Matt Forte Injury: 5 Chicago Bears Who Need to Step Up in the RB's Absence

Injuries are a cruel reality in the NFL. All it takes is a few key guys to go down with an injury, and all of a sudden the outlook for your season can be turned on its head.  

Just weeks after losing QB Jay Cutler the Bears' excellent running back, Matt Forte, left the game today with an apparent knee injury. While the severity of the injury won't be known until a later date, the Bears are going to need some of their supporting cast to step up and help keep the team on track while their two best offensive players nurse their wounds.

Click through the slideshow for five Chicago Bears who need to step up in his absence.

Marion Barber

When he's at his best, Marion Barber runs as hard as almost anyone in the league. Barber has been decent this season, especially in the red zone, where he has tallied five TDs.

As Forte's backup, the lion's share of the pressure to step up in Forte's absence will fall on Barber's shoulders.  

Barber has not shown any aptitude in the passing game, however, so he will need to really focus on improving his game in that area. This is doubly true as long as Jay Cutler stays out of the lineup.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Kellen Davis

As previously mentioned, Matt Forte was a huge asset in the short and safe passing game for the Bears. Especially when Caleb Hanie is under center, it's important for someone to step up and give the young QB a safety blanket when he needs to dump the ball off.

With the departure of Greg Olsen this past offseason, Mike Martz hasn't really replaced any of the tight end production that they had grown accustomed to, relying on Forte for the bulk of the short passing game. Kellen Davis is largely an unknown, but this may be the perfect opportunity for him to step up when the Bears need him.

Devin Hester

Without Jay Cutler's arm and Matt Forte's legs, Devin Hester is now the Bears' best playmaking weapon. Whether it's returning punts or picking up yards after the catch, Hester is the only guy left on their offense who can get it done all by himself.

Points are going to be at a premium for the Bears' offense until at least one of their stars returns. Any spark that Hester can provide, either on offense or special teams, will go a long way to carrying the Bears through this rough patch.

Caleb Hanie

It's officially time for Caleb Hanie to grow up. Without a proven running back to lean on, the Chicago offense needs him to step up, or things will be pretty ugly for them. Mike Martz still has plenty of dangerous downfield receiving targets to work with, the only question is whether or not Hanie can make the throws.

So far, the early returns have not been cause for optimism, but for the sake of the Bears' season, Hanie needs to show some progress and help the team limp along until one or both of the Bears' star offensive players returns.

Johnny Knox has proven he is a premier deep threat at wider receiver. Can Hanie use him?

Brian Urlacher

With the chips down on offense for the Bears, it's time to circle the wagons on defense.

That begins with Brian Urlacher, the brains and heart of the Bears' defense. Along with Lance Briggs, the Bears' defense—and the team overall—is going to need some extra strong leadership if they want to weather this injury storm.

Briggs and Urlacher are about as good as a 1-2 punch gets at linebacker. More importantly, they have their fingers on the pulse of the locker room. The Bears' defense has almost no margin for error, as points will be at a premium from here on out.