We have not seen Keenan Allen suit up for the Chicago Bears since Week 1 of the season, and he is entering Week 4 with a questionable tag. With the Bears under pressure at 1-2, they could really use the veteran WR back on the field. Will Allen play in Week 4, how much will he be able to do, and will fantasy football managers be able to rely on him?
What Is the Latest on Keenan Allen’s Injury?
After missing two games with a heel injury, Allen is returning for the Bears today as they face the Los Angeles Rams. Allen returned to practice on Wednesday as a limited participant and then got in a full practice on Friday.
Earlier this week, Allen spoke to reporters about his heel injury and the recovery process. He revealed that it was essentially a bone spur that became plantar fasciitis. It had been hurting since training camp, and he was in a lot of pain during Week 1 when the Bears faced the Tennessee Titans.
Keenan Allen spoke to the media on Friday. The veteran wide receiver shared what's been like dealing with his heel injury.
“It’s just irritating. It’s kind of like a hamstring pull; you can’t really do anything about it. You’ve got to wait until it heals up.” pic.twitter.com/FCUPppS1nj
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 27, 2024
Allen and the team decided it would be best to let him sit for two weeks and get back to 100% rather than having him try to manage the injury and play through pain for the remainder of the season.
“It’s just irritating,” Allen said. “It’s kind of like a hamstring pull; you can’t really do nothing about it. You’ve got to wait until it heals up.”
Hopefully, the Bears’ patient approach means that Allen will be back to 100% and this won’t linger throughout the season, as he’s an important piece of Chicago’s offense and in many fantasy lineups.
Fantasy Outlook for Allen
While Allen is returning this weekend, fantasy managers should think twice before inserting him into their lineups. It’s always tough to trust a player in their first game back from an injury like this, so it’s probably best to take a wait-and-see approach with Allen, especially given Caleb Williams’ struggles and how bad Chicago’s offense has been thus far.
Allen has had 13 DNPs since the beginning of 2022, and with Williams experiencing growing pains, I don’t really care if the 32-year-old is active or not—he’s not landing a spot inside my top 40 at the position until I see some semblance of offensive stability or full health.
If I see both, maybe there will be PPR value to extract here from a proven target earner, but I’d rather be late to this party than early. Allen caught four balls for 29 yards before suffering his injury in Week 1, but he still has limited chemistry with Williams.
Also, the Bears could limit Allen’s snaps as they ease him back into the offense, and there’s always the risk of reinjury with an ailment like this.
There might come a time when we can trust Allen as either a Flex or WR2 play, but it’s not this weekend.
With that said, Allen’s return could significantly boost Williams’ stock.
Williams was inconsistent over the first three games, with his penchant for taking sacks behind an awful offensive line limiting his fantasy appeal. However, he took a step forward in Week 3 — throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns — and he could post even better numbers with a reliable receiver like Allen on the field.
At the same time, Allen’s presence could reduce target shares for receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. The Bears will obviously be thrilled to have three high-level receivers on the field at the same time, but it could be a different story for fantasy managers.