The Chicago Bears enter Week 11 atop the NFC North. Their matchup against the Minnesota Vikings will feature two stout defenses pitted against successful offenses.
In the end, it may be a tough day for fantasy owners starting players from either team on Sunday night.
Mitchell Trubisky
Since Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mitchell Trubisky has been the No. 1 fantasy quarterback. On the season, he’s fifth overall at the position. He comes into a primetime matchup against a divisional opponent allowing the eighth-fewest pass yards in the NFL. Trubisky’s success will not be guaranteed against the Vikings.
This is a game where I think the second-year quarterback will either play up to the pressure, or he’ll struggle. It won’t be a perfect game, but head coach Matt Nagy will find ways to simplify the game and play to his quarterback’s strengths. His legs will always give fantasy owners a cushion to rely on if they’re uncertain about starting Trubisky.
Fantasy Prediction:
276 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
32 rushing yards
Tarik Cohen
This time around, I’m only including one Bears’ running back on the fantasy football preview for this week. Tarik Cohen has been a spark plug for this offense that gives energy and excitement to the team. Jordan Howard, on the other hand, has been hard to watch. Howard should be sat from your fantasy lineup.
The Vikings don’t allow any yards through the air. The weak spot on this defense lies within their ability to cover running backs out of the backfield. This season the Vikings have been gashed for 10.3 yards per reception by opposing running backs. Cohen should see plenty of volume in this matchup if the Bears want to walk away with a win. Expect a big night from the 5-foot-6 PPR monster.
Fantasy Prediction:
43 rushing yards, 1 TD
Seven receptions, 56 yards
Allen Robinson
In his first game back from injury and at full strength, Allen Robinson exploded for 133 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Against the Vikings, he faces a strong chance to regress from his best performance as a Bear this season.
The Vikings haven’t allowed a wide receiver to score since Week 4 and Robinson will line up against Xavier Rhodes, barring his lingering injury. This game isn’t appealing to me if I have shares of Robison and I think fantasy owners should fade the Bears’ top wideout. With an All-Pro cornerback in his shadow, it’ll be a difficult night.
Fantasy Prediction:
Four catches, 68 yards
Anthony Miller
Alongside Robinson’s offensive explosion was a breakout performance from the rookie out of Memphis. Anthony Miller caught five passes for 122 yards and a score against the Lions and looks to be a sleeper this week against the Vikings.
Anthony Miller plays 71% of his snaps in the slot. Why does this matter? Trubisky, despite being 18th in passing yards has thrown for the 5th most yards and the 2nd most TDs to slot WRs this year per #NextGenStats. #daBears #BearDown
— James Koh (@JamesDKoh) November 15, 2018
While Rhodes is occupied with Robinson, Miller will primarily play of the slot. Mitchell Trubisky has the fifth most yards and the second most touchdowns to slot receivers this season. On the season Miller already has four touchdowns and averages and his production hasn’t taken off just yet. He has the uncanny ability to separate from his defenders, but it’ll be on Trubisky to deliver the ball. Take a shot at rookie this week.
Fantasy Prediction:
Six catches, 83 yards, 1 TD
Trey Burton
The Bears’ tight end has been a touchdown machine this season. With five on the year, Trey Burton is the sixth overall tight end in fantasy football. The matchup looks rough against the Minnesota Vikings, but when they play poorly, it bodes well for running backs and tight ends exploiting matchups. They’ve allowed George Kittle, Jimmy Graham and Zach Ertz to eclipse at least 90 yards in their matchups.
The Vikings and are allowing 57.6 yards per game to the tight end position this season. Burton may not see many targets on a weekly basis, but he’ll have a chance to increase his touchdown numbers in order to aid the tough matchup for Bears’ receivers on Sunday.
Fantasy Prediction:
Four catches, 46 yards, 1 TD
Bears D/ST
Look for Vic Fangio to dial up pressure for Cousins, who has fumbled the ball eight times this season good for the second most in the NFL. I think the game will be a defensive showcase where both teams utilize a “bend, but don’t break” mentality. The Bears’ defense will always have upside, but if they can’t stop this high-powered offense, it could turn ugly.Fantasy Prediction:
389 yards allowed, 24 points allowed, one takeaway
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