Start or Sit 'em in Fantasy Football: Bears vs. Packers |
With the start of the NFL season comes the start of fantasy football season. The Bears have some players that are worth considering for your fantasy lineup this week, highlighted by quarterback Justin Fields.
The first week of the season is always a bit unpredictable. However, one thing you can definitely rely on is that Fields is going to run the ball a good deal. Last year, the Packers finished No. 26 in rushing defense and given they did not make any significant changes on the defensive line, it should not be expected that their run defense will be much better this season. That is promising for Fields. Further, the addition of wide receiver DJ Moore gives Fields a reliable target to throw to. Green Bay was one of the better pass defenses in 2022, so perhaps Fields will not get as many points there. Still, after his production last season, he should undoubtedly be started in all fantasy formats. Still one of my favorite plays from Justin Fields. His ability to make defenders miss is insane. Any other QB here & its a sack #DaBears
Even though the Packers had a good passing defense in 2022, that should not stop Moore from putting up a lot of points. He is the top receiver on the team and showed a strong chemistry with Fields during the preseason. Furthermore, ESPN shows that Moore has a 26% chance of scoring at least 21.7 points in a full point per reception (FPPR) league. He only has a 12% chance of scoring under 6.7 points in a FPPR league. Thus, Moore has a lot of upside for anyone that starts him, even in the non-PPR leagues. Every catch DJ Moore had against the Packers in 2019:
Starting Herbert depends a bit more on your lineup. In most cases, Herbert should definitely be started. The Bears had the top rushing offense in the league last season and the run game is something that Chicago always leans on. Further, he had success last season when he stepped up as the starting back for the Bears, which is why David Montgomery was released in the offseason. There are only a certain number of scenarios that would call for Herbert being on your bench, such as having a running back heavy team. Since that is pretty hard to do this season, Herbert should probably be in your starting lineup. 3 days till Chicago Bears football
There are probably many people pressed for a tight end, especially in ten- or twelve-team leagues. But, for whatever the reason, tight end Cole Kmet does not do well in the month of September. He has never scored a touchdown in September and he seems to receive less targets, resulting in less yards, in the month of September. This follows what fans saw with Kmet last season as he did much better in the middle of the season. So, sit Kmet for now but he can be valuable down the line, especially as this offense develops. In a recent conversation I had w Bears TE Cole Kmet on this team’s bid to build “a championship mindset,” he volunteered that the offense is in need of a big game-on-the-line breakthrough.
Santos is coming off of a rough fantasy season as a result of the lack of offensive production from the Bears. However, with more offensive firepower, Santos should be on the upswing and in line to have a better fantasy season this year. The over/under for bettors in this game is 43, meaning that it is anticipated that a lot of points will be scored in this game. That is a good sign for Santos. Nonetheless, it is probably best to sit Santos for now because Week 1 is the most unpredictable week of the season and with a kicker coming off of a fantasy season like Santos had, it might be better to find a safer option for Week 1 and then consider him depending on how the offense looks on Sunday.
For some fans, it might be tempting to put the Bears defense in against the Packers given that this will only be Jordan Love’s second game that he is starting in the NFL. That temptation is understandable. But, it would be quite the gamble to start the Bears defense. This may be a necessary risk depending on the amount of teams in your league and the defenses available. Still, with an inexperienced quarterback, there could be more potential for turnovers, which could counter the negative points accrued from points scored by the offense. Creating a gold standard on defense 👊#1920FootballDrJustin Fields - Start
pic.twitter.com/yn9oe5R5tODJ Moore - Start
-9 receptions, 120 yards, birth of DJ Moore Jr#DaBears #Bears #Packers pic.twitter.com/xknO1YQg68Khalil Herbert - Start, But…
3 days till Khalil Herbert runs all over Green Bay’s defense
Let’s go! 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UJG2lEzjRICole Kmet - Sit
“I think you do have to learn how to win.”Cairo Santos - Sit For Now
Bears Defense - If You Want to Gamble, Start
