Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 16: Bears vs. Eagles
The NFL’s two worst division leaders -- by record and by point differential -- face off Sunday night in a game that might not end up mattering.
There are theoretical machinations early in Week 16 that could make Sunday night's game not matter for the Chicago Bears. There are similar machinations that could do the same for the Philadelphia Eagles. It is possible that, at kickoff Sunday night (at 8:30 p.m. ET in Philadelphia), neither team will be playing a game that has any bearing on its playoff future. But there are far too many variables to consider those possibilities in any fantasy forecasting, especially with both teams seemingly adamant that they will not rest their starters no matter what. If you worry about the teams' players being shut down, do your thing, but this preview won't be factoring that possibility.
Bears
Start in every league: Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery
Start if you're desperate: Robbie Gould
Bench: Martellus Bennett, Defense/special teams
Even with a rough start to the game, looking rusty, Cutler put up 19 fantasy points in Week 15 against a decent defense. In Week 16, with a week’s work under his belt, and against a worse defense, he ought to be a big-time play. ... Considering where he was drafted, Forte has provided maybe the greatest return on investment of any running back in football, and he comes into Week 16 as the NFL’s No. 3 fantasy running back; he’s only scored less than 10 twice, less than nine once. ... Marshall and Jeffery are both top-seven wide receivers and both wildly productive, and the Eagles are the worst team against opposing wide receivers in the NFL. In other words, Wheeeeee.
Gould has been a top-tier fantasy kicker most of the year, though he’s reached double-digit points only twice since Week 7. If you have him, feel free to use him, but if you’re looking for a waiver pickup, there might be a better option.
The Bennett that played in Weeks 1 and 2 is not the Bennett that has played since. He might have those big games in his repertoire still, but there are other tight ends more worth trusting. ... The Bears’ defense against that Philly offense is not worth even a look.
Eagles
Start in every league: Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson
Start if you're desperate: Alex Henery
Bench: Riley Cooper, Brent Celek, Defense/special teams
So, positionally speaking, this looks an awful lot like the Bears’ start/sit advice. The two teams are reasonably similar. Foles hasn’t scored less than 19 fantasy points since regaining his starting job in Week 9; he’s averaging 27 fantasy points in that time, which smokes even Peyton Manning’s numbers. ... The Bears’ run defense is awful, and McCoy is great. Have fun, there. ... Jackson has proved his rough performance in Weeks 11 and 13 was the aberration, as he’s had 254 receiving yards in his last two, averaging 18 fantasy points a game.
Henery had fine performance in Week 15, but hadn’t topped 10 fantasy points since Week 5 before that. He’s a decent fantasy kicker, but nothing special.
Beating a dead horse here, but Cooper’s 8.1 fantasy points a game drops to 5.0 without his big two-game stretch earlier in the season. He’s sunken back to afterthought status. .... Celek hasn’t topped even 50 yards since Week 4, and has only four scores on the season. He’s not the fantasy factor he once was. ... The Eagles’ defense had 10 points in back-to-back games before Week 15’s fantasy implosion, but has yet to score more than 10 even once all season.
• Week 15 fantasy football position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
