The biggest surprise from last year's Chicago Bears team was running back Kyle Monangai.
Bears' seventh-round pick in last year's draft went from being buried on the depth chart to being the second leading rusher on the team with 783 yards and five touchdowns. FanSided's Wynston Wilcox named Monangai the Bears' hidden gem for 2026 that will become a household name.
"In his rookie season, Kyle Monangai showed flashes of why Detroit’s offense was so fluid with Ben Johnson. Monangai is Chicago’s version of Jahmyr Gibbs and he’s going to be a name people remember in a few years. He had 783 rushing yards and five touchdowns last season as the backup running back. D’Andre Swift will still be the feature back in this offense for now, but Monangai will keep stealing carries."
Kyle Monangai is in for a monster 2026 season
It's Year 2 for Monangai in the NFL as he will once again be backing up D'Andre Swift. That combo has been considered one of the best in the league as Swift is the speed guy who runs outside, while Monangai isn't afraid of contact and will power through defenders. They combined for over 1,700 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, with Swift going over 1,000 yards.
Monangai has become the steal of the 2025 draft as the Bears used one of their last picks to select a guy who is a real difference-maker. What Bears fans love about Monangai is that he is an old-school player who relishes the physical side of the running back job to the point where he has caused helmets to crack and break.
This season is a big one for Monangai as the Bears need to see him continue to develop and group as a running back. The future at the position could really depend on it, as Swift is in the final year of his three-year contract, which will leave Monangai as the main back in 2027 if the Bears don't bring Swift back.
There's little doubt that Monangai is the future at running back, and the Bears could bring in another young back next year to solidify the backfield for the next five years. All of this depends on whether Monangai can be the same back he was last year.
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If Monangai can replicate his performance from 2025 with more scores on the ground, he will be the main guy for the Bears in the foreseeable future.
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