Fantasy Upside
Tarik Cohen was 15th among running backs last season in scrimmage yards (1,169) and was sixth amongst backs in receptions (71). This placed him 17th in his position in PPR formats, where Cohen carries the most value. He’s had some explosive games in the past, including five games in 2018 with 7+ receptions, and four games with 100+ scrimmage yards.
Fantasy Downside
Some may see the Bears trading away Jordan Howard as a good thing because it opens up Cohen, but it’s actually the opposite. Instead of Howard, the Bears now have David Montgomery (rookie) and Mike Davis (free agent) in the mix, and both are much more capable receivers than Howard was. And while Cohen’s been a successful back these past two seasons, he doesn’t get many opportunities. He’s had just five games with 15+ touches, and 16 with fewer than 10 touches.
2019 Bottom Line
At this point, it seems like Cohen’s production from 2018 would be a win for 2019. Our projected numbers for him are much lower than what he delivered a season ago, and that’s mainly because Montgomery and Davis will be involved as receivers in ways Howard wasn’t. We like Cohen’s talent, but the opportunities don’t appear to be there in 2019 for him to have a true breakout season.