Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed has been exceptional for a good portion of this season. He has provided an excellent reward for fantasy football managers who drafted him or picked him up off the waiver wire.
However, while he delivered a championship performance for many fantasy managers last week, he appeared on the injury report this week with the same chest injury that left him questionable in Week 17.
Will Reed play today against the Chicago Bears? What is the latest news regarding his chest injury? And, if Reed does play today against the Bears, what is his potential fantasy outlook?
Is Jayden Reed Going To Play Week 18?
Reed comes into this game against the Bears questionable with a chest injury that he was managing in Weeks 16 and 17. However, Reed has practiced in every session this week, albeit in a limited capacity.
The Packers have been far more coy concerning Reed’s injury. He has been managing this injury for close to a month and managed to play through it for the most part — he did not play in Week 16, but that was primarily due to a toe injury.
Therefore, while there is no definitive source saying he will play today, the fact that he has practiced all week and has already played through this injury a couple of times this season suggests that Reed is likely to play this week.
What does that mean for Reed’s potential fantasy outlook for today? Let’s look at his matchup against the Bears in more detail.
What Is Reed’s Potential Fantasy Outlook for Today?
Reed comes into Week 18 as the WR26 in fantasy football. He can finish the season as a WR2 after some strong showings in recent weeks.
Reed is the WR15 in our PFN Consensus Rankings heading into today. While the matchup against the Bears isn’t an amazing one from a fantasy points perspective, the opportunity as the team’s top receiving option in a meaningful Week 18 game means he will likely be force-fed the ball considerably today.
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The Bears only allow 25.2 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, the 10th fewest in the NFL entering Week 18. And the Bears’ secondary has performed rather well this season in not allowing too many deep touchdowns.
This defense is a top-12 defense in most metrics and should not be underestimated. They will also relish the chance to prevent the Packers from entering the playoffs.
However, Reed has performed in big spots already in the past. For example, the Detroit Lions game this season and again last week in a must-win game against the Minnesota Vikings. There is every chance Reed can finish in the top 12 of the position this week.
Quarterback Jordan Love and Reed have found a connection this season, and Love has elevated his play in the second half of this season to silence some doubters. Therefore, fantasy managers have few alternatives for Reed this week, and he is a must-start in all fantasy formats.
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