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David Montgomery

Groin injury could leave Bears scrambling at tailback

David Montgomery is looking like the running back version of Deebo Samuel. The Bears say he’s going to be out for 2-4 weeks with a groin injury.

Montgomery was injured at practice on Wednesday. Matt Nagy says it’s a groin injury, and that he’ll be out 2-4 weeks. With the opener 16 days away, it’s looking increasingly likely that Montgomery will miss the first 1-3 games of the season.

And you have to wonder when Montgomery will be truly back to 100 percent. It’s one thing to return to practice and games. It’s another to be fully recovered – both 100 percent healthy and having full confidence to play the way you were prior to the injury.

For fantasy purposes, I consider Montgomery to be one of the running backs in the teens – in there with guys like David Johnson, Chris Carson, LeVeon Bell, James Conner and Devin Singletary. It’s now reasonable to move Montgomery down to the bottom of that tier.

This injury is particularly notable because the Bears don’t have much else at the position. Tarik Cohen is a neat player. He’ll play more while Montgomery is out (and probably also more even after Montgomery initially returns). But Cohen is more of a change-of-pace and third-down type back rather than a featured guy. They’ll want some other back to log double-digit carries per week while Montgomery is out, and they don’t have much else at the position. Mike Davis is gone.

This could be a landing spot for Devonta Freeman. He wants to play but couldn’t come to a financial agreement with the Seahawks or Eagles. If the Bears are worried about Montgomery’s ability to play more than half of this season, Freeman would fit nicely here (if the Bears think he can still play at a high level).

The wild card here, I think, is Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson has been a wide receiver and elite kickoff returner for most of his career, but he’s always been an run-after-catch guy rather than a polished route runner or pass catcher. The Patriots used him some as a tailback when they had injuries a few years back. And Patterson is a big guy. He weighed 220 pounds when the Vikings picked him in the first round back in 2013. Now the Bears have him listed at 238.

Comparing Patterson to the 32 running backs who currently appear to be opening-day starters, he’s heavier than all of them except for Derrick Henry. (He’s also taller than all of them except for Henry.)

If you’re in a large league, makes sense to throw your last pick at Patterson. He might start a few games while Montgomery mends.

Patterson is listed as a wide receiver at the team’s official website, but he’s been practicing with the running backs. Even prior to this recent injury, it seemed like he was going to play at running back. Now that Montgomery is down, it would not be a surprise to see that positional listing change from wide receiver to running back (or even WR-RB).

HEAVIEST STARTING TAILBACKS
PlayerHeightWeight
Derrick Henry, Ten.6-3247
Cordarrelle Patterson, Chi.6-2238
Saquon Barkley, NYG6-0233
James Conner, Pitt.6-1233
Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.6-0228
Leonard Fournette, Jac.6-0228
Nick Chubb, Clev.5-11227
LeVeon Bell, NYJ6-1225
Jordan Howard, Mia.6-0224
Todd Gurley, Atl.6-1224
David Johnson, Hou.6-1224
David Montgomery, Chi.5-10222
Chris Carson, Sea.5-11222
Josh Jacobs, L.V.5-10220
Joe Mixon, Cin.6-1220
Adrian Peterson, Was.6-1220
Cam Akers, LAR5-10217
Alvin Kamara, N.O.5-10215
Sony Michel, N.E.5-11215
Melvin Gordon, Den.6-1215
Kerryon Johnson, Det.5-11211
Miles Sanders, Phil.5-11211
Kenyan Drake, Ariz.6-1211
Mark Ingram, Balt.5-9210
Dalvin Cook, Min.5-10210
Marlon Mack, Ind.6-0210
Aaron Jones, G.B.5-9208
Ronald Jones, T.B.5-11208
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C.5-7207
Raheem Mostert, S.F.5-10205
Christian McCaffrey, Car.5-11205
Devin Singletary, Buff.5-7203
Austin Ekeler, LAC5-10200

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index