Justin Fields Ready to Revisit His Fantasy Tear
Bears coach Matt Eberflus won the hearts of many fantasy football owners this week.
By getting out word Justin Fields was returning to the lineup on Friday, it left plenty of time to get the Bears quarterback back into fantasy lineups after he had been the terror of fantasy ball over a five-week period.
According to SI fantasy expert Michael Fabiano, Fields is the No. 8 QB and Fantasy Pros' Luke Monaldo has Fields as No. 1 among QBs in fantasy points per dropback. He's first in rushing yards and second in rushing TDs and that makes up in for his passing shortcomings, at least in fantasy ball.,
What isn't easy to measure is the effect the shoulder injury will have on his running. If he's smart, he can minimize this with slides, runs out of bounds and by simply throwing the ball away rather than trying to find a way to get out of the pocket.
Fields isn't one for giving up, though. It would be difficult to picture him throwing the ball away instead of running.
The matchup is something to consider for fantasy owners in this, as well.
In the past, disaster for the Bears seemed all but assured while going against Green Bay's defense. Now, the Packers defense has dropped into the middle of the league at 16th because they can't stop the run, ranking 31st in yards allowed and 28th in yards per attempt.
Here are the player to consider for fantasy for Sunday's 204th regular-season game between the Bears and Packers.
Start 'Em
1. QB Justin Fields
The sum parts of his game will bring smiles to fantasy owners. Fields doesn't have a lot of experience but he has already done what he will do this week. Last year he came back from two games away due to a ribs injury and started. The opponent in 2021 Week 14: Green Bay. Fields was still a rookie but he produced one of his more exciting all-around games, going 18 of 33 for 224 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions while rushing for 74 yards on nine carries. Some key sacks at game's end did in attempts at the upset. No doubt a fantasy owner would be statisfied with Fields' numbers from last year, and the Bears would again except for the interceptions. The Bears lost that game 45-30.
2. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
Ranked 12th for fantasy among QBs by Fabiano and 16th by Pro Football Reference, Rodgers has a matchup advantage on his side in this one and it's not just the fact he "owns" the Bears. It's the Bears secondary. Jaylon Johnson, Kindle Vildor, Jaylon Jones, DeAndre Houston-Carson and Elijah Hicks will be entrusted with defending the pass against Rodgers. Good luck with that.
3. Bears RB David Montgomery
Now No. 1 in the NFL in attempts per broken tackle at 7.7, Montgomery goes against a defense that gave up 22 missed tackles last week. Fabiano has Montgomery near the top of his list of backs to start this week. Nose tackle Kenny Clark had always been a thorn in the Bears' sides in the past when it came to running but Pro Football Focus gives him a poor grade overall for the season as the Packers have collapsed against the run. Montgomery could have a big game after Eagles running back Miles Sanders piled up 143 yards last week.
4. Packers RB Aaron Jones
He has scored a touchdown rushing in three of his last five games against the Bears and caught a TD pass in three straight against the Bears. In the earlier game, Jones ran for 132 yards on 15 carries and that was against a much better Bears defense that included Roquan Smith. Jones looks more capable of piling up fantasy points in this one than teammate AJ Dillon if based on nothing else but his experience doing it against the Bears. In 10 games, he has averaged 4.99 yards a rush and has nine total TDs against the Bears.
5. Packers WR Randall Cobb
Although some other Packers receivers appear to be either hitting stride or making an impact, it's Cobb who is the choice here as he has played a whopping 18 games against the Bears, averaging 3.8 catches for 53.6 yards with nine TDs. He's been a constant headache, whether it was the 75-yard TD catch to beat them in 2018 after Khalil Mack and the Bears defense dominated the first half, or the 48-yard TD he caught when Chris Conte blew the coverage and allowed the winning points in the closing seconds of a game that sent the Bears home while the Packers went to the playoffs as division winners. Cobb had an injury that he was over two games ago and should be ready to pick up where he leaves off every game against the Bears. The Bears are in a dire situation with Gordon out of the game and no experienced slot cornerback to cover Cobb.
6. Packers WR Allen Lazard
Christian Watson has become the hottest Packers receiver but the Bears are likely to focus attention on him after three straight big games in terms of yardage. He never had more than four catches in that streak. Lazard has had seven games with as many catches or more than Watson had in his best game this year. He'll be in position to torch the injury plagued Bears seconday.
7. Bears TE Cole Kmet
Fields is going to need to get the ball to someone with Darnell Mooney gone to IR and Kmet is the logical choice. He's the most familiar target and someone with a good height advantage on most Packers defenders at 6-foot-6. With a team-high five TD catches and 11.6 yards per catch, Kmet has made strides despite having only 29 receptions.
8. Packers TE Robert Tonyan
A 10-catch, 90-yard effort in October against the Jets announced Tonyan was back from his ACL tear. He hasn't been particularly effective against the Bears overall but had one good effort with five catches for 67 yards and a TD against them in 2020.
9. Packers RB AJ Dillon
He doesn't seem to get enough carries to make an overall yardage impact but could contribute as the goal-line scorer or even late in the game wearing down a defense. What's been fun is when he gets in the backfield with Aaron Jones. That's a bit reminiscent of the old split backfields of the 1960s and it's tough for defenses to diagnose who's getting the ball on runs or passes.
Sit 'Em
10. Packers WR Christian Watson
After three straight improved efforts, the odds are he'll step back. The last time he was shut down it was by division opponent Detroit in a Packers loss. The 12 catches for 265 yards in three games with six TDs is huge, but 10 catches for 88 yards the previous six games was not. He had three catches and 9 yards in the first Bears game.
11. Bears WR Chase Claypool
Right now he appears limited by his lack of knowledge about the Bears offense and lack of rapport with Fields. He's been trying to get in extra work with Fields after practice durin the week and perhaps it will pay off. Right now, he appears capable of just a few jump-ball receptions and maybe a short catch and run but if his rapport with Fields improves then he could become the go-to guy.
12. Bears WR Velus Jones Jr.
He hasn't appeared capable of much more than special teams to this point, and they don't even let him do this as he's been taking touchbacks on every kick.
13. Packers WR Romeo Doubs
Doubs was the first young Packers receiver to break out but then stepped back with an ankle injury. He's questionable for this game and may not even play after going out with the injury against Detroit in a loss.
Best Bears Bets
THE SPREAD AND TOTAL
The Line: Packers by 5 1/2. Over/under 44 1/2.
(Line started at 3 1/2).
BearDigest Record: 9-3, 5-6-1 ATS.
BearDigest Pick: Packers 28, Bears 21.
Prop Picks: Aaron Jones over 55 1/2 rushing yards.
Also, Aaron Rodgers over 1 1/2 TD passes.
TICKETS TO WATCH JUSTIN FIELDS AND THE BEARS THROUGH SI TICKETS
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