The Facts: Howard's chances of making a quick impact got a boost when the Bears decided not to re-sign Matt Forte. The Bears drafted two running backs during the past two seasons, Ka'Deem Carey and Jeremy Langford, respectively, after not drafting one the previous five years. Howard now is poised to be a short-yard, third-down threat at 6-0, 230 pounds.

Diehards Line: "I'm really impressed with his short-space quickness," Bears running back coach Stan Drayton said. "You're talking about a guy who's over 230 pounds. I didn't realize he was that quick, I'm going to be honest. I'm excited about that." Although Howard is getting acclimated to the bruises of camp and facing elite defenders, he's ready for the challenge. Fantasy owners should keep an eye out to see how he handles them.