The Chicago Bears run defense was historically bad last year. Sunday, they open their season at 1 p.m. ET in Chicago with a game against the Buffalo Bills, who feature one running back who was drafted in the top 10 a year ago, and another who finished there. Were the Bears' offseason additions enough to offset their 2013 weaknesses? All that and more in the fantasy start/sits:
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 1: Bills vs. Bears
The Bills carry a strong running game into Chicago to face a team that couldn’t stop a fairly quick 8-year-old a year ago. Has anything changed?
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Bills
Start in every league: C.J. Spiller
Start if you're desperate: Fred Jackson, Defense/special teams
Bench: EJ Manuel, Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams, Robert Woods, Scott Chandler, Dan Carpenter
After a disappointing 2013, Spiller gets one more chance. It’s a good place to start, and he should be an RB2 in most any league to start the season.
One of these days, Jackson has to start getting old. But heck, it hasn’t happened yet. He’s a viable low-end flex. ... The Bills’ defense was an under-the-radar great unit last year. Facing the potent Bears offense hurts, but there’s some potential.
There’s not much to get excited about with Manuel so far in his career. ... Over the season, Watkins is the Buffalo receiver with the most potential, but he’s coming into his first game with injury concerns already; hang back on him for a week. ... Even then, Williams and Woods are unlikely to provide much fantasy value. ... Chandler is one of the bottom-ranked tight ends in the league. ... Carpenter isn’t guaranteed many scoring chances.
Bears
Start in every league: Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Robbie Gould
Start if you’re desperate: ...
Bench: Santonio Holmes, Martellus Bennett, Defense/special teams
If all things go well and healthy, not many teams have better offensive options than the Bears. Of course, relying on Cutler is a good way to be sad. But still, when he’s healthy, he’s definitely usable. ... Forte went as high as first overall in some fantasy drafts, and it wasn’t crazy. ... It’s anybody’s guess which receiver, Marshall or Jeffery, finishes the season higher, but both are great fantasy options. ... Gould just sits back and reaps the benefits of all that firepower.
Odds are that no one is remotely considering Holmes, but I list him here in part because I would not at all rule out him contributing to this team somewhere down the road, and I want people to remember his existence. ... I’ve been on the train all preseason, but I’ll say again that Bennett is very overrated among tight ends. ... The Bears’ defense should be better than it was a year ago, but it’s not quite fantasy useful yet.
