Tag Archives: Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears Become Major NFL Betting Target After Brian Hoyer Injury

Sports News & Picks, , , ,

The Chicago Bears went into Thursday night’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers with bleak prospects at 1-5.

They exited the night in even worse shape.

Brian Hoyer Hurts Arm

Losing 26-10 to a rival to drop to 1-6 probably hurt enough, but the Bears were also dropped down to their third string quarterback, with backup and current starter Brian Hoyer leaving the game with a broken arm:

The silver lining? The injury was to Hoyer’s non-throwing arm and previous starter Jay Cutler (thumb) could potentially be back in a matter of weeks.

Matt Barkley Blows Chance

The bad news? Matt Barkley entered in a tight game and bombed horribly, completing just 6 of 15 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions. Barkley grabbed hold of a game where the Bears were only down 6-3, and proceeded to implode from there.

This loss was far from being solely on a quarterback who had received few practice reps and probably didn’t think for a second he’d be playing, but the performance from the former USC standout still wasn’t good.

Week 8 Prospects

The worse news? The Bears will undoubtedly be confiding in Barkley again in week eight, when they take on the Minnesota Vikings.

Yikes. Truly, if Barkley couldn’t even look respectable against the Packers, it’s going to be awfully tough to imagine him doing anything positive against a Vikings defense that has looked like the league’s best unit through their first five games.

There isn’t much of a silver lining here, but if Barkley can lean on the talent that once made him a star at USC and put him in the first round discussion the year he was drafted, perhaps he can do enough to keep the Bears in the game. Making more throws like this one from Thursday night couldn’t hurt:

Realistically, Barkley is in over his head and the Bears are in big trouble. As bad as they wanted Jay Cutler to stay gone, they’re going to hope he can quickly return from a sprained thumb that has kept him out since the second half of a week two loss. Chicago hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire without him under center (one win), so turning back to Cutler at this point does no real damage.

Cutler Needs to Return

That brings us to the bigger issue. We can’t be talking about how the Bears can hope to survive or turn things around with Barkley under center. He’s not really even an option. Instead, Cutler needs to suck it up, brave the pain of a sprained thumb and put this team on his back:

Bears head coach John Fox admitted recently that Cutler is getting closer, so we can’t rule out a Cutler return in week eight just yet:

While Cutler’s status remains up in the air yet again, it’s highly possible his “injury” gave the Bears a good excuse to stick with a hot Brian Hoyer. With Hoyer no longer an option and Barkley staring them in the face, however, the Bears are looking at a truly disastrous season if they don’t give the reigns back to Cutler.

There is no denying the tough spot Chicago is in. They’re 1-6 and get a brutal matchup with the hated Vikings. They’re sure to be 1-7 and if we weren’t sure of it by now, their chances at a playoff run are all but over. That being said, there is something to remaining competitive and building positive momentum toward 2017. Cutler probably won’t be part of that, should this take a positive turn going into next season, but neither will Barkley.

Chicago and Cutler both need to suck it up and ride this out, regardless of how it unfolds.

Cutler’s potential return aside, the Bears aren’t beating the Vikings and this is a team in general that appears very safe to bet against on a weekly basis.

Daily Fantasy Football Value Picks For Monday Night Football

Sports News & Picks, , , , , , , , ,

One more game remains for daily fantasy football enthusiasts in week two, with the Chicago Bears hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on the biggest stage in Monday Night Football. There is a lot to take in for this one, as rookie passer and #2 overall pick Carson Wentz makes just his second start ever and numerous fantasy gamers look to hold onto their leads to close out the week.

There is even more DFS goodness at stake here when you consider the MNF/TNF slate, which includes Thursday’s contest between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots. That game is a suggested fade due to Jimmy Garoppolo (shoulder) being out, but the Texans could still be in play and there is a lot to like about tonight’s Eagles vs. Bears battle.

For all fantasy insight, let’s pick apart this slate by pointing out the best values at each position:

Quarterbacks: Jay Cutler – Bears ($5.7k) and Carson Wentz – Eagles ($5.5k)

Brock Osweiler could be OK in week three, but for the most part the Patriots defense has done a solid job against quarterbacks. He’s also the most expensive passer on the slate and he’s not exactly a guy you must pay up for.

We aren’t entertaining the idea of diving for Brissett, either, as he’s not a whole lot cheaper than more attractive options in Wentz and Cutler. That being said, he would be super contrarian on this slate.

