Chicago bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery will miss Sunday's game vs. the Oakland Raiders, according to ESPN's Jeff Dickerson.
Alshon Jeffery will sit Sunday’s game for Bears, fantasy owners
For the third straight week, the Bears will be without their No. 1 receiver. We break down the fantasy implications.
Jeffery had returned to practice at a limited capacity and was expected to play on Sunday after missing two consecutive weeks with a hamstring injury. Jeffery had dealt with the ailment throughout the summer and aggravated it in practice while preparing for his team's second game of the season. Dickerson added that the hope is Jeffery returns for Week 5 when the Bears take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fantasy impact: It’s been stated ad nauseum that hamstring injuries can linger among skill position players, and Jeffery’s case is no different. Even if Jeffery returns to the field in Week 5, it’s fair to wonder if he will be at full capacity. For Week 4 at least, fantasy owners will have no choice but to keep him benched once again.
Martellus Bennett should see plenty of targets in wake of Jeffery's absence, especially with the Raiders defense having fits covering tight ends so far this season. Tyler Eifert, Crockett Gillmore and Gary Barnidge each scored a touchdown when squaring off against them, and Bennett is a good bet to keep the streak alive, even if Jimmy Clausen gets the nod once again in place of Jay Cutler.
As for Jeffery’s owners, nothing can be done other than keep him stashed. There’s still dormant fantasy value here, but no owner would propose a trade that would warrant getting rid of him.
