Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Week 12: A Roundup of Player Overviews

The Chicago Bears played great football in all three phases for most of last Sunday's game in Detroit, but a late game collapse has truly doomed this season. The ceiling for victories is in the single digits, the team has no winning identity, and the best the coaches can hope for at this point is to survive the season.

Justin Fields looked excellent in his return from injury, going 16-23 on passes with a touchdown and totaling 273 yards between throws and runs. He made some truly impressive throws, like rolling to his left and finding Darnell Mooney on a deep crossing route, and stepping up in the pocket and finding DJ Moore for a 39-yard touchdown. The Bears also ran the read option enough times in the game that the Lions could never rule out Fields as a rushing threat, and if that strategy continues, then the ensuing runs will continue to bring value for Fantasy Football managers. Fields is a top-10 fantasy quarterback, while the only thing limiting his ceiling this week is a tough matchup with Minnesota's pass rush.

The Bears running back room is full of injuries, with the starter Khalil Herbert coming off injured reserve last week and looking a step slower than we're used to seeing. While he should be full-go on Monday against the Vikings, that's a top-10 team in rushing yards allowed per game, and the Bears may get behind late and drop Fields back often. Herbert, who ran for just 35 yards and no scores in his return, comes into Week 12 as a low-end flex. However, watching the Lions game, it appears D'Onta Foreman has a better burst right now and could unseat him as a starter for the rest of the year.

Foreman, who was a healthy scratch for the Bears' first few games, stepped up admirably while Herbert was on IR. He's huge, and runs huge, and doesn't go down easily on the first hit. He averaged 14.16 fantasy football points through Weeks 6-10, and still saw plenty of action in the first half of the Lions game. However, he too is dealing with an injury, a right ankle that took him out on Sunday and has him missing practice this week . If he can't go, Roschon Johnson would get more plays, but the rookie is (rightfully) running to protect his head after a concussion earlier this year, and he hasn't had a great outing since his 17.50 fantasy point performance in week one against the Packers .

The wide receiver room has some interesting wrinkles to work out, but the top of the target share remains DJ Moore, who could be on his way to his first career Pro Bowl in his first season with the Bears. Currently averaging over 80 receiving yards per game, the only thing separating Moore from the top fantasy receivers is the absence of touchdowns during a four-game stretch with Tyson Bagent at quarterback. With Fields back, Moore can be that same dependable fantasy WR1 he was in the first half of the season.

The aforementioned wrinkles for the Bears are the other receivers on the team. While a great blocker, Equanimeous St. Brown's highest targets this year is 2, so that leaves Darnell Mooney and Tyler Scott as the other fantasy prospects. Mooney, who tallied over 1000 receiving yards just two years ago, has six games this year with two or fewer receptions, and reportedly he privately had conversations with management about his lack of a role with this team, according to Marc Silverman of ESPN 1000 .

So does Tyler Scott have a better role? His season-high reception total is a paltry two catches, and he was on the field for just 36% of the snaps against the Lions. The potential game-winning play, a deep ball which was thrown a bit out in front of him, fell incomplete and the replay appeared to show Scott stop running. He hasn't earned the coaches' trust. These all make DJ Moore an even better fantasy starter.

While it was interesting to see Marcedes Lewis get 40% of the snaps and a target against the Lions, the Bears still have one tight end: Cole Kmet. He's been doing a little of everything for the Bears lately but still found three receptions on four targets for 20 yards. Like most NFL tight ends, he's going to be touchdown-dependent for real fantasy value, but unlike some Bears defensive players, he doesn't get subbed out for specific packages. He's an every-down tight end and too good to not start.

Let's look at what three major Fantasy Football websites have to say about the Bears players:

Justin Fields: ESPN :

What an impressive showing for Fields; he posted his fifth career 100-yard rushing game, passing Russell Wilson for third all-time in league history among quarterbacks. Fields also thrived under pocket pressure, revealing some upside, if also downside, for this matchup with a Vikings team that leads the league in blitz rate.

RotoWire :

Fields (thumb) completed 16 of 23 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown while rushing 18 times for 104 yards in Sunday’s 31-26 loss to the Lions. Fields hit the ground running in his first action since suffering a dislocated thumb in Week 6, racking up 28 rushing yards and 38 passing yards on an opening drive that ended in a one-yard rushing touchdown by D’Onta Foreman, who later left the game due to an ankle injury. Chicago mustered only three additional points in the first half, but Fields heated up in the third quarter and put his team up 20-14 with a 39-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore. Detroit ultimately scored the final 17 points, including two on a Fields fumble that went out of the end zone for a safety in the final seconds, but Fields’ success on the ground in his return suggests he isn’t playing through any physical limitations heading into a Week 12 trip to Minnesota.

FantasyPros :

Fields was dynamic in his return from injury for the Bears Sunday, averaging 5.8 yards per carry against a solid Detroit defensive front in a losing effort. The signal-caller will look to capitalize on his dual-threat prowess in a Week 12 Monday night matchup against the Minnesota Vikings up next.

Khalil Herbert: ESPN :

With 19 combined totes and targets dominating the backfield share last week, Herbert’s main issue was ceding valuable red zone work to D’Onta Foreman. Assuming he’s still the lead option for this matchup with Minnesota, there’s at least some flex appeal for this back.