You need the top quarterback on the slate to run away with the money here, however, and that’s probably going to be Cutler. Cutler is a very strong performer in prime time games, as he’s specifically 8-2 on Monday Night Football since joining the Bears. He’s also at home and has a solid cast of weapons around him. Philly also did not defend well in 2015 and their elite defensive effort in week one came against RG3 and the Browns. Color us unimpressed.

Wentz can run and looked good in week one, but Cutler might actually be a tad more contrarian. People have been hating on the Bears all summer, yet they actually showed up to fight in Houston in week one. The Bears are a mildly underrated stack on this slate and that’s the direction we’re headed.

Running Backs: Ryan Mathews – Eagles ($5.8k), Jeremy Langford – Bears ($4.6k) and LeGarrette Blount – Patriots ($4.4k)

Lamar Miller leads the way here, but he’s super talented and expensive, so just about everyone will be on him. It’s probably wise to just use two running backs out of this slate, so the key will be figuring out either who to pair with Miller or which two backs you’re choosing (and then fading Lamar). We don’t love the latter idea, however.

All three of these guys have awesome roles, but from a talent perspective, Mathews might be the most explosive. Considering Lamar Miller had a fine yardage day against the Bears in week one, he’ll probably be fine and should score. Langford isn’t very explosive, but the Eagles also can be run on and he is going to get a lot of touches. His price is also tough to beat, so it’s going to be difficult to fade him.

Blount has been solid and awesome the last two weeks and he remains a very nice price. The issue is he does not catch the ball and he probably needs a score to work out. He probably can do that because the Pats have to run and will use him near the goal-line, but his matchup and the obviousness of his role do not bode well.

Because of that, we suggest fading Blount and pairing Miller with one other back. Our pick would be Langford, as he’s cheaper than Mathews and has just as solid of a role.

Wide Receivers: Will Fuller – Texans ($4.8k), Danny Amendola – Patriots ($3.7k), Nelson Agholor – Eagles ($3.5k) and Eddie Royal – Bears ($3.5k)

No one needs to be told that the likes of Alshon Jeffery, DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Matthews and Julian Edelman are the top plays. If you’re looking to differentiate or just need a cheap Flex play, however, this is the group you want to consider.

Fuller has been awesome through two weeks and it’s pretty arguable the Pats will be uber focused on stopping both Lamar Miller and Nuk. It’s very possible he crushes his value for the third week in a row.

Any Patriots receivers are in play just because they could be playing from behind and they’re all pretty cheap, just keep in mind Houston’s defense is quite strong and we have no idea what Jacoby Brissett brings to the table.

Agholor and Royal feel like the best value plays at wide receiver. Both scored in week one and have decent secondary roles. Their matchups also don’t look that tough on paper. The explosive Kevin White could also blow up under the bright lights, but he’s rather raw and may need to work a bit to gain Cutler’s trust.

Tight Ends: Martellus Bennett – Patriots ($4.7k), Zach Miller ($3k) and Brent Celek – Eagles ($2.6k)

Bennett’s value probably depends on the status of Rob Gronkowski ($6.8k), who hasn’t played yet in 2016. The Gronk still isn’t 100%, but if he suddenly is a full go he might deserve some consideration. Then again, with Jacoby Brissett under center for the Pats, neither of these guys look safe this week.

That means you’re saving at tight end tonight, with Miller and Celek as the leading candidates. Cutler loved going to Miller last year, so he certainly is in play, but keep in mind that Philly did blank Gary Barnidge in week one. Chicago, meanwhile, hasn’t been tested by a tight end yet this year and we know the Eagles love using the position. With Zach Ertz (ribs) out for at least week two, Celek should start and be far more active than usual. He’s certainly no lock to pay off, but at this price he’s the play.

Team Defenses: All in Play

None of the defenses are over $3.3k and you can make a strong argument for any of them. Philadelphia put up 11 fantasy points against the Browns in week one and everyone knows Jay Cutler can turn the ball over, the Texans are always solid and get a rookie quarterback, Chicago is at home against a rookie passer tonight and the Patriots are at home against a Texans offense that still hasn’t blown the hinges off.

They all have arguments, but Houston feels like the play. Chicago’s defense just isn’t very talented, so they probably aren’t the way to go even though they’re the cheapest unit, while New England and Philly are both about as expensive as Houston. Whitney Mercilus has been an absolute monster and we know what J.J. Watt can do. If Houston can simply stuff LeGarrette Blount early on, they should rack up some sacks and maybe even a turnover or two, along with allowing 20 points or fewer.