Daily Dr. Roto — September 5, 2019
Thursday Night Preview: Packers @ Bears
Quarterbacks
Mitch Trubisky—Fantasy owners should expect to see a more confident Trubisky this season. This season is his second year in Matt Nagy’s complicated offense, and Trubisky will have more chance to audible out of situations he doesn’t like. The Packers defense is undoubtedly stronger than last season but watch for Trubisky to air it out in Week 1. I like him to throw for 245 passing yards and two TDs (he also could have another 30-40 yards rushing).
Aaron Rodgers—New Head Coach Matt LaFleur is going to need to be on the same page as Rodgers considering the Bears defense loves to bring all kinds of pressure. Rodgers has a lot to prove this year after a disastrous 2018 campaign which saw him fighting with Mike McCarthy almost every game. Considering it will be hard for the Packers to run the ball, I like Rodgers to throw for 300+ yards and at least one passing TD.
Running Backs
David Montgomery—It is always hard to know what to expect from a rookie, but Montgomery looked great in training camp, and it wouldn’t shock me to see him get close to 20 carries. Look for him to get about 80 rushing yards with a good chance at a short-yardage TD.
Tarik Cohen—Cohen seems to be a better fit for games where the Bears are playing from behind, or against teams with slower linebackers in space. Cohen did not go off in either game against Green Bay last season, and I don’t expect him to go off again on Thursday night. Put Cohen down for five carries and five receptions for 50 total yards.
Aaron Jones—The big question for the Packers on offense is whether they will give Aaron Jones the full complement of touches that he deserves. Jones is not only dangerous running the football; he is very dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield as well. There is a very good chance that he has 18-20 fantasy points (in PPR formats) with an outside shot at a TD.
Wide Receivers
Allen Robinson—Neither CB Jaire Alexander nor Kevin King can match up well with Robinson, who is just too big and strong. Robinson was out for most of last season with an injury, so look for him to make a massive statement in his first healthy game of 2019. I like him to have 100+ receiving yards and a TD.
Anthony Miller—Miller is healthy and expected to start. He should do some damage in the slot and could be a good security blanket for Trubisky if he gets into trouble. The beauty of Miller is that he is super quick and can make a small play into a big gainer. Look for him to have five catches for 80 yards.
Davante Adams—There is no doubt that Adams is the only must start in this contest. He is Rodgers’ go-to receiver, and he should see a dozen targets for the game. Expect him to have over 100 yards receiving and the best chance for scoring a TD.
Geronimo Allison—Allison will be playing the slot this season so it should be interesting to see how often Rodgers uses him. Allison is a big, reliable target who could excel if given a chance. For now, I have him at six receptions for 70 yards, but he could be better than that.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling—The wildcard is MVS. He has the speed to make an impact, but he needs to run better routes and make in-air adjustments. If there is any one player who can make the big play, it’s him. The Bears defense does not often give up big plays, so I see a somewhat muted game—perhaps 50 receiving yards or so.
Tight Ends
Trey Burton—As of right now, Burton is very questionable to play. He is a true game-time decision, but I would sit him unless you don’t have any other better options. If Burton is declared out, look for Adam Shaheen to be in the game especially in the red zone.
Jimmy Graham—I don’t feel good at all starting Graham as they will need him more as a blocker to stop the Bears pass rush than as a receiver.
