The fantasy football week will get started on the NFL schedule on Thursday night when the New York Giants travel to play the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field and some players to watch to start or sit for matchups includes names like Alshon Jeffery, Da'Rel Scott, Martellus Bennett, Rueben Randle, Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning and Jay Cutler.
Alshon Jeffery is the top option to start on Thursday night, as he has been a solid sleeper over the past few weeks and with Brandon Marshall constantly getting double covered, he has been able to put up solid numbers. Jeffery has been seeing more targets over the past few weeks, increasing his yards, receptions, targets and per catch averages over the past three games and now that he is matched up against a terrible Giants secondary, he could have another big night.
Jeffery is coming off one of the biggest games of the season after making 10 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown against the Saints and now that makes it two games in a row where he was targeted over 10 times and went for more than 100 yards. In the previous week against the Lions he had five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown and now that makes it two weeks in a row where he has found the endzone. Jeffery should continue getting more looks especially against a desperate Giants team Thursday.
Another player that is a very good START on Thursday is tight end Martellus Bennett, as he has been trending the right way for a couple weeks and he also might be motivated to have a big game against his former team. The Giants let Bennett go in free agency and that may have been a mistake and now he will get the chance to matchup against a weak defense and he is coming off a game when he averaged over 11 yards per catch.
Last week Bennett had five catches for 56 yards and the previous week he had eight catches for 90 yards on 12 targets. Over the past two weeks he has been targeted 17 times and he has been very consistent this season, putting up at least 49 yards receiving in every game apart from one this season. Bennett has 25 catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns this season and he could have another solid game on Thursday night.
The Giants have been absolutely terrible this season, but heading into Thursday night they will be playing desperate at 0-5 and that actually could mean a solid game from the offense. The Bears defense is tough and ferocious and after losing two straight they will be motivated as well. The Giants need to try and run the ball and with David Wilson out, Da'Rel Scott and Brandon Jacobs will get the touches. Jacobs likely will be the back that gets in the end zone if the Giants can be productive, but Scott likely is the one to START, as he can be a factor in the passing game.
The Giants previously released Scott and re-signed him after David Wilson went down with an injury and this season he has 16 carries for 56 yards as well as 10 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Rueben Randle is a good option to START, as Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz could get covered tight and he might be able to find some space after Eli targeted him 14 times last week for two touchdowns.
