Tarik Cohen (RB, CHI) - Week 15 Waiver Wire Adds

December 12, 2017

Bears running back Tarik Cohen is a strong waiver wire pickup for Week 15 and the playoffs. He has a good match-up against the Detroit Lions this week.

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ANALYSIS: Chicago Bears rookie running back Tarik Cohen has had an up-and-down year. The Bears opened the season with Cohen heavily involved in the run game and passing game as starting running back Jordan Howard struggled to get going, but Cohen began to see the field less and less as Howard's rushing attempts-per-game grew. The Bears changed quarterbacks and kept trying different things offensively, but Cohen looks to be back after a pair of strong games in Weeks 13 and 14. In Chicago's 33-7 win over the Bengals, Cohen carried the ball twelve times for a career-high 80 yards. What might encourage fantasy owners in Standard leagues is that Cohen managed to be effective and contribute to the Bears offense without heavy involvement in the passing game--he had just two catches for five yards.

With Mitchell Trubisky under center, it might be best if Chicago continues to focus on running the ball. It's also clear that Jordan Howard can't carry the load alone. With third-string running back Benny Cunningham effectively a non-factor in Chicago's rushing offense at this point, the carries could be there for Cohen, and his ability to bust off big plays in the passing game make him a weekly threat to find the end zone.

There's always bust potential with the rookie, who has three games this year with 1.1 Standard points or less, including a negative total against the Eagles in Week 12, but he's also put up at least 8.5 points in three of Chicago's last four games. He has a lot of potential against the Lions this week, a team that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs and just allowed Tampa Bay's Peyton Barber to average almost five yards-per-carry. Cohen has flex potential in deeper leagues and could even be a viable RB2 in deeper PPR leagues.