Bear Digest

Chicago Bears’ Week 1 statistical leaders, predicted—Who will light up Soldier Field against the Minnesota Vikings?

Alan Goldsher

Will Bears receiver D.J. Moore do D.J. Moore things on Opening Night?
Will Bears receiver D.J. Moore do D.J. Moore things on Opening Night? / Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
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NFL Week 1. Monday night. A divisional rival. At home.

It legit doesn’t get much better than that.

Last season, the Minnesota Vikings—Chicago’s Week 1 opponent here in 2025—swept the Bears by a combined score of (gulp) 60-39. Save for D.J. Moore’s seven-catch, 106-yard, one-touchdown performance in their first matchup on November 24, no Bear offensive skill player comported himself particularly well.

D’Andre Swift, for instance, was in true 2024 Swiftian form, rushing for combined total of 109 yards, while Cole Kmet managed just 78 total receiving yards.

No wonder Chicago was on the schneid against a Vikes team that finished the year 14-3.

This year, however, might be a different story.

New Year, New Lines

Yes, Minnesota signed a couple of high-end defensive tackles this offseason in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, but the Bears famously rebooted their offensive line, adding Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trade, Drew Dalman via free agency, and Ozzy Trapilo via the draft.

Does this plethora of activity give either team the edge? Hard to know without having seen how the new dudes mesh with the old dudes, but on paper, it’s more-or-less a draw.

But that’s until you add Ben Johnson into the equation.

We don’t have any official metrics on this, but if we were to guess, the Bears’ new head coach will improve individual offensive production by something like 19.6%, give or take. That being the case, let’s see which Bears skill players will crush it on Opening Night.

Running Back

Unlike Ben Johnson, I’m far from a D’Andre Swift truther, but I’m not coaching the Bears (yet), so Johnson will feed Swift way more than I ever would.

That said, just because the back gets fed doesn’t mean he’ll eat. Last season, Minnesota ranked 16th in rushing yards allowed—dead center in the league—so we’re looking at a mediocre back facing a mediocre run D.

It’s doubtful that Ben Johnson will give backup RBs Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai much work in game one of the season, so Swift will lead the Bears’ backfield with 76 rushing yards. Maybe 73. Or maybe 61.

Whatever the total, it won’t be anywhere near Walter Payton territory.

Wide Receiver

As noted, Moore shredded the Vikes’ secondary in November, but it’s fair to assume that on national television, Coach Ben will have Caleb Williams flinging the rock all over the field. The WR target share will be close to equal, so it’ll be all about who makes a big downfield play.

And on Opening Night, that person will be—wait for it, wait for it—rookie Luther Burden III. In his debut, the Missou product will haul in a 62-yard touchdown bomb, giving him a 98-yard outing.

Tight End

Let’s turn to some fantasy stats.

Last year, the Vikes allowed the 10th-fewest points to opposing tight ends, which would have one logically theorizing that Chicago won’t rely on the position.

But this is Ben Johnson, and Ben Johnson doesn’t give a whip about logic.

Rookie TE Colston Loveland will not only join Burden as a rookie touchdown-maker, but he’ll lead the team in targets with 11, catches with nine, and yardage with 111.

That, ladies and gents, is how you start a season.

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Alan Goldsher
ALAN GOLDSHER

Alan Goldsher has written about sports for Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Apple, Playboy, NFL.com, and NBA.com, and he’s the creator of the Chicago Sports Stuff Substack. He’s the bestselling author of 15 books, and the founder/CEO of Gold Note Records. Alan lives in Chicago, where he writes, makes music, and consumes and creates way too much Bears content. You can visit him at http://www.AlanGoldsher.com and http://x.com/AlanGoldsher.

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