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| BUF at NE | CHI at GB | DAL at TB | DEN at CIN | DET at NO | JAX at IND | KC at BAL | MIA at ATL |
| MIN at CLE | NYJ at HOU | PHI at CAR | SD at OAK | SF at ARI | STL at SEA | TEN at PIT | WAS at NYG |
Week 1 Game Recap: Chicago Bears 15, Green Bay Packers 21
Chicago Bears
| QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 17 - 36 - 277 - 1 TD / 4 INT, Rush: 3 - 16 - 0 |
Someone needs to tell Cutler what color his team was supposed to be wearing, because it sure looked like he was targeting the Green rather than the White in Week 1. Cutler threw a career high four interceptions against Green Bay, and it was not like he was getting bad breaks with tipped passes. The Packers were everywhere the ball was when it was in the air, and Cutler was lucky not to have even more interceptions after the rocky start to his Bear career. He was under some pressure but more often than not it looked like he was out of sync with his receiving corps who struggled to find open spaces. The schedule does not get much easier next week as the Bears host Pittsburgh next week.
| RB Matt Forte, Rush: 25 - 55 - 0 (1 targets) |
Forte struggled in Week 1, often getting first contact behind the line of scrimmage and not being able to get rolling. Yes, he did have 25 carries but he never seemed to get into the flow of the game. He was also kept from catching any passes -- not that the Bears did not try. Green Bay DE Johnny Jolly made a terrific interception on an intended middle screen that was wide open for a Forte touchdown, a testament to how tough the Packer defense was in Week 1. Forte should continue to be the featured tailback going forward but it will not get any easier come next week against the Steelers.
| RB Garrett Wolfe, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) |
Wolfe was a non-factor in Week 1, getting just a handful of carries. The important takeaways from this game are that Wolfe is the clear backup (Adrian N. Peterson had no touches) and that Matt Forte is the running game once again for the Bears. Wolfe's only fantasy value is as a handcuff to Forte and even then he may split time with the "other" Adrian Peterson if Forte should lose time to injury.
| WR Earl Bennett, Rec: 7 - 66 - 0 (13 targets) |
Bennett showed flashes of upside as the second starting wideout for the Bears in Week 1. Bennett topped was targeted typically 10-20 yards downfield between the numbers and the sideline but some of the passes from Cutler were either just off the mark or too difficult for Bennett to reel in. Bennett has better upside against weaker competition or against defenses that dominate against the ground game (such as Minnesota) so he is more of a fantasy spot starter with some upside. His value could also go down once TE Greg Olsen gets more involved in the passing attack or if Matt Forte gets more work as a receiver.
| WR Devin Hester, Rec: 4 - 90 - 1 (4 targets) |
Hester had two very impressive catches, starting with a great over the shoulder grab on the first drive for Chicago that showed how developed of a wideout he is becoming for the Bears. Hester later added a 36-yard touchdown sprint on a go route where Cutler hit him clean in stride. Hester adds more work as a kick returner and continues to be a big play threat every time he touches the ball. As Cutler and Hester get more comfortable and other receiving options become more of a threat on a weekly basis, Hester will push to be a true NFL WR1 for the Bears and become a starting caliber fantasy receiver.
| WR Johnny Knox, Rec: 2 - 82 - 0 (4 targets) |
Rookie Johnny Knox had but two catches on the evening in Week 1, but his speed was well on display on a deep route down the right side where he beat the corner by several yards and made the catch without slowing down. Only a shoestring tackle that forced him to step out of bounds kept the young wideout from scoring his first NFL touchdown. Knox played the role of WR3 for the Bears and a speedy deep threat will become a favorite target for Jay Cutler if Knox keeps producing like he did in Week 1.
| TE Greg Olsen, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (6 targets) |
Greg Olsen was considered to be a sneaky TE1 to grab in most fantasy drafts, but those owners have to be concerned after watching Green Bay stifle him all game in Week 1. The 3-4 defensive scheme was keying on Olsen most of the game, rolling two linebackers or one LB and a defensive back to limit Olsen from getting open. With him facing double coverage nearly every down, Olsen was only to make one catch for just eight yards. The tests will continue next week as Chicago faces Pittsburgh, but it should be an interesting matchup given how well Bo Scaife did against the Steelers in Week 1.
| TE Desmond Clark, Rec: 1 - 23 - 0 (4 targets) |
Backup TE Desmond Clark had only one catch before leaving the game in the third quarter with a back injury. He remains a distant second option behind Greg Olsen even when he is at full strength.
