D.J. Moore had a major regression in his second season with the Chicago Bears in 2024. But he is poised to turn things around in 2025.
The Bears wideout was named as a potential bounce-back candidate by esteemed analytics site Pro-Football Focus.
This will be Moore’s third season in Chicago already, and even though he had more catches (98) than he had in 2023 (96), he had 966 receiving yards — nearly 400 fewer than his first-season total of 1,364 in 2023, which set a career high.
But with a dynamic offense under former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and continuity building with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, Moore is a player to watch in the season ahead.
Why Is D.J. Moore A Bounce Back Candidate in 2025?
Moore’s first season in Chicago was everything the city could have hoped. Aside from fetching the Bears the opportunity to select Williams, Moore played like a No. 1 wide receiver, posting career highs in scrimmage yards (1,385) and touchdowns (9).
But, perhaps unsurprisingly with a rookie quarterback who had trouble learning the pro game, Moore was far less effective in 2024.
Part of it was Williams, plus the fact the Bears employed three different offensive coordinators last year. But Moore had more competition for catches, with Keenan Allen posting 70 grabs and a team-high seven touchdowns — plus 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze tacked on 54 catches and 734 yards as well.
But Allen is gone, since he is still a free agent and linked to multiple teams that aren’t the Bears. So that will leave Moore and Odunze to rule the Bears wide-receiver room — even with the addition of first-round pick and tight end Colston Loveland.
Plus, Johnson’s offense, assuming he can duplicate it in Chicago, could turn Moore back into a star — potentially a poor-man’s version of one of the best in the biz.
“Johnsonâs Lions had a unique trio of wide receivers, including a tall, possession-centric X receiver with a low target share in Tim Patrick (and previously Josh Reynolds), a speedy Z receiver in Jameson Williams and a slot receiver who can also play on the outside in Amon-Ra St. Brown,” author Nathan Jahnke wrote. “Moore is a little faster than St. Brown and slightly larger, but he is the closest comparison to St. Brown.
“The best chance for Moore to maximize his fantasy value could be by learning St. Brownâs role in the offense.”
St. Brown has not fallen short of 1,160 receiving yards in the past three seasons and has 22 touchdowns in the past two with Johnson at the offensive helm. That Moore has more years of experience, and is more physically gifted than St. Brown, means he should be in line for a huge year.
Where Does Caleb Williams Fit In D.J. Moore’s Bounce Back Year?
Williams is an integral piece too, since receivers are a product of their quarterbacks.
But as Jahnke noted, continuity between Williams and Moore should be a huge factor.
“Assuming Caleb Williams doesnât suffer an injury that costs him most of the season, this will be the first time in Mooreâs NFL career with a quarterback who plays at least 400 snaps in back-to-back years,” Jahnke said.
That means even though there may be frightful conditions in the winter in Chicago, and the Bears offense isn’t thought of as a powerful one, fantasy drafters could still view Moore as a steal
“Moore is usually a safe WR2 option, but many variables could influence his fantasy value in 2025,” Jahnke wrote. “He could play the slot role in Ben Johnsonâs offense with an improved Caleb Williams, giving him top-10 potential.”
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