DJ

Moore

With Rome Odunze essentially out for the second consecutive game, Moore was a little more involved against the Browns in Week 15. While Luther Burden led the team in targets, catches and yards, Moore’s two-touchdown game carried the day. The 28-year-old receiver made an excellent catch on his second touchdown, which came between two defenders. Moore is still tough to trust in the fantasy playoffs, but he could be usable if Odunze is out again in Week 16 against the Packers.

Rome Odunze was sidelined for Week 14 because of a stress fracture in his foot. In need of someone to step up, Moore was nowhere to be found. His only catch of the day was a touch pass that was blown up for a loss of four. He had another screen target that was so thoroughly sniffed out by Green Bay that he was actually hit a fraction of a second before the ball made it to his hands. Moore’s usage has devolved into primarily designed touches this year and that didn’t change with Odunze out. He will barely register as a WR6 for Week 15 against the Browns.

We do not yet know Odunze’s Friday practice participation level, but he was sidelined on Wednesday and Thursday. We suspect he was again unable to go today. Odunze’s 23.9 percent team target share leads all Bears pass catchers by at least 8.0 percent. Removing him from the offense frees up a significant number of opportunities for WR DJ Moore, WR Luther Burden and TE Colston Loveland. All three receive a small bump in their potential ceiling outcomes.

Moore did have one rush for 10 yards, but it’s still another unimpressive line for the 28-year-old wideout. It’s disappointing after his two-touchdown effort the previous week against Pittsburgh, and a little more understandable considering the Bears ran for 281 yards with swirling winds affecting the passing game. Nevertheless, these types of games have been all too common for Moore, and he’s a risky WR3 against the Packers next week.

Sitting on two total touchdowns all year coming into the afternoon, Moore doubled that number with scores of five and 25 yards. No. 1 featured a strong route at the goal line. No. 2 was a free play where Rome Odunze cleared out the middle of the field and Caleb Williams found a wide-open Moore roaming. Awesome stuff, though Pro Football Focus actually charted Moore’s snap percentage as slightly decreasing as Luther Burden III continued to get more involved. Still yet to reach 75 yards or catch more than five passes all season, Moore is maxing out as a not particularly high-ceiling WR3. That will remain true for a Week 13 Friday matchup with Philadelphia’s elite defense.

This comes on the heels of a zero-catch performance in Week 10 against the Giants. Dealing with a shoulder injury, Moore had a bad drop on Sunday and was missed on what would have been a wide open 40-yard completion in the first half. He wasn’t involved much in the second half. Five Chicago pass catchers had more targets than Moore on the day. Moore is barely usable in 12-team fantasy leagues as long as Rome Odunze is the leading wideout in a Chicago offense that has been increasingly run-first of late. Moore will play the Steelers in Week 12.

After sitting out on Wednesday, Moore upgraded to limited on Thursday before practicing fully on Friday. The veteran wide receiver is good to go after injuring his right shoulder in a fall last weekend. Moore has largely finished in the WR3/WR4 range this season and can be treated accordingly this week against the Vikings’ top-notch, blitz-based defense.

That’s a big upgrade for Moore, who left Week 10’s game with the shoulder injury. Now it looks like he has a chance to be questionable at worst, and perhaps get cleared off the report as has been the usual thing before this shoulder injury. It would also likely crush the streaming value of Luther Burden.

Moore missed a significant portion of the Bears’ Week 10 win over the Giants after injuring his right shoulder during a second-quarter fall. He returned for nine snaps in the fourth quarter, but failed to earn a target. Moore also entered the Week 10 contest nursing hip and groin injuries. He should be viewed as solidly questionable to play this week.

Moore landed hard on his right arm in the second quarter and did not return to the game after halftime. He would seem to be done for the day. Moore had zero catches on three targets before he sustained the shoulder injury. He’s been mostly used as a gadget player in Ben Johnson’s offense this year. A Moore absence could open up more snaps and routes for Luther Burden.