Bears Blitz

Published by Scott Polacek on September 21, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The start of the 2015 season has been nothing short of disastrous for the Chicago Bears after an 0-2 start and injuries to starting quarterback Jay Cutler and star wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. 

The only silver lining is running back Matt Forte’s production, which is music to the ears of fantasy owners relying on the Bears playmaker. Unfortunately for those who drafted Jeffery, his injury meant he didn’t see the field in Week 2 after a solid season opener.

Here are the totals for both players through two games:

It is important to point out Cutler was on the field for the entire first game and most of the first half in Week 2. That will not be the case for at least the next two contests thanks to a hamstring injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

While Cutler receives plenty of criticism from Chicago fans for his decision-making and tendency to turn the ball over, he at least has a track record in place as a veteran starter. His ceiling is high enough to trust his top targets in the passing game for fantasy purposes.    

The same cannot be said about Jimmy Clausen, who is expected to start in Cutler’s place.

Clausen went 14-of-23 with 121 yards and an interception in Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals and boasts a dismal five touchdown passes to 11 interceptions on his lackluster career. He looked lost at times against the Arizona Cardinals, and his performance did not inspire confidence for those fantasy owners hoping for production from Jeffery in the next two games.

Jeffery isn’t even a sure thing in a vacuum at this point because of his own injury concerns. He was inactive for the Week 2 loss against the Cardinals with hamstring tightness, and he missed every preseason game with a significant calf strain.

Even if Jeffery does return to the field for Chicago’s next showdown, it will come against the Seattle Seahawks. That means a heavy dose of cornerback Richard Sherman, which is typically bad news for the fantasy production of wide receivers.

Jeffery’s talent or status as Chicago’s No. 1 receiver is not in question with a combined 2,554 receiving yards and 17 touchdown catches the last two years. However, the combination of Clausen at quarterback, an imposing opposing secondary and Jeffery’s own health concerns means you should sit the wide receiver while Cutler heals.

The flip side for those counting on Forte is the realization that the Bears may turn to the run even more without Cutler on the field and with their top receiver ailing.

The Bears fell behind by multiple scores in the first half Sunday but still managed to run it 28 times compared to 32 passes during a failed comeback attempt. The best way to protect an unsure quarterback is with a consistent rushing attack, and Forte is one of the most consistent producers in the league.

He counts three straight years with more than 1,000 rushing yards on his resume and 42 career touchdowns on the ground. He never rushed for fewer than 929 yards in a single one of his seven seasons, and he boasts five years of more than 1,000 rushing yards in his career.

Next up for Forte is a date with the typically stout Seahawks, but they allowed 95 rushing yards to Green Bay Packers backup James Starks on Sunday. Forte could be a problem for the Seattle front.

The running back also gets involved in the passing game, and it is not a far stretch to assume he will rack up plenty of catches on short throws in the next couple of weeks. Chicago will likely try to get Clausen comfortable with easy completions early in games, and that means Forte coming out of the backfield.

He racked up 102 catches for 808 yards last year alone and has 16 touchdown catches in his career.

It may seem strange that an injury to the starting quarterback could actually enhance the fantasy value of a teammate, but that is the case with Forte. The same cannot be said about Jeffery.

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