Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 25th, 1:00 PM ET
Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Betting Odds: CHI -3, 40.5 total via PFF.com
Network: CBS
Writer: Mario Adamo Jr. (@marioadamojr on Twitter)
Houston Texans
Quarterback
Davis Mills (Sit, QB2)
The Bears are one of the best teams in football against QBs, giving up an average of 14 points per game this season. One of those games can be disregarded coming against Trey Lance in Week 1 on a field that looked more like the mud pit from The Longest Yard than an NFL field. Week 2, however, was against Aaron Rodgers, self-proclaimed owner of the Bears. Davis Mills is currently QB26 on the year, putting him behind Daniel Jones and Jacoby Brissett. Avoid Mills in anything besides 2 QB leagues, and even then you may not have to look hard for better options.
Running Backs
Dameon Pierce (Flex), Rex Burkhead (Sit, Flex)
Rejoice Dameon Pierce managers! Pierce took the primary back role in Week 2 with a 62% snap count vs Burkhead’s 37%. Pierce took advantage of those opportunities, tallying 69 rushing yards on 15 attempts and bringing in his only target for 8 yards. On the flip side, Burkhead had zero rushing attempts but brought in two of his three targets for 9 yards. Against a Bears defense that’s averaging 20 ppg to RBs, I feel okay taking a chance with Pierce. With only one back being viable at a time in Houston, I’m sitting Burkhead in all but deeper leagues.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Brandin Cooks (Start, WR2), Nico Collins (Sit), Chris Moore (Sit), Brevin Jordan (Sit), O.J. Howard (Sit, TE2)
Let me get the quick ones out of the way first. Don’t start Nico Collins, Chris Moore, or Brevin Jordan under any circumstance. O.J. Howard gets a slight bump with Brevin Jordan getting the questionable tag, but even that doesn’t move the needle in anything besides deeper, 2TE leagues.
Finally, there’s Brandin Cooks, the only player on the Texans you feel somewhat good about. Bears are one of the worst teams against WRs, giving up an average of 25 ppg and Cooks is the only player talented enough to take advantage of the matchup. Combined with his ridiculous 50% target share among WRs, Cooks is the only viable starter and has a great opportunity to put up solid WR2 numbers.
Chicago Bears
Quarterbacks
Justin Fields (Sit, QB2)
Surprisingly the Texans are another one of the best teams in football against QBs, also giving up 14 ppg against signal-callers. Despite that, Justin Fields himself doesn’t inspire confidence. Last week he attempted eleven passes. He had a rushing touchdown, but that couldn’t save him from a 10-point performance worthy of QB25. Same verdict as Mills; his only value, if you can call it that, comes in 2QB leagues.
Running Backs
David Montgomery (Start, RB1), Khalil Herbert (Sit, Flex)
David Montgomery is the player I feel best about in this game. We always look to chase opportunity in fantasy and Montgomery was on the field for 80% of the snaps in Week 2. Only Christian McCaffrey (93%), Leonard Fournette (86%), and Saquon Barkley (86%) had a larger share. Another part of opportunity is the defense a player is facing. The Texans’ defense averages an abysmal 21 ppg against RBs. Those facts, combined with the Bears’ inability to move the ball in the air, have Montgomery primed for a week-winning performance.
Khalil Herbert sits comfortably in the handcuff role. He may get some red zone opportunities as he did in Week 1, but it’s clear Montgomery is the lead back. Herbert is worth a hold in case Montgomery gets hurt, but don’t count on him to provide much value, and should only be started in deeper leagues.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
Darnell Mooney (Sit), Equanimeous St. Brown (Sit), Byron Pringle (Sit) Cole Kmet (Sit)
Oh, Darnell Mooney… a budding star of last year put up back-to-back games of 1.8 and 0.6 points respectively. Equanimeous St. Brown’s 57 receiving yards currently lead the Bears and was done on three catches. Byron Pringle had no targets in Week 2 and still had more points than Mooney with 3.2. Cole Kmet, another player with hype going into the season, has been targeted once per game with zero catches. No pass-catcher can be trusted in Chicago under any circumstance.