Chicago Bears Roster Ranking: Where Does Bears' RB Room Rank in the NFL?

D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai were one of the most productive RB duos last season. Is that enough to elevate their RB room to premier status?

Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) reacts after a first down carry against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The running back position was a question mark for Chicago entering the 2025 campaign. However, it didn't take long for it to become an exclamation point.

D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai were the only RB duo to both eclipse 750 rushing yards last season. They might have started slow (they averaged just over 102 rushing yards over the first four games), but Chicago's 144.5 rushing yards per game average ranked third in the NFL by season's end.

It was seemingly easy to find running room behind the Bears' revamped offensive line, but they both deserve a significant amount of credit for capitalizing on the lanes that were made available to them.

Did the duo show enough promise to earn them top-tier RB room status in a league-wide ranking?

The rankings:

1. Detroit Lions

2. Atlanta Falcons

3. Indianapolis Colts

4. San Francisco 49ers

5. Philadelphia Eagles

6. Buffalo Bills

7. Los Angeles Rams

8. Arizona Cardinals

9. Baltimore Ravens

10. Miami Dolphins

11. Los Angeles Chargers

12. Chicago Bears

13. New York Jets

14. New England Patriots

15. Kansas City Chiefs

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

17. Green Bay Packers

18. New Orleans Saints

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

20. Las Vegas Raiders

21. New York Giants

22. Cleveland Browns

23. Cincinnati Bengals

24. Denver Broncos

25. Tennessee Titans

26. Houston Texans

27. Dallas Cowboys

28. Minnesota Vikings

29. Carolina Panthers

30. Washington Commanders

31. Seattle Seahawks

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

Where they're trending: Neutral

Jun 9, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) runs with the ball during Chicago Bears Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A 12th-place finish for Chicago's RB room feels fair. Some might be upset that they're not higher on the list, but I couldn't justify putting them ahead of some teams featuring the league's best backs when those teams also had a solid backup behind them.

The duo of Monangai and Swift is definitely in the conversation of best backfield duos. They've earned that recognition with how well they played last season. That acknowledgment has more to do with how well their skill sets complement each other than how good both of them are individually, though.

To his credit, Swift is coming off the most impressive season of his career. He ran for a career-high 1087 yards and nine touchdowns. He also displayed much better vision than he had in years past, often finding lanes that didn't look like they were there.

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) scores a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, with him entering a contract year, it's fair to wonder whether the Bears could give Monangai a bigger piece of the pie in 2026. That would make it easier to identify how much they would need to invest in the room if they decide to move on from Swift next offseason.

While the Bears' RB duo earned a respectable spot in the rankings, their lack of depth behind them would quickly prove to be an issue if either of them were to get hurt. Roschon Johnson has failed to live up to expectations since being selected in the fourth round in 2023. He's firmly on the roster bubble entering training camp.

Brittain Brown, who flashed potential with limited opportunities last season, will also be fighting with newcomer Salvon Ahmed and Johnson for one roster spot. Undrafted free agent Coleman Bennett could also earn the opportunity if he proves capable on special teams.

All things considered, as long as the starting duo remains healthy, then Chicago should field one of the league's most potent rushing attacks once again. As long as Ben Johnson is calling the shots and installing the gameplan, they will be well-positioned to succeed.