Fantasy football flashback: The best Chicago Bears WR seasons this century

It was the distinctly not-legendary Mushin Muhammad who, in 2008, famously told Sports Illustrated, “Chicago is where wide receivers go to die.”

I suppose you couldn’t argue with the man they called Moose—the most yardage by a Bear receiver to that point was Marcus Robinson’s 1,400 in 1999. Yikes.

Since Muhammad shed his Bears uni for the final time in 2007, nary an active Chicago receiver has died but, save for Brandon Marshall’s 1,508-yard showing in 2012, nary an active receiver has topped 1,500 yards in a season.

That’s why fantasy football owners traditionally avoid grabbing Bears pass catchers until the late, late, late rounds of their draft—but with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze working from a Ben Johnson playbook, that will almost definitely change in the upcoming 2025 season.

Based on what we’ve seen from the Bears’ WR1s during the 21st Century, however—all of which are listed below in ascending order of fantasy points—fake football players can be forgiven for dismissing Chicago’s less-than-finest receiving corps.

25) 2022 – Darnell Mooney
Receptions: 40
Receiving Yards: 493
Receiving TDs: 2
Fantasy Points: 91.3

24) 2004 – David Terrell
Receptions: 42
Receiving Yards: 699
Receiving TDs: 1
Fantasy Points: 111.9

23) 2017 – Kendall Wright
Receptions: 59
Receiving Yards: 614
Receiving TDs: 1
Fantasy Points: 120.4

22) 2011 – Johnny Knox
Receptions: 37
Receiving Yards: 727
Receiving TDs: 2
Fantasy Points: 126.7

21) 2008 – Devin Hester
Receptions: 52
Receiving Yards: 665
Receiving TDs: 3
Fantasy Points: 131.5

20) 2018 – Allen Robinson
Receptions: 55
Receiving Yards: 754
Receiving TDs: 4
Fantasy Points: 144.4

19) 2003 – Marty Booker
Receptions: 52
Receiving Yards: 715
Receiving TDs: 4
Fantasy Points: 147.5

18) 2009 – Devin Hester
Receptions: 57
Receiving Yards: 757
Receiving TDs: 3
Fantasy Points: 149.7

17) 2000 – Marcus Robinson
Receptions: 55
Receiving Yards: 738
Receiving TDs: 5
Fantasy Points: 152.8

16) 2005 – Muhsin Muhammad
Receptions: 64
Receiving Yards: 750
Receiving TDs: 4
Fantasy Points: 153.0

15) 2015 – Alshon Jeffery
Receptions: 54
Receiving Yards: 807
Receiving TDs: 4
Fantasy Points: 158.7

14) 2006 – Bernard Berrian
Receptions: 51
Receiving Yards: 775
Receiving TDs: 6
Fantasy Points: 170.5

13) 2010 – Johnny Knox
Receptions: 51
Receiving Yards: 960
Receiving TDs: 5
Fantasy Points: 172.0

12) 2016 – Cameron Meredith
Receptions: 66
Receiving Yards: 888
Receiving TDs: 4
Fantasy Points: 188.8

11) 2007 – Bernard Berrian
Receptions: 71
Receiving Yards: 951
Receiving TDs: 5
Fantasy Points: 196.1

10) 2021 – Darnell Mooney
Receptions: 81
Receiving Yards: 1,055
Receiving TDs: 4
Fantasy Points: 210.5

9) 2002 – Marty Booker
Receptions: 97
Receiving Yards: 1,189
Receiving TDs: 6
Fantasy Points: 231.9

8) 2014 – Alshon Jeffery
Receptions: 85
Receiving Yards: 1,133
Receiving TDs: 10
Fantasy Points: 241.3

7) 2019 – Allen Robinson
Receptions: 98
Receiving Yards: 1,147
Receiving TDs: 7
Fantasy Points: 241.7

6) 2001 – Marty Booker
Receptions: 100
Receiving Yards: 1,071
Receiving TDs: 8
Fantasy Points: 245.1

5) 2023 – DJ Moore
Receptions: 78
Receiving Yards: 1,180
Receiving TDs: 8
Fantasy Points: 254.0

4) 2020 – Allen Robinson
Receptions: 102
Receiving Yards: 1,250
Receiving TDs: 6
Fantasy Points: 258.0

3) 2024 – DJ Moore
Receptions: 82
Receiving Yards: 1,210
Receiving TDs: 9
Fantasy Points: 271.0

2) 2013 – Brandon Marshall
Receptions: 100
Receiving Yards: 1,295
Receiving TDs: 12
Fantasy Points: 311.5

1) 2012 – Brandon Marshall
Receptions: 118
Receiving Yards: 1,508
Receiving TDs: 11
Fantasy Points: 330.8