It has felt like a long time coming, but Khalil Herbert should make the Chicago Bears‘ backfield very crowded for Week 11. D’Onta Foreman has had some big moments for the Bears, while Roschon Johnson is a guy the Bears like.
So, which of the three should fantasy football managers start this week? Let’s check the fantasy outlook for each player.
Should You Start Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, or Roschon Johnson This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say Herbert is the player to start. His projected 8.4 points include 49 rushing yards, one catch, and five receiving yards. That projected stat line barely outperforms the consensus projections of Foreman (8.0 points) and Johnson (4.1 points).
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This is a complicated situation with this backfield because Foreman is dealing with an ankle injury, Herbert is returning from an ankle injury that kept him out for five games, and Johnson has never been the lead back for this offense. With Herbert being cleared and Foreman potentially limited we could see this backfield split.
My personal preference is still Foreman as I think the Bears ease Herbert back in, but it is not as clear-cut as it would be if Foreman was 100% healthy.
Fantasy Outlook for Herbert This Week
Before he suffered an injury early in the year, Herbert had shown he was the unquestioned go-to running back for the Bears. In the two games before he got hurt against the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders, he was putting up very good numbers. He rushed for 103 yards against the Broncos and then rushed for another 76 yards against the Commanders.
There was a thought that he might return last week, but with that being a Thursday night game, it was too soon. He has now gotten another nine days in between those games, so he should be much healthier. While he is expected to return for Sunday’s game vs. the Lions in Detroit, how much fantasy managers should expect out of him is uncertain.
The Bears have rushed for at least 130 yards in six of their last seven games, so even with Herbert out, Chicago has had success running the ball. Foreman has been good enough to where he deserves to continue getting carries. This feels like a game where they both have 10 carries.
Fantasy Outlook for Foreman This Week
Foreman showed that he still is a productive running back in the NFL. He has rushed for at least 80 yards in three of his last four games and has scored four total touchdowns over his last four games.
The four touchdowns since Week 7 are tied for third-most in the NFL. What makes it impressive for Foreman is the Bears give him the ball a lot. In his last two games, he has gotten 41 carries, showing he can be the focal point of a rushing attack.
Being listed on the injury report as limited all week with an ankle injury adds a concern, but per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Foreman is expected to be active this week.
Fantasy Outlook for Johnson This Week
Although he doesn’t get the ball often, Johnson is still a guy who is finding himself on the field. Last week, Johnson was on the field for a season-high 30 offensive snaps. He did get the ball nine times, finishing with 32 yards.
Johnson is a guy who could have a bright future, but right now, he seems like the odd man out this weekend. If Herbert is healthy, it will be hard for Johnson to get on the field.
The Optimizer projects Johnson to finish with 22 rush yards and one catch for four yards.
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