The Detroit Lions will face the Chicago Bears in Week 16. Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Lions skill player who has the potential to make a fantasy impact during the game.
Looking for more lineup advice? Head over to our Week 16 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Jared Goff, QB
Is there a better player profile to describe the crazy nature of 2024 than Jared Goff?
Five weeks after winning a game in which he threw five interceptions, Goff lost a game with five touchdown passes.
Sure, that makes sense. For our purposes, the raw numbers looked amazing last week, and the style in which they were produced followed. Goff completed a season-high six deep passes against a strong Bills perimeter defense last week (three games prior: seven deep completions), a positive sign in an offense that has proven plenty capable of excelling in short-area situations.
With David Montgomery shelved for the remainder of the season, Goff is going to have to take on more responsibilities, something his fantasy managers have been asking for. With Sam LaPorta trending in a positive direction and Tim Patrick adding a third receiver to the mix, I’m fine with wagering on Goff against a Bears defense that has been trending in the wrong direction for a month now.
You have to be aware that this is a road game. Such games always carry risk for a dome team, but I feel good in labeling Goff as a top-10 QB option this weekend.
David Montgomery, RB
David Montgomery was the featured back on Thanksgiving in this matchup (21-9 carry edge over Jahmyr Gibbs), and his managers were hopeful for more of the same this week with their fate on the line — but that won’t be the case.
Dan Campbell announced on Monday afternoon that the veteran RB is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery. We are awaiting a rehab timeline when it comes to our adjustment of dynasty rankings, but it goes without saying that Montgomery can safely be released in redraft formats.
For those of you still in the postseason of your fantasy leagues, I’m not expecting Detroit to plug in a secondary back to fill this void. Gibbs should get all of the work he can handle while more onus figures to be put at the feet of this passing game as well.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB
Jahmyr Gibbs had “league winner” potential on his own merit, but with David Montgomery’s season coming to an end on Monday, this is a true wheels-up situation.
He turned nine carries into 87 yards in the Week 13 meeting with these Bears (21 carries for Montgomery), and the duo combined for 53 receiving yards in the narrow victory. It would be irresponsible to simply heap all of Montgomery’s usage onto Gibbs’ plate, so let’s not do that. How about we just label what the second year back is already doing as sustainable?
Is that fair?
Gibbs has been an RB1 in four of his past five games and could be the RB1 for the remainder of this season (and into next should Montgomery’s recovery lag).
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
Amon-Ra St. Brown is five catches away from joining Larry Fitzgerald as the only two players with multiple seasons of 100 catches and 10 touchdowns within their first four NFL seasons. Part of the fun last week was a 66-yard score on a 3rd-and-17 play where you’d assume that the defense’s sole focus is on not letting St. Brown beat them.
But alas, the same way Steph Curry gets off triples, St. Brown vacuums in highly efficient targets. He was the only Lion to reach 50 receiving yards in the first meeting with the Bears, and his usage only figures to increase with David Montgomery (63.6% of the carries in that game) done for the season.
Jameson Williams, WR
Jameson Williams was able to score in the shootout against the Bills last week, but three catches for 37 yards isn’t exactly encouraging. The recent involvement spike (20% on-field target share or better in five straight games before last week) was why we were Flexing Williams last week; while he ultimately got there, his 8.5% rate felt more like the rookie version of him than the flourishing option we had become accustomed to.
Don’t sweat it.
In this space last week, I highlighted Buffalo’s perimeter defense as one that could give Williams issues. I don’t say that to pseudo-victory lap, I say it to provide context for the underwhelming Week 15 profile, even if the fantasy point total was just fine.
No such worries present themselves in the Windy City this week against a Bears defense that allows the fifth-most yards per pass thrown outside of the numbers (BUF: fourth fewest). I found it interesting that Detroit used Williams in a unique way, by his standards, during the first meeting with Chicago (6.6 aDOT), something that showcases their confidence in his versatility.
This burner has been in the WR25-35 range in three of his past four games, and that is exactly where I have him ranked this weekend, understanding that we have to assume some risk with this offense taking its talents outdoors.
Tim Patrick, WR
We got the early season J.K. Dobbins run, and this Tim Patrick string of production might well be the receiver equivalent when it comes to an injury-prone player finally shining.
How can you not root for Patrick?
He’s been a top-40 fantasy option in three of his past four games. While that may seem like a low bar to clear, this is the time of year where you’re willing to take some creative chances.
His superman dive into the end zone after uncovering during a Jared Goff scramble last week was impressive. Not that I’m banking on broken plays to be all that common in this timing-based offense, but the non-verbal communication was good to see, especially when you factor in the potential impact of the David Montgomery injury.
Through 15 weeks, the Lions rank ninth in rush rate over expectation, a rate that might be even higher if not for a few very lopsided games where it was borderline impossible to rush at a level over expectation. The Bears have their issues, but they are the third-best red-zone defense in the NFL. If Detroit can’t pound the ball with success when they inevitably get inside the 20, could Patrick punch in a score for a third straight week?
I wouldn’t get over your skis here, but he’s at least worth rostering at this point while you wait for final injury reports. I like this spot for him more than a low-upside receiver like Wan’Dale Robinson or highly variant options like Xavier Worthy or Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Sam LaPorta, TE
I need a hand here.
Nobody in the fantasy football industry is shy about taking layups and nor should they. If I had a nickel for every “LaPorta Potty” reference after the slow start to this season, I’d have a lot of nickels because what good is change in 2024?
I think I refrained from such low-hanging fruit. Not because it wasn’t deserved (Sam LaPorta was TE17 in September after being a third-round pick in most drafts), but because I generally take a longer-term view. For better or worse, I stay locked into my prior takes for longer than most because I trust the work I put in to arrive at my takes.
Well, we are back now and I need your help. What’s the “good” version of “LaPorta Potty” when it comes to wordplay? I’ve toyed with Sam TeLaPorting Your Team, but you’re more creative than I am, so hit me up with your best ideas (https://x.com/KyleSoppePFN). The budding star has earned at least six targets in five straight games and has now posted three straight top-10 finishes at the position.
I’m starting LaPorta wherever I have him and am not hesitating at paying for his services in a DFS setting if his ownership numbers come in soft against a vulnerable defense on short rest that is playing out the string.