National Football League

Eagles at Bears: 5 best fantasy options

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:07 p.m. ET

foxsports

Which players should you be getting in your fantasy football lineup in this Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles?

This may not appear to be a high scoring affair, but the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles may decide many Week 2 fantasy football matchups. The Bears will host the Eagles on Monday Night Football, and there is certainly some fantasy upside available.

These are not two of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, but neither defense is particularly scary either. Let’s take a look at the five best fantasy football options in this Monday Night Football game.

5. Kevin White, WR, Chicago Bears

Eagles running back Darren Sproles and Bears tight end Zach Miller were also under consideration here, but I decided to go with the upside.

Kevin White made his NFL debut last week to mixed reviews. White led the team with seven targets and played in 98% percent of the Bears’ offensive snaps against the Texans. However, he only finished with three receptions for 34 yards on the day.

White looked lost on the field at times. When he entered the NFL, many scouts questioned his football IQ and whether he had the awareness on the field to play at the next level. He is pretty much a one-trick pony who can only make plays on the deep ball at this point in his career.

That being said, White has the physical skill-set to be an absolute star at the wide receiver position. He did not look great last week, but the usage is encouraging.

Against a relatively weak Eagles’ secondary, White certainly has a chance to explode. He is far from a safe play, but White has fantastic upside this week.

A true boom or bust play here.

Sep 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jeremy Langford (33) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

4. Jeremy Langford, RB, Chicago Bears

A starting running back who gets a bulk of the carries for his team is always fantasy relevant. In today’s NFL where the passing game is king, the running back position can be tough to fill in some weeks.

Jeremy Langford has not been a dominant running back in his short time in the league, but he is clearly the Bears’ number one guy in the backfield. He had a relatively quiet Week 1 performance against the Texans, rushing for 57 yards on 17 carries for the Bears.

That being said, Langford did find his way into the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run, and he is clearly the focal point of the Bears’ rushing attack. The only other players to receive carries in the game for the Bears were quarterback Jay Cutler and one carry by back-up Ka’Deem Carey.

The Eagles’ defense as a whole is not great, but they do have some talent up front. They are not exactly easy to run against, but we are not talking about a particularly stout run defense. They are league average at best.

Also, while he did not show it last week with two receptions for six yards, Langford does have some upside in the passing game. He is a reliable receiver out of the backfield who has some nice upside in PPR leagues. His obvious opportunity in the running game is what makes him most appealing, but Langford’s receiving skills only help.

I doubt that Langford goes off for a huge game in this one, but he does represent a safe floor. Barring injury, Langford will get a huge majority of the Bears’ carries in this game. That is extremely valuable in fantasy football.

Sep 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews (81) reacts after his touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Jordan Matthews kicked off the 2016 season in a big way for the Eagles and his fantasy owners last week. Against the Browns, Matthews hauled in seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.

He was clearly Wentz’ favorite target of the afternoon, leading the team by a wide margin with 14 targets. Matthews is an extremely gifted and crafty receiver who can make an impact on the game in a variety of ways.

He does most of his work out of the slot, but Matthews can also be a weapon for the Eagles on the outside. He has a knack for finding the open space in the defense, always seeming to be open in important situations.

Matthews is not only a talented NFL receiver on the rise, he has massive fantasy football upside as we saw against the Browns. If Week 1 is any indication, Wentz clearly sees Matthews as his favorite weapon in the Eagles’ offense.

He has a chance to have a massive breakout season in 2016. The Bears’ defense as a whole is an underrated group, but their strength is in the front seven. This is an exploitable secondary that continue to struggle with injuries at the cornerback position.

Number one cornerback Kyle Fuller missed the season opener for the Bears. If he ends up playing this week, Matthews’ value takes a bit of a hit. That being said, Fuller is not exactly a shut down option at the position. Matthews has a ton of upside against the Bears no matter who plays.

All of that being said, there is some downside here. Wentz looked great last week, but he is a rookie quarterback who was considered raw entering the draft. It would not be surprising at all to see him struggle on the road in a prime time game.

I think Wentz will be fine, but the possibility of an ugly game is certainly there. A bit of a boom or bust play, but I like Matthews this week.

Sep 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Ryan Mathews (24) celebrates his 1-yard touchdown run during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Browns, 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

2. Ryan Mathews, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Like we talked about early with Langford, a clear number one running back in any NFL offense has fantasy value. This holds true with Eagles’ back Ryan Mathews.

Fantasy owners have always had an up-and-down relationship with Mathews, but he appears primed to have a strong 2016 season. He is the clear number one option for the Eagles in the backfield and shows great ability in the run game.

Mathews got his season off to a strong start last week against the Browns, rushing for 77 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. His 3.5 yards per carry average was not anything earth-shattering, but we know that Mathews is capable of much more.

He is a strong and stable back who has 100+ yard potential each and every week. Mathews is also clearly the Eagles’ goal line back, giving him nice touchdown potential as well.

The Bears’ defensive front seven is stout, but they can be beaten on the ground. They allowed 106 yards to Lamar Miller in Week 1. Mathews and Miller are definitely different backs, but it does show that you can run the ball against the Bears.

Ryan Mathews is a strong RB2 option this week against the Bears.

Sep 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) makes a catch in front of Houston Texans free safety Andre Hal (29) during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

1. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears

Health is always a concern when it comes to Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. That being said, when he is in the game, Jeffery always seems to make a big-time impact.

At least for now, Jeffery is fully healthy and ready to roll, making him an obvious start each and every week.

Jeffery started his 2016 season off strong last week against the Texans, bringing in four receptions for 105 yards. He was a beast, going up and catching everything thrown his way. Cutler even connected with Jeffery on an impressive 54-yard reception that set up a touchdown late in the second half.

Jeffery himself never reached the end zone last week, but he is a big and physical receiver who always has massive upside in the red zone.

This week against the Eagles, Jeffery should be primed for a big game. The Eagles’ secondary is among the worst in the NFL, and can be especially exploited in the deep passing game.

Robert Griffin III and the Browns did next to nothing against the Eagles last week, but they were able to beat them in the deep passing game a couple of times. I would not be surprised to see that happen again in Week 2.

If Cutler is going deep, Jeffery is undoubtedly his best weapon. The Bears will likely look to Jeffery early and often in this one. He is an absolute must start in fantasy football.