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Spotlight - WR Marty Booker, Chicago Bears

Posted on 8/8, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Jason Wood's Thoughts

Marty Booker has enjoyed three very distinct phases of his career:

Phase 1: The backup phase (1999-2000)

As a 3rd round pick out of Louisiana Monroe, Booker had a quiet 19 receptions as a rookie. He worked himself into the rotation in 2000, with 47 receptions for 490 yards, but still failed to crack the top 60 at his position.

Phase 2: The explosive phase (2001-2002)

In his 3rd season, Booker caught 100 receptions for 1,071 yards and 8 TDs, finishing as the 14th best fantasy receiver. He followed that up with another monster year (97 receptions for 1,183 yards and 6 TDs); ending as the 12th ranked fantasy wideout.

Phase 3: The baseline years (2003-2007)

Booker struggled with injuries in 2003 and ended at WR40. He then packed his bags and went to Miami where he spent the last four seasons. While his role, coaching staff, QB and supporting cast have all been in flux, Booker managed to produce remarkably consistent (if unexciting) results:

• 50 for 638, 1 TD
• 39 for 686, 3 TDs
• 55 for 747, 6 TDs
• 50 for 556, 1 TD

Phase 4: To Be Determined...

Booker wasn't part of the youth movement in Miami and now finds himself full circle; back in Chicago. Conventional wisdom suggests Booker will start for the Bears, but is that a temporary situation or can he somehow lead the team in targets and receptions?

Many options, few stars

The Bears have almost nothing set in stone offensively. Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton are neck and neck for the starting job; and few believe whoever starts the year will finish it without at least one benching. The offensive line is in flux. And the WR position is completely malleable. The Bears want Devin Hester to emerge as the WR1; but there's little in his history to suggest he's up to the task. Rookies Earl Bennett and Marcus Monk could see time, particularly if the team goes full bore into a youth movement. Mark Bradley, Rashied Davis and Brandon Lloyd also want playing time. At the end of the day, it's impossible to count on any Bears receiver as a fantasy commodity, even the sure-handed Booker.

Positives

• Booker is sure handed, and by far the most reliable target in the Bears WR corps
• Booker is built more like a running back (5'11", 215 pounds) and is comfortable in space
• Booker can be targeted as a late round, end game pick

Negatives

• The Bears have two QBs, which means they really have none
• Booker's strength is in the short and intermediate area of the field, which is where TEs Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen already reside
• Booker isn't the future, so if the Bears opt for a rebuilding mode, he'll quickly take a back seat to youngsters Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Marcus Monk

Final Thoughts

Booker's fantasy value really comes down to your approach in building your bench. If you are in a Survivor or best ball league, or a conventional PPR redraft, Booker might be the kind of backup you value. He's not going to catch 80 passes for 1000 yards, but he's likely to get a handful of targets each game and end the year with 50+ receptions. That consistent point production can mean the difference between surviving another week or saying sayonara. Now, on the other hand, if you prefer high upside/high risk backups, Booker is absolutely not someone you should target. Draft accordingly.

Quotations from the Message Board Thread

Iwannabeacowboybaby!
Marty Booker is back where he belongs, with the Bears. Booker actually had some very solid years with the Bears finishing inside the top 15 at WR twice before heading to Miami. Miami's passing offense was never really any good while he was there but he returns to a Bears' offense which has problems of their own. I don't think you can be very bullish considering the Bears offense but their defense isn't as good as it has been in the past and they will at least have to attempt to move the ball in the air more. If they do better than people expect, Booker could prove startable in leagues where you start 3 wr's where bye weeks come into play and survivor leagues where you can draft up to 7 wr's.

Jon_Moore:
Chicago has arguably the worst quarterback situation in the NFL. Their running game is comprised of an unproven rookie and a bunch of career backups. The other receivers have done jack squat for their careers. Odds are, the offense will SUCK.

Booker's a savvy vet, with solid route running ability, good hands, and good toughness. He thrived once upon a time in Chicago, but realistically everything is different.

The bears will probably be behind alot due to the horrible offense, and Grossman has the strength to get Booker the ball, so their is something resembling a silver lining.

Jimmy James:
Before he got to Miami, I counted myself as a Dolphins fan who loved to watch Booker. He had the ability to just get lost back there that I loved to see.

I loved having a guy I loved watching on my favorite team, but it just never quite worked out. I think Marty left his heart in Chicago and it just wasn't the same for him in Miami. I think there were also some hard feelings with Smith moving him in the way he did that should be interesting.

I'm with everybody else who thinks the Chicago QB situation is a mess, but Marty has never had a quality QB. I'm going to guess conservative for stats, but I'm a bit more optimistic than others.

Chicago Hooligan:
Booker trips some warnings for me, aside from the facts of his age and his unreliable QB. I dislike WRs who have changed teams in the offseason (unless they have above-and-beyond talent like Moss/Owens/etc.) and I avoid what I call "default" picks -- guys who are predicted to put up numbers basically by process of elimination, i.e. 'who else is going to catch passes there?' Well, I don't know, but I'm not going to gamble that it's Booker.

Marty Booker Projections