very little time as a left tackle, even starting in college.

However, Taylor was a great defensive end last season, and it obviously fits with the Chiefs wanting to play a little more than Brown. It’s also worth noting that Brown himself mostly played on the right before moving to the left in his final year with Baltimore after injury and again throughout his tenure with the Chiefs. More than reasonable to give Andy Reid and company. good doubt on this one.

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A few offseasons ago, the Chiefs managed to turn their offensive line from weak to strong, and this marks the beginning of another new era on this front. Despite some risk involved with this signing, I don’t think it will force me to change any potential fantasy ranks for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelsey or any utility players in Kansas City.

Sam Darnold signs with the 49ers (1 year)

We knew the 49ers were going to be something of a veteran quarterback in the offseason. Despite two intriguing young players in Trey Lance And Brock Purdy, injuries forced them to be flexible with a possible back-up plan. Sam Darnold was not bad for Carolina when he played last year. His 8.2 adjusted yards per attempt would rank fifth among full-time rookies. Sure, it’s a dramatic outlier in terms of his career results, but it’s yet another reminder that when he’s in a good ecosystem, he can keep a ship afloat for a month or so.

In the ideal scenario, this is the most the 49ers have ever asked Darnold.

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In the best fantasy scenario, we never see Darnold take a shot for this team because either Lance is finally breaking out or Purdy has recovered as soon as possible. However, if he ends up playing—few teams have had to dig deeper into the quarterback closet than the 49ers—Darnold won’t be the world’s worst player for players like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk And Deebo Samuel. Recall that Darnold beat Christian McCaffrey with 15 goals in their first two joint games for the Panthers in 2021.

Jalen Ramsey traded to Miami Dolphins

It’s clear that the Miami Dolphins have an extremely high opinion of their current Super Bowl window, as evidenced by their move to Mike White. Jalen Ramsey may be a little underwhelming due to his picking game, but the Dolphins got him simply for picking in the third round and a deep tight end. Hunter Long. Last season, Miami struggled both in personal and zonal coverage. Ramsey immediately makes them better.

As Miami pours in its chips over the next season or two, the Rams are looking to reclaim assets from their all-in era. It was not the first and not the last major Los Angeles move of its kind.

Stay tuned!