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Chicago Bears wide receiver Taylor Gabriel has made his presence felt to both fans of the team and fantasy football owners alike. The 27-year-old wideout has been a force over his past two games and specifically has been a target monster in a few moments over that stretch.
It’s apparent quarterback Mitchell Trubisky likes Gabriel quite a bit, and the receiver has paid off that faith by being a consistent option with big-play potential. The Bears draw a matchup with the New England Patriots in Week 7 and it has the potential to be a high-scoring game, which bodes well for him.
Let’s take a look at the start-sit debate for one of the Bears’ new go-to targets.
Key Stats and Taylor Gabriel’s Fantasy Outlook
I’ll break down the matchup, recent production and other numbers for Gabriel ahead of Week 7. All information on fantasy points and statistics for defense vs. position are from ESPN.
- New England Patriots vs. wide receivers in 2018: 84 receptions, 1,005 yards, nine touchdowns (No. 12 most fantasy points per game)
- Gabriel has been No. 2 in offensive snaps at wideout for the Bears since Week 1, topping 74 percent in all but one game, per Football Outsiders
- With Anthony Miller’s return in Week 6, Gabriel’s snaps dropped to 66 percent
- Gabriel has seen 29 targets in the past four games
- Gabriel has topped 100 receiving yards in each of the past two games while scoring twice
The matchup is great for Gabriel and his upside is there. Last game, Miller did impact his offensive snaps a bit, though, which is something to monitor.
Should You Start or Sit Taylor Gabriel?
Although Gabriel has now caught 12-of-12 targets in the past two weeks for 214 yards and two touchdowns, that continued level of success and consistency is unrealistic to expect. But his solid workload and large number of snaps can’t be overlooked in a good matchup.
The Patriots have given up big plays to receivers and the electrifying wideout seems primed for another big showing in Week 7. I’d temper expectations to some extent, but Gabriel is still very much in play for 12-team leagues or larger as a WR3 or flex option. With bye weeks impacting a few big names, he could be a great option as a filler.
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