Green Bay Packers
| QB Aaron Rodgers, Pass: 17 - 28 - 184 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 7 - 0 |
Rodgers was under constant pressure all night from the Chicago Bears. Whenever he dropped back, it seemed that Adewale Ogunleye knew the exact spot where he would be and was there almost as fast as Rodgers was when he dropped back. Rodgers was even sacked for a safety on a corner blitz by Daniel Manning, who wrapped Rodgers and his throwing arm up so he could not get rid of the ball. His numbers and production were limited up until late in the game due to the Bears' pass rush and several of his deeper throws to either WR Greg Jennings or WR Donald Driver were just off the mark. Rodgers kept firing but was limited to shorter completions until the final few minutes of the game. On a third and short with under two minutes to play the Packers decided to put in a two TE set and send Greg Jennings deep -- and the Packers and Rodgers finally got the matchup they wanted with Nathan Vasher over top of Jennings. Rodgers delivered a pretty pass for a 50 yard strike to Jennings for his only touchdown of the contest, but it was just enough.
| RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 16 - 61 - 1, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
Ryan Grant said he was working on his top gear this past off-season, and it showed. During the contest with the Bears in Week 1, Grant was explosive through the hole and around the corner, picking up good yardage in chunks when he was able to hit the hole at full speed. His speed was not on display every time he touched the ball due to the Chicago defensive penetration, but when he was in open spaces he displayed great speed and top notch talent. Grant also ran with power between the tackles, moving the line and scoring a key touchdown in the second half.
| RB DeShawn Wynn, Rush: 3 - 8 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (4 targets) |
With Brandon Jackson sidelined with an ankle injury, DeShawn Wynn becomes the direct backup to starter Ryan Grant for the Packers. Wynn only had a handful of touches but ran hard when he did have the ball, but lacks the explosive top gear and cutting ability that makes Grant a top notch starting tailback.
| WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 6 - 106 - 1 (8 targets) |
Greg Jennings is still Aaron Rodgers' favorite target, but the Bears knew this as well and put their best options for coverage on him in Week 1. Jennings was held in check most of the game right up until the final two minutes where he was matched up with Nathan Vasher, a corner who is not known well for excelling in one-on-one coverage. Jennings beat Vasher easily and raced down the field, catching a deep ball in stride for a 50 yard touchdown to put the Packers up for good. He added a short catch for a two-point play to seal the victory with under two minutes to play. Jennings and the Packers face Pittsburgh next week without Troy Polamalu, so look for Jennings to work the middle of the field.
| WR Donald Driver, Rec: 4 - 39 - 0 (7 targets) |
Driver was a favorite target for Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 against Chicago, going both downfield and over the middle for several balls. He showed no signs of slowing down despite his age as he fought hard for yardage. After several seasons of 1,000 yards, it is not hard to see why he reached those numbers. Critics of Driver wondered if time would soon catch up with him but based on his first game this year he looks ready to step up and deliver. With teams focusing on Greg Jennings as the top target for the Packers, Driver should be poised to have productive outings most every week. Driver and the Packers face Cincinnati next week without Troy Polamalu, so look for him to work the middle of the field again for possession catches.
| TE Donald Lee, Rec: 3 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) |
Donald Lee was not a big part of the passing game for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 1. He stayed in to block a bit more often than fantasy leaguers would normally like and the younger and talented Jermichael Finley will pressure Lee for targets and snaps all season. Lee did win the catch battle with Finley three to one, but neither posted any true fantasy value.
| TE Jermichael Finley, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
Finley, the young TE who showed so much promise in the preseason had just one catch in Week 1 against the Bears. QB Aaron Rodgers was looking downfield far more often than he was underneath, so both Finley and TE Donald Lee saw few chances in this particular contest. Whether this remains constant from week to week is up in the air, since the Bears were thin at corner and safety in Week 1 so Rodgers may have been looking to WRs Donald Driver and Greg Jennings for better chances. Finley's upside and true value should get a better determination with a matchup against Cincinnati in Week 2.