As Week 4 of the NFL season approaches, fantasy football managers look to fine-tune their rosters for the best chance of winning their matchups.
For managers entering the week with any of the three starting Chicago Bears receivers, here’s a breakdown of which one should be the most trusted against the Los Angeles Rams.
Should You Start DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, or Rome Odunze in Week 4?
The Bears have a banged-up receiver room this week, with DJ Moore getting hurt in-game last week, Keenan Allen missing the last two games due to a heel injury, and Rome Odunze being added to this week’s injury report with a hip.
#Bears Friday Injury Report pic.twitter.com/MlRV199Rfm
— Bears Communications (@BearsPR) September 27, 2024
However, following the Bears’ Friday injury report, it appears the receiver room will be close to fully healthy.
This week, Chicago takes on a battered Rams defense that’s allowed the following statistics through three games this season:
- 72.2% completion percentage (27th)
- 746 passing yards (27th)
- 9.8 yards per attempt (32nd)
- Seven passing touchdowns (30th)
- 127.3 passer rating (31st)
And with a lack of rushing attack this season, the Bears could rely on their passing attack more in Week 4.
In Pro Football Network’s Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say Moore is the player to start this week. That shouldn’t come to many as a major surprise, given Moore’s contributions this season.
This week against the Rams, Moore’s 12.9 projected points come in highest, with an estimated stat line of 4.5 receptions, 60.9 receiving yards, and 0.3 receiving touchdowns. The next-highest projection is Odunze (9.2 points), as he’s projected to bring in three receptions for 45.5 yards and 0.3 receiving touchdowns.
As things stand now with Allen being questionable for Sunday’s game, his projected stats are to be determined.
Moore’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
As the top receiver for the Bears for back-to-back seasons, Moore has been a consistent fantasy asset for fantasy managers. And to start the 2024 season, Moore has been Chicago’s most consistent offensive player, both in fantasy and on the actual field.
- Week 1: Eight targets, five receptions, 36 yards
- Week 2: 10 targets, six receptions, 53 yards
- Week 3: 10 targets, eight receptions, 78 yards
Moore has also missed very little time among this receiving group, totaling 94% of offensive snaps this season.
While his production has been strong this season, there’s still an issue with Moore’s game through three weeks: He has yet to catch a touchdown pass. Only Cole Kmet and Odunze have hauled in touchdown passes this season, as Caleb Williams and the passing offense has struggled a bit out of the gates.
When looking at fantasy football assets, two major things to note are availability and targets. And so far this season, Moore has been strong in both categories.
Considering Moore’s injury was seemingly a non-factor against Indianapolis last week, he should be the choice for managers deciding between Bears receivers this week.
Allen’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
In his 12th season in the NFL, Allen hasn’t been the contributor to the Bears’ offense that many were expecting.
Allen has played in just one game, making his debut with Chicago in Week 1, totaling 11 targets, four receptions, and 29 yards. Since that game, Allen has been a non-participant in practice and games for two weeks as he nursed a nagging heel injury from training camp.
This week, Allen was a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday but a full participant on Friday. Allen is considered questionable for Sunday’s matchup.
If Allen can play on Sunday against the Rams, it could be a much-needed breakout performance by a Bears offense that’s been stagnant through three weeks.
Fantasy managers must keep a close eye on the Bears’ injury report, as his status will be highly dependent on how he’s feeling heading into Sunday.
Odunze’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Following his breakout performance last week against the Colts, Odunze appeared to be fully healthy from his MCL sprain in Week 1. However, instead of a knee injury, Odunze was on Chicago’s Week 4 injury report with a hip injury.
Odunze practiced in a limited fashion just once before Chicago’s matchup with the Rams, and it resulted in a six-catch game for 112 yards and his first NFL touchdown. This week, Odunze practiced in full on Wednesday. However, on Thursday, Odunze popped up on the injury report as a limited participant. Following Friday’s practice, the injury seems to be non-serious.
Even with the limited participation on Thursday, Odunze’s status for Sunday is a go, barring any unforeseen troubles for the rookie receiver. With that, Odunze could see another week where he’s the top receiver in Chicago. Between him and Moore, they’ve been the team’s top receivers this season.
But, with Allen potentially back this week, there’s a possibility for his production to dip.
One reason to believe Odunze could still be a top target is that Allen wasn’t even practicing with the team for two weeks heading into this matchup. Sure, Allen is a six-time Pro Bowl receiver, but the chemistry between a quarterback and their receiver is important.
It’s safe to say Williams has built better chemistry with Moore and Odunze, especially with in-game reps. So, due to that, it could take a week or so for this connection to bud into something special. Once their chemistry becomes stronger, however, the Williams-to-Allen connection could be a strong one. Until then, the two rookies have been building something special this season.
