Although the first two games of the NFL season have already taken place with the Super Bowl rematch on Wednesday and the NFL’s first Australia game on Thursday, there is still a large slate of games on Sunday that will determine your fantasy football week, including the Chicago Bears’ game against the Carolina Panthers.
Wide receiver Rome Odunze remains questionable after being limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and while the Bears are hoping he will be able to play, his injury status could impact your fantasy roster this week and will be something to monitor leading up to gametime.
With that in mind, here are the Bears players you should start and sit in fantasy this week.
Start: WR Rome Odunze
The biggest question mark is Rome Odunze. However, the Bears
expect him to be available and if he plays, he should be in your fantasy lineup. He is still the top receiver on Chicago’s roster and if he is out on the field, he is going to get targets from quarterback Caleb Williams. I would not necessarily expect a 30-point game or anything along those lines, but Odunze should at least hit his projected point total and be a reliable start in your lineup. However, I would keep him in your flex spot if you can just in case he is ruled out because then he can be replaced with another receiver, a running back or a tight end.
Sit: QB Caleb Williams
Looking at Caleb Williams’ stats in his first two years in the NFL, he is significantly better at home than on the road. Carolina’s secondary also had a tendency to generate interceptions last year as the Panthers were top 10 in the NFL in takeaways. This may not be one of the NFL’s best defenses, but it is a bad matchup for the season opener.
Start: TE Colston Loveland
Until proven otherwise, Colston Loveland is an every game starter. He finished last season as Chicago’s leading receiver and should be one of the best tight ends in the NFL this season. In addition, Carolina allowed the eighth-most receiving yards to tight ends last season, so this is a favorable matchup for Loveland as well.
Sit: RB Kyle Monangai
In deeper leagues, it is understandable why some people would want to start Kyle Monangai. He is not on the injury report and his playing time was increasing last season. However, with it being the season opener, it is unclear how much usage Monangai will actually get, especially because he is recovering from an injury. Leave Monangai on the bench for now, but he may be someone you want to plug into the starting lineup later in the season.
Start: WR Luther Burden III
If Odunze is out, that changes the fantasy value for Luther Burden III because Jaycee Horn would be on him instead of getting the No. 2 cornerback. I still believe Burden could produce with Odunze out there, but it would probably be more beneficial for Burden if Odunze played. That way, Odunze could draw the top defender which should allow Burden to get open more. Either way, I would put Burden in your lineup this week.
Sit: RB D’Andre Swift
While D’Andre Swift is considered the top running back for the Bears, it is unclear what percentage of the rushing attempts will belong to Swift and what percentage will belong to Monangai. Swift has more upside than Monangai, in part because of his pass-catching ability. Still, if you have a better option to start, maybe consider putting Swift on the bench for the opener.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Starts and sits for top Chicago Bears players in fantasy Week 1