RotoWire :

Herbert’s first action since Week 5 coincided with quarterback Justin Fields’ return from a dislocated thumb that had kept him out since Week 6. D’Onta Foreman (ankle) began the game as the lead back but exited soon after halftime, opening the door for Herbert to handle 18 touches, but Herbert averaged a meager 2.3 yards per touch. Foreman will have an extra day to heal before the Bears visit the Vikings on Monday Night Football in Week 12, and rookie Roschon Johnson has also been mixing in, but Herbert could find himself back in the lead role despite struggling in his return.

FantasyPros.com :

Herbert struggled to find much running room in his return from injury in Week 11, averaging a meager 2.2 yards per carry in a losing effort Sunday. The all-purpose running back will look to make more of an impact in a Week 12 Monday night contest against the Minnesota Vikings, although fellow running backs Roschon Johnson and D’Onta Foreman will continue to receive touches while quarterback Justin Fields has been the most elusive rushing option for the Bears to this point in the season.

D'Onta Foreman: ESPN :

Save for his touchdown, it was a quiet game against the rival Lions. Next up are another division foe, with the Vikings allowing just the fifth-fewest yards to carry to backs.

RotoWire :

Foreman (ankle/shin) didn't participate in Thursday's walkthrough. The Bears listed both ankle and shin for Foreman as the cause of his DNP on Thursday, so his issue may be a bit more expansive than originally thought. Still, he'll have two more chances this week to log some activity, estimated or real, before the team potentially makes a ruling on his availability for Monday's game in Minnesota.

FantasyPros :

Foreman appeared to suffer the injury on a tackle in which Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson landed on his leg.

DJ Moore:

ESPN :

Justin Fields’ 39-yard scoring strike to Moore was thrown 39 yards downfield. Prior to that score, Fields had been 1-of-9 on throws at least 30 yards downfield this season. The next test is facing a rival secondary allowing the 10th-most fantasy points per game to receivers.

RotoWire :

Moore caught seven of nine targets for 96 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 31-26 loss to the Lions. Moore’s production picked back up with Justin Fields (thumb) throwing him the ball for the first time since Week 6. After failing to get into the end zone in any of Tyson Bagent’s four starts, Moore scored his sixth touchdown in Fields’ seven starts. The score came on a 39-yard deep ball in the third quarter. Moore fell four yards short of his fourth 100-yard receiving performance in Fields’ last five full games, so Chicago’s No. 1 receiver will have plenty of Week 12 fantasy appeal on Monday Night Football against Minnesota’s shaky secondary.

FantasyPros :

Moore continues a strong stretch in the Chicago offense of late, finishing with four or more receptions in four of his last five games for the Bears. The dynamic wideout should be locked into lineups as a high-volume option for fantasy managers, with a solid Week 12 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings next Monday night.

Darnell Mooney:

ESPN :

It was the DJ Moore show last week, leaving Mooney with a single look for his 22 routes. The lack of inclusion is a trend for Mooney and one to keep mind of even in a matchup with a leaky Minnesota pass defense.

RotoWire.com :

Mooney caught a 24-yard pass on his only target in the Bears’ 31-26 loss to the Lions on Sunday. Mooney wasn’t a major part of the Chicago game plan in Justin Fields’ return to the lineup. Mooney has two or fewer receptions in four of his last six games, making him a low-upside fantasy option.

FantasyPros :

Mooney has struggled to be a consistent option in the Chicago passing attack, hauling in less than four passes in five of his last seven games for the Bears. The wideout is difficult to trust for fantasy managers with DJ Moore receiving the majority of targets in the Chicago passing game ahead of a Week 12 Monday night contest against the Minnesota Vikings.

Cole Kmet: ESPN :

The return of Justin Fields also signaled a return to run-heavy ways for the Bears, limiting this tight end to just 19 routes and three targets in the process. The Vikings have been right around average in coverage against the position, limiting his appeal other than as a streaming candidate.

RotoWire.com :

Kmet caught three passes on four targets for 20 yards in the Bears’ 31-26 loss to the Lions on Sunday. Kmet had recorded at least 45 yards in each of his prior three games. However, that production occurred when Tyson Bagent was the starting quarterback. Despite the unimpressive fantasy performance, Kmet should rebound soon, as he posted at least 38 yards in four of his first five games he played with Justin Fields earlier in the season.

FantasyPros :

Kmet has remained involved as a main option in the Chicago passing attack of late, recording three or more receptions on four or more targets in each of the last four games for the Bears. The tight end will look for a more explosive outing in a Week 12 Monday night matchup against the Minnesota Vikings and should remain in lineups for fantasy managers.

Cairo Santos:

ESPN : N/A

RotoWire :

Santos connected on all four of his field-goal attempts in the Bears’ 31-26 loss to the Lions on Sunday. Although Santos has three games in which he’s converted at least three field goals, he has one or fewer field goals in six other contests. His occasional ceiling games come along with too many poor performances to trust him as a weekly fantasy option.

Fantasy Pros :

Santos has been fairly reliable of late, recording five or more points in four of his last five games for the Bears. The kicker will look for another solid outing for fantasy managers in a Week 12 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings next Monday night.

What do you think? Did the so-called fantasy experts get it right with these outlooks? In my humble opinion, Fields looked too good in his return from injury for fantasy football managers to not start. His injury occurred in their first Vikings matchup, and there could be an element of a "revenge game." Even without that in mind, going into that game he was coming off of a couple of his best career performances against the Broncos and Commanders, where he had 4 touchdowns in each. Fields should do very well on Monday Night Football.

The Bears travel to US Bank Stadium to take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, November 27, 2023 at 7:15 PM Central Time.