Tom Brady Sees a Different Bears Defense
Tom Brady is not only GOAT but also a fantasy king.
He's never been a bottom-line, wins or losses quarterback. He is the entire package.
Fantasy football owners can always expect Brady to deliver, even against a good defense like the Bears have.
Meanwhile, the Bears have become a fantasy dead zone.
In the past, they could be counted on for David Montgomery and Allen Robinson to put up yards and points.
The only thing dependable with the attack while a rookie quarterback learns is their running game and no team can expect to run against Tampa Bay.
Long ago fantasy owners were sent scurrying for help if they were relying on Bears like Montgomery and Robinson.
Here's who to sit and who to play in the Bears game at Tampa Bay Sunday, with a heavy emphasis on Buccaneers.
Play 'Em
Tom Brady
Look for a 300-yard passing day with at least a pair of touchdowns from Brady, who hadn't yet fit into the offense and didn't know his receivers well yet when the Bears and Buccaneers played last year. He also didn't have Chris Godwin in that game. Brady will have time to throw because the Buccaneers only need to worry about Khalil Mack in the pass rush. He'll be double- and triple-teamed without Akiem Hicks and Robert Quinn to take away some of the pressure. Brady should be able to pick apart a secondary with Kindle Vildor and Duke Shelley in it since he'll have time.
Chris Godwin
The Buccaneers haven't been getting Godwin the ball downfield enough this year but with the diminished pass rush and the sketchy pass coverage from inexperience defensive backs, it shouldn't be a problem for Godwin to win if he's matched up against Vildor.
Mike Evans
The Bears will be playing this one more conventionally. They put Jaylon Johnson on Davante Adams all over the field last week and it worked well until the middle of the fourth quarter. But the Tampa Bay passing is so balanced there is no reason to focus on one receiver over another. Evans should get more targets since Antonio Brown is not available this week due to injury.
Leonard Fournette
There have been plenty of reasons not to use Fournette because of his inconsistency but by and large he's a reasonable fantasy threat and even though he drops too many passes Brady continues to have faith in him as a receiver. His 8.5 yards per catch in the receiving game are good enough reason for Brady to keep throwing him screens and dump-off passes. Without Hicks playing and with Bilal Nichols hurting, the Bears could be susceptible to being gashed in the running game. Add in the fact that Trevis Gipson is replacing Robert Quinn, and has been better rushing the passer than defending the run.
Cameron Brate
Even without Gronk, the Bucs have two other good receivers at tight end. Brate would be a good choice to look at anyway, but against the Bears he's been a lock in his career. The Naperville Central grad has faced the Bears five times, has two career TD catches and averages 3.6 catches for 45.4 yards.
Darnell Mooney
He seems to be the only receiver the Bears have who Justin Fields has developed a knack for finding in the offense.
Damien Williams
Williams is a more suitable play from the Bears than Khalil Herbert this week because the Bears figure to be behind and throwing the ball. Williams is an excellent receiver out of the backfield or split out into the slot. The Bears will be forced to throw a lot, even if they can't complete a lot to receivers. They can get it to a back.
Sit 'Em
Allen Robinson
Robinson's great strength is being open when he's not open. Getting a rookie quarterback to have confidence to throw Robinson's way when it appears the window is too small is a real trick. Robinson's other great strength is getting open in timing routes but Fields doesn't have good timing down with all the receivers because he doesn't know the offense well enough to have complete comfort throwing in time. For now, the Bears must rely on Mooney as their main receiving threat as Fields moves around and throws.
Khalil Herbert
Anyone who went scrambling for a waiver pickup on Herbert after he had a strong game against the Raiders will be disappointed this week because there are two reasons his numbers will plummet. It's virtually impossible to run it on Tampa Bay with Vita Vea blocking the middle and driving it back. Also, Williams will be back and might even play more than Herbert because the Bears figure to be behind and will be throwing.
Justin Fields
This one has all the earmarks of a game like the Bears played against the Browns and everyone remembers what a nightmare that one was.
Defense
Tampa Bay's defense would be an excellent choice this week. They're a strong defense facing a struggling offense with a rookie quarterback and it's at home.
In an IDP league, a player who figures to put up good numbers in this one is safety Antoine Winfield Jr., as he returns from injury. Fields might be throwing the ball up for grabs and Winfield could have a chance to make plays on it. Devin White is another who could put up bigger numbers since his sidekick at inside linebacker, Lavonte David, isn't playing. Someone has to make all the tackles. Mack does not figure to put up sack totals this week with the Buccaneers able to focus line attention on him while key Bears pass rushers Hicks and Quinn are sidelined.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
