Fantasy Football: Bears RB Michael Bush a Must-Start After Matt Forte Injury
Published by Steven Cook on September 19, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
After watching Chicago Bears star running back Matt Forte go down with an ankle injury in their Week 2 loss against the Green Bay Packers, it’s obvious that Michael Bush is a must-start for Week 3.
If you were fortunate enough to draft Bush, there’s not many players who deserve to start over him. He’s dazzled so far this season in a backup role to Forte, and that role is sure to increase in the Bears’ game with the St. Louis Rams this weekend.
The Bears’ offense was generous to Bush despite trailing most of the game to Green Bay. He finished with 14 carries for 54 yards, even though his longest run of the day was just eight yards.
Bush isn’t the type of player who’s going to bust a 50-yard run to boost your team, but he’s certainly a touchdown vulture and is going to get plenty of carries at the goal line.
He even got 12 carries against Indianapolis in their season opener when Forte was healthy and heavily featured in the offense. He also scored two touchdowns. The Bears obviously aren’t shy about giving Bush plenty of carries, and that’s a major sign of trust for a player who just arrived in Chicago.
The only knock you can have on Bush is his ability to get his carries, and it’s already evident that it won’t be a problem at this point in the season.
He’s a sure-fire bet to pick up a couple yards each time he touches the ball, and Jay Cutler has been relying on him to extend drives and pick up first downs. For that reason, his value is massive and makes him a must-start if Forte can’t go.
Even if Forte is back and healthy, Bush could still possibly be considered as a potential flex option.
Bush is coming off his best year by far and has only increased his efficiency since coming into the league in 2008. His 2011 campaign featured an impressive 977 rushing yards to go along with 418 receiving yards.
418 receiving yards? Not too shabby for a 6’1″, 245-pound running back.
We’ve seen how potent a big running back can be in Chicago (see: Cedric Benson), so it’s only necessary to take a chance on Bush and let him start in your league.
– Steven Cook is a TNT breaking news writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter to keep up with all things sports.
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