Bears back a must-own off waivers
WELCOME to Black Tuesday. Drafts are over and Week 1 of the NFL season is officially in the books. That means fantasy football owners now are anxiously awaiting the opening of their in-season waiver wire and, like a rabid Walmart crowd waiting to crush you to grab that $50 flat-screen TV, they are eager to snatch up any unowned player who enjoyed a successful season debut.
Nothing else matters. They don’t care about game script, injuries or any other factors which may have led one particular player to shine brighter than the rest. All they care about was that someone posted better numbers than one of their starters, and they’ll do anything to own him.
Industry analysts will tell you to be aggressive early with your FAAB (free-agent auction budget) bidding or waiver pickups, so not to miss out on potential game-changers who may see an increased role in their respective offenses, and, in many cases, they’re right. Adjustments to game plans are in full effect, but a successful owner is able to discern between the one-week wonder and the player truly ready to take that next step. It isn’t just about their Week 1 success. It is about the fit into their team’s offense and the opportunity to do more available to them. So while everyone else is looking at mysteriously prolific, low-end wideouts and random boxscore stat-stuffers, you need to get Chicago rookie running back Tarik Cohen.
Do not misunderstand the situation here. The Bears are not looking to supplant Jordan Howard or reduce his workload in favor of the dynamic rookie out of North Carolina A&T. Having lost Cameron Meredith and now faced with a potential season-ending injury to Kevin White, the Bears are in dire need of an additional offensive threat. Cohen’s diminutive 5-foot-6, 180-pound frame doesn’t exactly scream hard-nosed NFL running back, but his speed and ability to cut-and-run makes him an interesting option.
The Bears should continue to use Cohen as a change-of-pace back to give Howard the occasional breather, and they are more likely to increase his role in the passing attack. He will come out of the backfield as a check-down more often, and you probably can expect him to work out of the slot in sets with three or more receivers. Getting him the ball out in space and allowing him to rack up yards after the catch should be a mainstay in the scheme. As a result, Cohen needs to be owned.
Outside of cases in which one player completely replaces another, many waiver candidates will see a fluctuation in their usage based on game flow. Receivers such as Kenny Golladay and Russell Shepard will come and go with the wind. You need more than that. You need stability and opportunity. You need Tarik Cohen.