Commanders vs. Bears Picks, Lineup Tips for Daily Fantasy FanDuel, DraftKings

The Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders have been trending in the wrong direction in recent weeks, but one of these NFC teams will get back on track Thursday night.

The Commanders have lost four straight games since winning their season opener vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Bears have dropped back-to-back contests to the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings to fall to 2-3.

The game at Soldier Field will be the first time Washington and Chicago have faced off since Week 3 of the 2019 season.

Although this matchup won't feature a ton of top offensive stars, there will be some talented playmakers on both sides. So, anyone looking to fill out a daily fantasy lineup on either DraftKings or FanDuel for Thursday night will have some solid options.

Here's some DFS advice to help with this Commanders-Bears tilt to open Week 6.

Montgomery Is Strong Choice for Captain/MVP

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery (32) runs from Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chandon Sullivan (39) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Last week, David Montgomery returned from a one-game absence caused by an ankle injury. And while the Bears' top running back didn't have a great showing on the ground in Minnesota (12 carries for 20 yards), he did score his first touchdown of the season.

The 25-year-old also had four receptions for 62 yards, making it clear he remains the No. 1 RB in Chicago's offense ahead of Khalil Herbert. That means Montgomery ($15,600 on DraftKings; $15,000 on FanDuel) will likely get plenty of opportunities again on Thursday.

Although it will cost a good bit to make the Iowa State product a captain/MVP in DFS lineups, he should be worth it. The Commanders' defense has been struggling, and it couldn't contain Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (132 total yards and two touchdowns) on Sunday.

The Bears will likely continue to run the ball a lot, as the Titans did in Week 5 when they had 32 rushing attempts in their win over the Commanders.

Because of the matchup, Montgomery should be more productive than he's been at other times early in the season.

Avoid All Members of Washington's Backfield

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson is tackled by Tennessee Titans defenders in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

While Montgomery is a strong DFS play, none of the running backs in Washington's backfield can be trusted. That's because the Commanders are now splitting the workload between a trio of RBs: Antonio Gibson, Brian Robinson and J.D. McKissic.

Robinson made his NFL debut in the Commanders' Week 5 loss, carrying the ball nine times for 22 yards on limited snaps. His playing time should keep going up, which will likely take away from Gibson's touches, as McKissic will continue to serve in a third-down/passing back role.

Gibson had only three carries and three receptions on Sunday. And if Washington is playing from behind (which has been the case quite often this season) on Thursday, he again may not get as much work as Robinson and especially McKissic.

This backfield picture is just too crowded to figure out for fantasy purposes, and that includes DFS. Don't spend your budget on any of these three Commanders RBs on Thursday.

Consider Bates as Low-Cost Sleeper Play

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 09: John Bates #87 of the Washington Commanders takes the field before the game against the Tennessee Titans at FedExField on October 9, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

If you're looking for a low-cost sleeper player to fill out your DFS lineup on Thursday, one to consider is Washington tight end John Bates.

The Commanders will be without Logan Thomas (calf), so Bates should be more involved in the passing game vs. the Bears.

The 24-year-old ($4,500 on DraftKings; $5,500 on FanDuel) has been targeted nine times over the past two weeks, recording seven receptions for 58 yards. On Sunday, he caught all three of the passes that came his way and had a season-high 39 yards.

Not only will Washington be without Thomas, but it will also be missing rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson (hamstring). That could lead to quarterback Carson Wentz throwing more to Bates, especially if Chicago focuses on shutting down Terry McLaurin and/or Curtis Samuel.

The Boise State product should get a chance to put up some solid receiving numbers, and he may even get into the end zone for his first touchdown since Week 16 of the 2021 season.

---

Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com for details.

Eligibility restrictions apply. See fanduel.com for details.