Sunday Night Football: Fantasy experts target Williams and Irving

The Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet in Week 9 on Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. The game features two NFC opponents with distinct offensive profiles. Daily fantasy analysts are scrutinizing the matchup for value plays.

SportsLine expert Mike McClure has identified two specific players for this contest. He recommends Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams and Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving. McClure is a professional player with over $2 million in career winnings. He uses a prediction model that simulates every snap of NFL action to find these picks.

Williams has been effective since returning from a hamstring injury. Over his last three games, he has completed 74% of his passes. He averages 286.7 passing yards per game. During this span, he threw for four touchdowns without an interception. The Bears beat Seattle in a recent Monday Night Football game. That performance built momentum for Chicago.

The Buccaneers' defense presents a specific weakness for Williams. Tampa Bay is ranked second in the league for run defense. However, no team has a lower quarterback knockdown rate. McClure expects the Bears to lean heavily on the passing game. The lack of pressure should allow Williams to operate comfortably.

On the other side, the Buccaneers have shifted their offensive focus to the ground game. They recorded only 62 total passing yards over their last two games. This change in strategy led to 49 rush attempts in Week 7 and 56 in Week 8. Bucky Irving is the primary beneficiary of this approach.

Irving has averaged 121.8 rushing yards over the last four games. He has scored five touchdowns during that stretch. He will face a Bears defense that allows 4.4 yards per carry. That figure ranks 11th highest in the NFL. McClure believes Irving is a high-value target in this matchup.

McClure also advises fantasy players not to ignore kickers. Cairo Santos of Chicago leads the NFL in extra points made. Tampa Bay's Chase McLaughlin tops the league in made field goals and total points. These low-cost options are considered essential for building a competitive roster on platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings.

The analysis suggests that the passing game will be a focal point for Chicago. Conversely, the running game defines the current Tampa Bay offense. McClure notes that the combination of Williams' efficiency and Irving's rushing dominance offers a clear strategic path for participants. The full lineup details are available to SportsLine members.

The game will serve as a test for both teams' offensive systems. The Bears aim to exploit defensive gaps in pass coverage. The Buccaneers seek to control the clock with their ground attack. These tactical approaches drive the current fantasy recommendations for the Sunday Night contest.