Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 6th at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Betting Odds: CHI -3, 44 total via Oddsshark
Network: FOX
Detroit Lions
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford (Sit, QB2)
In 2019, Matthew Stafford was on pace for the best statistical season of his career. A back injury prematurely ended his season and Stafford was viewed by many to be a top-flight QB in 2020. Stafford has struggled with consistency this season and had one of the worst games of his career in Week 11. Some of Stafford’s struggles might be attributed to a ligament injury in his thumb suffered in Week 10 and some might be attributed to a litany of injuries that have robbed him of some of his best offensive weapons. It bears noting that Stafford may well have all his offensive weapons healthy for the first time since Week 8 – one of his best performances of the season. Stafford drew a questionable tag on Wednesday but seems likely to play this weekend. Given the quality of Chicago’s defense and Stafford’s recent struggles, fantasy managers should consider him no better than a QB2 in Week 13.
Running Backs
D’Andre Swift (Start, RB1), Adrian Peterson (Sit), Kerryon Johnson (Sit)
D’Andre Swift has missed Detroit’s last two games due to a concussion but is trending towards playing this week. Swift had taken firm command of the backfield before the injury and put together games of 97 combined yards and 149 combined yards with a TD in Weeks 9 and 10. In the first meeting between these teams in Week 1, Adrian Peterson was able to grind out 114 combined yards giving fantasy managers hope Swift can match or exceed that production. If Swift can reclaim the majority of the work, and indications are that he should, he can provide mid-level RB1 production in Week 13.
Speaking of Peterson, he drew the start in Swift’s absence but was generally ineffective outside of two short TDs on Thanksgiving. Peterson probably only sees 5-8 touches with a healthy Swift and is simply bench depth for fantasy managers this week.
The third of Detroit’s RBs, Kerryon Johnson, essentially split the work with Peterson the last two weeks but provided more in the passing game. Johnson is on par with Peterson at this point and carries the same designation of bench depth only in Week 13.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Kenny Golladay (Sit), Marvin Jones (Start, WR3/Flex), Danny Amendola (Sit), T.J. Hockenson (Start, TE1)
Once again, Kenny Golladay was absent from practice on Wednesday and his chances of returning this week seem closer to doubtful than questionable. If Golladay were to be cleared, it’s hard to believe he would play a full allotment of snaps. Fantasy managers simply can’t trust Golladay to play enough or stay healthy long enough to count on for Week 13.
With Golladay sidelined, Marvin Jones has seen enough volume to be a viable starter for fantasy managers and had three consecutive games with a score in Weeks 8-10. Unfortunately, Stafford’s struggles have torpedoed Jones’s production despite double-digit targets. Jones had four receptions for 55 yards in Week 1 against Chicago without Golladay but Stafford seems to have gained trust in Jones and fantasy managers fortunate enough to slot Jones in as a WR3 or flex should be excited to do so as Jones has WR2 upside this week.
Despite Golladay looking iffy Detroit might get Danny Amendola back on the field this week as he logged a limited practice on Wednesday. Amendola has missed the team’s last two games but did have his second-best game of the season in Week 1 against Chicago. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Amendola just doesn’t possess enough upside to warrant consideration. Keep Amendola on your bench if he plays this week.
If Golladay is out some combination of Quintez Cephus, Mohamed Sanu and Jamal Agnew will look to fill the void. Stafford’s recent struggles combined with a lack of targets makes all three unappealing this week.
I’ve said this before and I’ll continue to beat the drum this week; the most consistent option of Detroit’s receiver is easily T.J. Hockenson. Hockenson leads the team in receptions (45), receiving yards (530), and is tied with Jones with five TDs. Hockenson snared one of those TDs in Week 1 against the Bears and should provide TE1 production for fantasy managers in Week 13 due to the lack of top-end talent at the position.
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
Mitchell Trubisky (Start, low-end QB1)
I’m probably with the majority of the readers who did a double-take when they saw “QB1” and “Mitchell Trubisky” in the same sentence but here we are. Some were surprised I said the same about Watson last week leading up to the Thanksgiving matchup and look what he did to this defense. Now, I’m not saying Trubisky is as good a QB as Watson but this defense is still as bad. Trubisky has shown the ability to gain yards on the ground and he has a bona fide WR1 to lean on. Trubisky was still the starter in Week 1 when these teams met and had his best game of the season throwing for 242 yards and three TDs with no INTs. It’s going to be tough, but fantasy managers can slot Trubsiky in as their QB1 this week. Gulp.
Running Backs
David Montgomery (Start, RB1)
It’s rare to list just one player in the RB section of these articles but Chicago is one of the few teams who really have just one RB. David Montgomery has dominated the snaps this season, regularly seen more than 80% of the snaps at the position since Tarik Cohen‘s injury. Now, Montgomery has struggled to put up consistently strong fantasy numbers but he did eclipse 100 rushing yards for the first time last week and gets the 28th-ranked rush defense allowing 133 yards per game. Montgomery also has a role in the team’s passing game, increasing his appeal in this matchup. Fantasy managers can trust Montgomery as an RB1 this week in a primo matchup.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Allen Robinson (Start, WR1), Anthony Miller (Sit), Darnell Mooney (Sit), Jimmy Graham (Sit)
Perhaps the quietest WR1 in fantasy football is Allen Robinson. Robinson rarely has those “wow” games but he is going to consistently get 6-7 reception for 65-80 yards and maybe a TD or two. Robinson is actually on pace to have the second-best season of his career and has almost become a must-start because of the number of targets he sees. Robinson has already surpassed 100 targets on the season and has more than 40 more than the next player for Chicago. Robinson should finish inside the WR1 ranks against a woeful Detroit defense in Week 13.
There is a logjam as to who the next best receiving option is for Chicago as all three of Anthony Miller, Darnell Mooney, and Jimmy Graham have between 61-65 targets, 334-385 yards, and 2-5 TDs. Now, might one of those guys have a fantasy-startable game against the Lions’ porous pass defense? Yes, but it’s just as likely all three put up 3 catches for 40 yards without a TD. There is really no good way to distinguish between the three so I’d say all three should stay on fantasy benches for this week.
Snap counts courtesy of Fantasy Data.
-Bryan Sweet (@FantasyFreakTN on Twitter)