D’Andre Swift (knee) cleared to play in Week 4

Swift shook off an early injury scare when he took a helmet directly to his knee to earn a season-high 26 opportunities in the absence of Kyle Monangai. This game had an entirely different feel than the previous game played without Monangai, during which Roschon Johnson was much more involved in a game the Bears held a 31-7 lead in the fourth quarter. The back-and-forth nature of Week 7 kept Swift on the field for more of the game, allowing him to return a legitimate RB1 performance on the backs of elite volume. Monangai could return as early as Week 8 considering the Bears now have 10 days until they play the Seahawks on Monday Night Football, potentially sending Swift back into the RB2 range in fantasy circles.

Monangai will miss his third game in a row this week. Exactly two weeks ago, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Monangai’s turf toe injury would be an issue for 1-2 weeks. Technically, his statement remains accurate. This week’s Thursday Night Football game complicates things. If the Bears thought Monangai would miss four games, they likely would have put him on injured reserve, so he should, theoretically, be able to play in Week 8 against the Seahawks. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and for those wondering, the Bears go on bye in Week 10. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson have been splitting touches with Monangai sidelined. We do not yet know if Johnson will be punished for last week’s fumble though.

Swift again dominated backfield touches for Chicago with Kyle Monangai sidelined with injuries to his toe and hand. Roschon Johnson had 13 carries, with most of those coming after the Bears had raced out to a big lead (before that lead dwindled in the fourth quarter). Both of Swift’s touchdowns came inside the ten yard line. Swift should be locked in for at least 15 touches in Week 7 against the Patriots if Monangai remains sidelined. His involvement in the pass game provides a nice weekly PPR floor.

Bears coach Ben Johnson said Monangai is “trending in the right direction,” but remains week-to-week. D’Andre Swift should handle a sizable workload with Monangai sidelined. Roschon Johnson may be able to catch a few passes, but he makes for a shaky FLEX bet. Monangai should be stashed safely on fantasy football benches.

Swift was the only Bear to find the end zone in a throwaway performance where Tyson Bagent was benched for the fourth quarter. It was still a disappointing statline with Kyle Monangai (toe) on the shelf, but there just wasn’t much Swift could do with Bagent failing to threaten the Packers’ defense and the Bears’ D struggling mightily. Swift also lost a ton of passing-game work and targets to fill-in No. 2 RB Roschon Johnson. That’s a potentially disturbing development heading into Week 6 against the Falcons, with or without Monangai in the lineup. Thankfully, Caleb Williams (hamstring) should be back, shoring up Swift’s value in the RB10-14 range.

Despite an early-week DNP, Swift heads into the week in arguably a better position than he started it. We’re not sure how much workload he’ll handle with Kyle Monangai (foot) out, but it will certainly be a large majority of what the Bears do. Roschon Johnson figures to handle whatever Swift can’t, but isn’t a priority free agency pickup so much as a stash at this point.

We will get a better sense of Swift’s availability soon when the Bears release their final injury report of the week. After being a DNP in Wednesday’s practice, Swift was able to log a limited session on Thursday, which is a good sign for his availability with one practice left to go. Kyle Monangai (thumb/toe), who has yet to practice this week, could be at risk of missing Week 5, which could lead to a busy day for Swift, while Roschon Johnson would serve as the Bears’ RB2.

It’s an upgrade from Wednesday’s DNP. Swift has been a constant presence on the midweek injury reports, but hasn’t seemed at any real risk of missing a game yet. We’d imagine he’s more likely than not to avoid a questionable tag again on Friday.

Swift nursed this knee injury last week, but was active on game day, as usual. Bears RB2 Kyle Monangai took on 30 carries, functioning as the team’s offensive centerpiece after Swift lost a fumble in the second half. Perhaps Swift’s hip injury, which he apparently picked up in-game, contributed to Monangai’s increased involvement. Monangai injured his right thumb and suffered a toe injury, though he is expected to play in Week 5 against the Packers. Swift’s participation level is worth watching closely this week.

Johnson did add, “He had 30 carries, and he feels like he had 30 carries.” Monangai will play in Week 5 versus the Packers, but it doesn’t sound like he will double up D’Andre Swift in carries for the second week in a row. Expect a more even split of the work this week, with Swift potentially returning to his normal lead-back role. Even with fewer carries, Monangai is locked in as a fantasy RB3.