Kyle Monangai Injury Fallout: D'Andre Swift's Fantasy Football Stock, Bears Handcuffs

A look at how Kyle Monangai's injury will impact the Bears' backfield if he is forced to miss time in the regular season.

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

The Chicago Bears' backfield was dealt a potential blow over the weekend after running back Kyle Monangai suffered a knee injury during the team's 14th practice of training camp.

Monangai got hurt after being tackled by defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and was forced to leave practice early. Not long after, it was reported that Monangai suffered a hyperextended knee and he is expected to now miss "multiple weeks," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"Source: Bears RB Kyle Monangai suffered a hyperextended knee," Fowler wrote. Expected to miss multiple weeks but per the MRI the outcome is considered positive after a recent practice injury."

Fowler's report does not provide any info about Monangai's status for Week 1, likely because it's just too early to tell right now. But with a little over three weeks left until Week 1, there remains a possibility he won't be ready for the season-opener.

The worst-case scenario is Monangai ends up on injured reserve to begin the season, which would mean he misses the first four games. But, again, nothing has been confirmed in regard to Monangai's timeline to return.

For now, let's take a look at the fallout from Monangai's injury from the perspective that he does indeed miss regular season time.

D'Andre Swift's fantasy football stock

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

After splitting work almost evenly with Monangai for much of the second half of last season, Swift stands to get a boost if his backfield mate isn't in the lineup.

Swift averaged 16 touches per contest last season, which is a strong workload in this era of more backfield committees. We would obviously expect that number to go up as long as the second-year back is on the shelf.

And we also have to remember that Monangai will probably be eased back in upon his return, so Swift's uptick in work will be prevalent in Monangai's first game or two back.

It's fair to believe that Swift's floor for touches will be 20 per game in that scenario, which could propel him into RB1 territory. Swift was an every-week RB2 in 2025 after finishing as RB15 overall, according to Fantasy Pros.

That said, the uptick in work is not going to last all season, We would still expect a split for Swift and Monangai when the latter returns, so the stock boost will be temporary for the former and nobody should be drafting Swift expecting him to be a top-tier back.

Who will replace Kyle Monangai?

Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson (23) reacts after gaining a first down against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If Monangai does indeed miss time, there are two clear options to pick up the vacated touches that Swift doesn't get: Roschon Johnson and Salvon Ahmed.

Johnson is more familiar with the offense after having spent his third NFL season in Ben Johnson's system, and his ability to contribute on special teams makes him a good bet to make Chicago's roster in general.

However, Ahmed has easily been the bigger standout, both in camp and in the preseason. Ahmed had the biggest play of the game in Chicago's preseason Week 1 win, when he ripped off a 49-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass.

Meanwhile, Johnson had an unspiring afternoon with eight carries for 34 yards, although it's fair to note the blocking from the second-team offensive line left a lot to be desired.

Another key point in this conversation is that Johnson worked ahead of Ahmed in the contest, so he appears to be the front-runner for the RB3 role right now.

For now, Johnson appears to be the most likely beneficiary of Monangai's absence when it comes to Chicago's backups, but Ahmed has a chance to change that in the weeks ahead if he continues playing as well as he has.

What we can say with a fair bit of certainty is that both Ahmed and Johnson will make the cut if Monangai isn't ready for the start of the regular season.