The NFC North is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in the National Football League once again in 2019. With franchise quarterbacks, superstar wide receivers and dynamic running backs, few divisions have the potential to have as much of an impact on your 2019 fantasy football season.

Previous division showcases: NFC South | NFC East

Chicago Bears

Mitchell Trubisky

There are few things more valuable in fantasy football than a dual-threat quarterback. It may not have always been pretty, but Mitchell Trubisky took a big step in 2018 to proving himself. As a result, he also helped the Chicago Bears win the NFC North.

Trubisky got off to a shaky start to the season, sitting at QB27 after three weeks. Over the course of the next six games, however, he was QB1, QB5, QB2, QB8, QB21, and QB1, respectively.

Trubisky’s floor is raised by averaging 25 rushing yards per game, but it’s his passing which will be under the microscope. He took strides last year, looking more comfortable in head coach Matt Nagy’s offense. Trubisky improved his completion percentage from 59.4% to 66.6% and his touchdown rate from 2.1% to 5.5%. If he’s able to take another step forward, then he could easily be a top 10 quarterback in 2019 fantasy football.

Tarik Cohen

Tarik Cohen was quietly a very good fantasy running back last year. He slips under the radar due to his status as predominantly a receiving back, but Cohen was the RB17 in standard leagues and RB11 in PPR. This is despite being involved in a heavy timeshare with Jordan Howard. With Howard now in Philadelphia, Cohen will look to build on the 99 rushing attempts he had and establish himself as a runner. His 7 fumbles in 2018 led all non-quarterbacks and he will need to make sure that he limits those if he’s to reach his potential.

David Montgomery

The Chicago Bears rely on the strength of their defense and could find themselves in plenty of ball control situations. Jordan Howard’s departure opens up 270 touches and David Montgomery is the favorite to handle the majority of them. A third-round pick might not sound like a huge investment, but Montgomery was the Bears’ first pick.

Furthermore, they traded up to secure him, making him the face of their draft class. These things matter to coaching staffs and they’ll be keen to get him involved and showcase his strengths. Montgomery is going in the early rounds of 2019 fantasy football drafts, and he is one of the few rookies expected to immediately have a major impact.

Sleepers

If the Bears offense is to take the next step, then they will need help from their receivers. Allen Robinson has had a disappointing few seasons and needs to put his injuries behind him in order to show he’s worthy of his $15 million cap hit. Robinson showed that he could be one of the best wide receivers in the league in 2015. He had 1,400 receiving yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns and he remains a big-play threat.

Anthony Miller and Taylor Gabriel look set to battle it out behind Robinson. Seven of Miller’s 33 receptions were touchdowns last season – a number that’s likely to fall – but he should receive more targets. Gabriel has proven his ability as a gadget player with blistering speed. He is able to score from anywhere on the field, but the addition of Cordarrelle Patterson could restrict his opportunities.

While undoubtedly inconsistent, Trey Burton proved last year that he could be more than the backup that he was with the Philadelphia Eagles. Heading into his second year as a starter, he may not have another game with 126 receiving yards like he did last season, but he also established himself enough that he shouldn’t see any games without a reception.

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