Justin Fields has been on fire over his past two games, but the Chicago Bears quarterback appeared to get banged up on Sunday. What happened to Fields against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6?
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Justin Fields Injury Update
Fields appeared to injure his right hand during the Bears’ first third-quarter drive on Sunday. After taking a sack from Vikings pass rusher Danielle Hunter, Fields went to the sideline while holding his right hand.
The fourth-year signal-caller then went into the blue medical tent on Chicago’s sideline, where his injury was presumably evaluated.
#Bears QB Justin Fields exits the game after getting sacked on this play.
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 15, 2023
After spending time in the tent, Fields eventually made his way to the Bears’ locker room with a towel over his hand. Speculatively, he could be receiving an X-ray of his injured hand.
The Bears initially announced Fields was questionable to return with a hand injury, but he has since been ruled out.
Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent is Chicago’s backup quarterback and entered the game with roughly eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. Veteran Nathan Peterman is the Bears’ emergency QB.
Fields had completed six of 10 attempts for 58 yards and one interception before departing. He’d also rushed eight times for 46 yards.
MORE: Chicago Bears Depth Chart 2023
Fields was shaken up earlier in the game after getting hit into the back of guard Nate Davis’ leg, but he didn’t miss any plays.
After the game, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said X-rays on Fields’ right hand were negative but said the QB will undergo an MRI on Monday. Eberflus also indicated Fields wanted to return to Sunday’s game but could not correctly grip the football.
Fields is dealing with a dislocated thumb, per NFL Network and later confirmed by Eberflus, who said the former first-round pick is doubtful for Chicago’s Week 7 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
What Would the Bears’ Offense Look Like Without Fields?
The Bears offense was stuck in the mud through three weeks this season (15.7 points per game) and unable to provide fantasy value to anyone. Were Fields to miss time, it would be reasonable to expect more of the same. With the backfield injuries and the lack of receiver depth, this roster isn’t built to be fantasy-friendly if you remove Fields’ raw athletic ability from the equation.
Chicago doesn’t have its bye until Week 13, so this will be a situation Fields has to work through without the help of the schedule. Roschon Johnson should be back for Week 7 against the Raiders, and maybe he can join DJ Moore on the Flex radar. But everyone attached to this offense carries more risk than reward.
— PFN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe