The NFL trade deadline continues to make waves with the Pittsburgh Steelers trading wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a pair of draft picks.

Claypool will now join a Bears offense that was lacking talent at the receiver position outside of Darnell Mooney while Justin Fields get another playmaking wide receiver to help his overall development. What kind of impact will this move have across the fantasy football landscape? Let's dive!

 

 

What the Chase Claypool Trade Means for Fantasy Football and the Chicago Bears?

Listen, we know the struggles the Chicago Bears offense has had this season BUT over the past few weeks things are starting to look a little bit better. Fields has attempted 20+ pass attempts now in five straight weeks.  Over the last four games he has completed 64% of his throws with five touchdowns and two interceptions while throwing to the likes of Darnell Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown and N'Keal Harry. Claypool likely joins this group and immediately becomes the WR1 in this offense if not the WR1B to Darnell Mooney the WR1A. With Claypool Fields has two absolute burners at the receiver position with Mooney showing 4.30 speed and Claypool clocking in at 4.42 when it came to the 40-yard dash during the NFL combines. Claypool also offers tremendous size, standing 6-foot-4 while weighing in at nearly 240lbs. 

As I've discussed in the past, I believe QB's get better when the talent around them also improves.  Do I think Justin Fields is a Top 5 QB moving forward with Claypool? No, but I think the Bears will be inclined to throw more now that they have yet another capable pass catcher and Claypool should benefit greatly from being the top target in this offense. 

With Pittsburgh this season Claypool caught 32 passes on 50 targets for 311 yards and a touchdown. He also had eight carries for 55 yards but six of those eight carries came in Week 1. For fantasy value, Claypool will continue to be a flex-play/WR3 in most leagues at the start but if this offense does open up more in the second half of the year with Fields showing improvements there will be some nice opportunities for Claypool to make big plays for fantasy managers.

What Does the Chase Claypool Trade Mean for Fantasy Football and the Pittsburgh Steelers?

With Claypool out of town the obvious answer here is George Pickens. It's not that Pickens wasn't already heavily involved in the offense, because he was, but Claypool was getting six-to-nine targets a game and a lot more of that pass volume should go in the direction of Pickens on the outside and Dionte Johnson in the middle. Replacing Claypool on the current Steelers roster could be one of Steven Sims or Miles Boykin but neither carry much fantasy appeal here as the Steelers offense is not very good and neither player is close to the talent that Claypool was when on the field.

 

 

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