Start’em or Sit’em in Fantasy Football: Bears vs. Vikings

Daniel Bartel - USA Today Sports

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Fri Oct 13 17:00:11 GMT-05:00 2023

If you had DJ Moore or Justin Fields in your lineup last week, you most likely won, especially with Moore. The matchup against the Vikings is also favorable for both, with the Vikings giving up nine passing touchdowns and only having one interception.

Justin Fields - Start

I made the mistake last week of saying to sit Fields, and that is not going to be a mistake I make again. Fields has now shown consistency, putting up high fantasy points over the past two weeks. Both of those matchups were against poor passing defenses, and it is something he took advantage of. In addition, the lack of running backs available means that Fields will probably have more of an opportunity in the rushing game. Therefore, he has the chance to give fantasy owners more points on the ground than he has in previous games. At this point, Fields is a definite start until further notice and offers a dual-threat ability.

DJ Moore - Start

Moore is also a definite start. His chemistry with Fields has clearly gotten better, helping both of their fantasy performances. Most likely, Moore will not have over 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns again. However, it serves to reason that he will have another touchdown because he has in the last three games. Further, he has gone over 100 receiving yards in three of his last four games. No matter what kind of league you are in or what other receivers are on your roster, Moore is a player that has to be started.

Roschon Johnson - Start If He’s Available

Khalil Herbert will not be available for this game. He has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, and that is not something you can play on, even after the mini-bye that the Bears had from playing Thursday Night Football. So, that means Roschon Johnson steps up to the No. 1 running back role. Johnson is in concussion protocol, so he is currently questionable. But, if he is available, the Bears’ offense generally goes through the running game, and if Johnson is available, he will be the top back. The Vikings defense has allowed four rushing touchdowns so far this season, while the Bears are tied for third in the NFL for rushing touchdowns on offense. Thus, this is a good matchup for whoever the starter is.

D’Onta Foreman - Sit

If Johnson is not available, then Foreman should be the No. 1 running back. However, Johnson has gotten a lot more playing time than Foreman and thus would be a more solid No. 1 back. If Foreman ends up starting, it may be more of a split backfield situation, thus making it more unpredictable who will end up with the rushing touchdowns.

Cole Kmet - Start

Kmet was the No. 1 on the team in receiving yards last season. Obviously, he is no longer No. 1 because of Moore. But, he is still a top target for Fields as is now No. 2 on the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns with his three TDs on the season, all in the last two days. Tight ends are a tricky position in any fantasy season, but injuries across all positions and teams certainly have not helped. Kmet actually popped up on the injury report with a hamstring issue, but it does not appear to be something that will impact his availability. Unless you are sitting with Sam LaPorta, Travis Kelce, or TJ Hockenson on your roster, Kmet should be started. However, if you have these players and need a flex option, you might want to consider putting Kmet in the flex this week, depending on your roster.

Chicago Defense - Maybe?

If you are in a position where you are desperately in need of a defense, maybe the Bears are not a bad option. Minnesota is about in the middle of the pack in scoring offense. But, they are without Justin Jefferson, who is on injured reserve (IR), Jordan Addison has an ankle issue and is questionable, and KJ Osborn does not seem capable of taking the No. 1 receiver role. They are one of two teams in the NFL who have yet to score a rushing touchdown, which is bad for a team that is going to need to rely more on the rush now that they are short on receivers. Also, cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson, in addition to safety Eddie Jackson, have a chance of returning for this game. The Bears defense is coming off of a game where they had five sacks and two turnovers. While that was against a lower-level offense overall, this is certainly momentum that the defense can carry over into this matchup. It is still a gamble but does have a little upside.