After leaving Week 1 with a heel injury, Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen didn’t practice at all during the week ahead of their Sunday Night Football matchup in Houston.
Considering the Bears’ offensive struggles in that first week with a healthy Allen playing a majority of snaps, his status heading into this game will be a situation to monitor closely.
Will Keenan Allen Play in Week 2 vs. the Houston Texans?
Allen’s status for Week 2 against Houston is still up in the air, as the Bears are listing Allen as questionable following three days of no practice.
“We’re going to take it all the way up to the game to see if [Allen and Rome Odunze] can go,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said on Friday.
Allen, playing in his 12th season in the NFL and his first season with the Bears, has been dealing with a nagging heel injury since training camp, which caused him to miss practice all week.
“It was just something that happened in training camp with the heel,” Eberflus said. “That was really it, so it’s just been progressing, then it took a step back, then we just wanted to give it some rest. That’s really what the idea of this week was just to rest and let it heal and let it feel good so we’re able to move and cut and do the things he does.”
Should You Start Keenan Allen in Fantasy Lineups?
With Allen having missed all of practice and being a true game-time decision, starting him in fantasy leagues this week could be a risk, especially with the timing of this game.
The Bears and Texans face off at 8:20 p.m. ET, giving few options to swap Allen with if he isn’t a go for Sunday Night Football.
Philadelphia and Atlanta face off on Monday night, leaving those two teams as the only other option for WR or Flex additions if Allen doesn’t play.
Considering how little of an impact Allen made in Week 1 against Tennessee, it could be smarter to let Allen rest this week in fantasy, too.
Kyle Soppe’s Fantasy Outlook for Keenan Allen
Allen was laboring at points during his Chicago debut, but a 37.9% target share is a great place to start, even if the fantasy production (four catches for 29 yards) wasn’t there.
He checked boxes, and that’s what I prioritize in September. Allen was responsible for two of the Bears’ third-down receptions in Week 1, and he was the only receiver on this team to see a red-zone target (he dropped a touchdown).
I still slightly prefer Moore, but I’m reasonably in on a bounce-back from Williams in his second start and thus have both of his primary receivers tucked inside my top 30 at the position with Rome Odunze on the shelf.
Who are the Other Fantasy Options To Consider on Bears?
Both Allen and Odunze could miss this game. If they do, it’s all about the next man up.
Quarterback Caleb Williams mentioned the fact that he’s confident in the next receivers up to be able to make an impact, noting Tyler Scott and DeAndre Carter as two capable options if Chicago has to go without either Allen or Odunze.
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However, a sneaky — and risky — move for the Flex position would be to consider playing tight end Cole Kmet.
Eberflus noted that the Bears want Kmet to be a focal point of the offense, and after low usage in Week 1, it could be a Kmet-heavy passing attack on Sunday night with Allen and Odunze questionable.