Chicago Bears DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

The Chicago Bears ruled out running back Travis Homer (hamstring) for the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday at Lambeau Field against the division-rival Green Bay Packers. It doesn't come as much of a surprise since Homer has been sidelined with his hamstring injury since Week 15. When healthy, the 26-year-old was buried on Chicago's RB depth chart this year in a bad offense behind both D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson. That limited role afforded him just six rushing attempts for 23 yards while also catching three passes for 11 yards. Homer mainly contributed on special teams for Chicago in his second year with the team. The former sixth-round selection by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 out of Miami didn't see a single carry and failed to catch his only target in 16 games with the Bears in 2023. Homer will become an unrestricted free agent in March and will look for a bigger role elsewhere.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (illness) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The rookie wideout missed the first two days of practice before getting in a full session on Friday. Odunze appears to be over the illness and will suit up for the regular season finale. The 22-year-old finished with one reception for 15 yards during last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Odunze hasn't been a productive fantasy option over the last few games. That being said, Odunze might have flex value, but probably won't offer much more for fantasy managers playing their championship games in Week 18.

According to the team, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze (illness) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice. This is not a good sign as the former first round selection is in danger of missing Sunday's game. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status during Friday's final practice session as it may clarify his availability. The 22-year-old has yet to miss a game during his rookie campaign. Over his past seven games, Odunze has only seen less than six targets in a single game just twice. Over this stretch he averaged 43.1 yards per game but has only caught 3.4 passes per game. If Odunze were to miss the final game of the regular season, fantasy managers should expect DJ Moore and Keenan Allen to see even more targets with Collin Johnson moving up to the No.3 spot.

According to Chris Emma of 670 The Score, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze (illness) is not practicing on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week as he has two more opportunities to return to the field before the final injury report. The rookie wideout has flashed high upside at times but struggled to see consistent targets in the struggling Chicago offense. He has tallied at least 40 yards in eight games and seen at least seven targets in six games. However, he has also tallied less than 30 yards in five games. Odunze remains a risky flex option in all formats heading into a Week 18 tilt against the Green Bay Packers.

Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown said on Monday that there has been no thought or talk of sitting rookie quarterback Caleb Williams for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Brown expects all the team's healthy veteran players to suit up as well. Williams, the first overall pick back in April, has had a tough rookie season in the NFL, but it hasn't all been his fault -- the Bears fired their head coach and offensive coordinator midseason. The 23-year-old from USC has taken a league-high 67 sacks and has looked like a rookie for most of the year. There's no denying his playmaking abilities and elite arm strength, but it hasn't been the year many expect for Williams, who has thrown for 3,393 yards, 19 TDs and six picks in 16 starts. If the Packers rest some of their starters, Williams could end up having a decent final game in 2024.