Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy told reporters after the stunning, come-from-behind Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons he did not know whether Nick Foles or Mitchell Trubisky would start at quarterback in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. OK, perhaps he actually believes this, but for fantasy purposes, it might not matter. Yes, it is a big deal that Nagy pulled a struggling Trubisky and Foles tossed a trio of fourth-quarter touchdown passes, but the dispiriting Tarik Cohen injury plays a larger role in fantasy football.
Cohen likely tore the ACL in his right knee on a fourth-quarter punt return, which will end not only his season but also the occasionally frustrating timeshare between him and David Montgomery. Fantasy managers covet the rare three-down running backs, those who handle the rushing attempts, catch the football and earn the goal-line touches, and with Cohen one of the top pass-catching running backs in the sport, Montgomery was not getting a chance. Cohen caught 150 passes the past two seasons while Montgomery, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft, waited for more volume.
Now, even after averaging a mere 3.2 yards per rush and totaling only 54 yards from scrimmage against the Falcons, Montgomery should get this chance, unless the Bears introduce someone else to the fray, such as Ryan Nall, Cordarrelle Patterson or a free-agent signing. Montgomery totaled a promising 127 yards in Week 2 against the New York Giants and the Colts are defensively responsible, but this has to be an RB2 opportunity moving forward. Montgomery caught only 25 passes his rookie season, but let us not assume that reflects his ability; Cohen is a dynamic receiver. Any coach would have utilized Cohen this way.
Regardless, the quarterback change will get all the headlines, but for fantasy purposes, as I noted in a summer column when we did not know which passer would win the job, so what? Allen Robinson II played for the Jacksonville Jaguars when Blake Bortles quarterbacked. Neither Foles nor Trubisky is Dan Marino, you know, so I think Robinson warrants borderline WR1 attention every week, whomever Nagy goes with. And he has to go with Foles, by the way.
Robinson was statistically quiet the first two games of this season as the Bears beat the Lions and Giants, but talent generally stands out, and with 10 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown, Robinson stood out Sunday. Trubisky, neither accurate in his four-year career nor a strong downfield passer, has the edge on Foles as a runner, and he will likely have another great fantasy game or two this season. After all, Foles won a Super Bowl, but durability is not one of his traits. Robinson will be fine with either passer, and Montgomery should be as well.
Feeling a little hamstrung
As for the Falcons, coming off a pair of devastating losses in which they blew monster leads, they face the Green Bay Packers on Monday night and the story will be, until we get clarity, about top wide receivers Julio Jones and Davante Adams. Each missed his respective Sunday outing with a hamstring injury. The worst possible scenario for fantasy managers really is not that these players have to miss the Monday game, but that fantasy managers do not know by the early Sunday deadline whether they will miss the game. Anyone is replaceable. Clarity is good, and in the final week before the bye weeks, we could use some.
Some will say that even if Jones and Adams are healthy enough for Week 4 action and we know it well in advance, that neither warrants WR1 attention anyway. After all, they combined for five receptions for 60 yards in Week 2. Well, forget that. These are among the best receivers in the sport and have been for a long time, and their quarterbacks look their collective way at a high rate. If they play, you play them. Other solid wide receivers who missed Week 3 include New Orleans Saints star Michael Thomas (ankle) and Tennessee Titans sophomore A.J. Brown (knee).
More quarterback changes?
Look for Nick Mullens to get another start for the San Francisco 49ers if Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) needs to miss another week. Mullens passed for 343 yards in the easy win over the Giants Sunday. He could have similar success in the Week 4 Sunday night clash versus a weak Philadelphia Eagles defense that has struggled against a trio of quarterbacks who do not warrant QB1 status in fantasy in Washington's Dwayne Haskins Jr., the Rams' Jared Goff and Cincinnati Bengals rookie Joe Burrow, though I think Burrow is just about there. Fantasy managers also await word on other absent 49ers such as tight end George Kittle and running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman.
Philadelphia enters the week sans a victory, content to punt for a tie against Burrow's Bengals Sunday, and Carson Wentz continues to struggle as a passer and decision-maker even more than he ever did as a rookie. Speaking of rookies, Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts took several snaps under center and ran twice for 8 yards. Perhaps it is unfair to judge Wentz when he has such a poor corps of wide receivers, but still, Hurts offers a distinct running option. If Wentz cannot fix his problems and the 49ers embarrass the Eagles, the Hurts era could come sooner than expected, so consider acting on this if you need a quarterback wild card.
Rookie receiver report
The Minnesota Vikings remain winless, but at least Justin Jefferson, the No. 22 selection in the 2020 draft, emerged with 175 yards and his first touchdown against the Tennessee Titans. We shall see how Jefferson fares in Week 4 against the Houston Texans. Jefferson was my pick for top rookie wide receiver for fantasy purposes this season, and after a pair of ordinary statistical games, Week 3 went well. Then again, Week 2 went well for the Dallas Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb and Pittsburgh Steelers' Chase Claypool, and then not so much this past weekend. Give it time.
In other first-year wide receiver news, the Bengals' Tee Higgins scored two receiving touchdowns and San Francisco's Brandon Aiyuk scored on a rushing attempt in Week 3, though fantasy managers can hardly trust any of these results until they see consistency. I will say this about Burrow, though: His offensive line could not protect him and eight Eagles sacks ensued, but Burrow outplayed Wentz. Faint praise, perhaps, but Burrow against the Jaguars in Week 4 should be a positive for fantasy numbers.