For the third week in a row, the Chicago Bears are playing in prime time. Most of their top offensive weapons are coming off solid fantasy performances last week against the Seattle Seahawks and are looking for a repeat performance on Sunday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay has one of the best defenses in the NFL against both the run and the pass. They have only allowed three rushing touchdowns so far this year and only 10 passing touchdowns. Still, with the weapons on Chicago’s offense, the matchup does not automatically mean the Bears’ players should go on the bench.
So, who should be in your lineup this week and who should be on the bench?
Start: RB D’Andre Swift
This should go without explanation. D’Andre Swift is the fourth-best running
back is fantasy football. He just put up three touchdowns against a team that previously only allowed four rushing touchdowns. At this point, it does not matter the opponent. It seems unlikely that it will matter when Kyle Monangai comes back at this point. Swift is a must-start in all fantasy formats.
Start: TE Colston Loveland
Since Williams came back, Colston Loveland has become a must-start in all fantasy formats. He has 20 receptions in the past three games and at least 65 receiving yards in those games. Seattle was supposed to be a difficult matchup for tight ends, but that did not matter for his fantasy production. With the volume of targets he is getting, it should not matter in this game either.
Start: WR Luther Burden III
I cannot remember the last time Chicago’s offense had this many must-starts in fantasy football, but Luther Burden is another must-start. He is the No. 12 receiver in full PPR leagues according to ESPN and was also on the receiving end of Williams’ only touchdown pass last week. He now has a touchdown in two games in a row. With that kind of production, Burden is not someone you can put on your bench, even with his difficult matchup this weekend.
Start: WR Rome Odunze
Rome Odunze has clearly taken a back seat to Burden, but is still getting decent targets. He catches also tend to be downfield and his chunk plays give fantasy owners a lot of points. While he is facing a talented defense in the Buccaneers and is still looking to score his first touchdown of the year, he is getting enough receptions to make him a decent start in PPR leagues, especially if you are just looking for a reliable receiver who can put up 10 to 14 points.
Sit: QB Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams is an amazing quarterback. However, sometimes an elite quarterback does not translate to elite stats in fantasy. Right now, that is precisely the case for Williams. He only had 13.98 fantasy points in ESPN formats against the Seahawks despite having a great game. Tampa Bay also happens to be a poor matchup for fantasy quarterbacks, making this a good week to keep Williams on the bench.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Fantasy football starts and sits for Chicago Bears players in Week 9
