Kyle Monangai is seizing role in Bears' backfield that can bare big fantasy fruit

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was hesitant to single anyone one as a standout after mandatory minicamp in June. However, when lightly pressed on the topic, he named a few players and one name particularly stood out.

"In the running back room, Kyle Monangai has really stepped up", Johnson said. "I appreciate the attention to detail and the pride he takes and how quickly he's picking things up."

The Bears' effort to make a move up in April's draft for a running back did not bear fruit, which made taking Monangai in the seventh round feel like a consolation prize. But the Rutgers product is a poster boy for production (over 1,200 rushing yards on a least five yards per carry in each of his final two college seasons) over the "underwear Olympics" of the NFL Combine (4.6 40-yard dash time). A lack of size (5-foot-8, 211 pounds) also helped push him to being a Day 3 pick.

Monangai has continued his push to be the Bears' RB2 during training camp, and he looked pretty good in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins (six carries for 30 yards, with 19 yards after contact according to Pro Football Focus).

Earlier this month, heading toward the preseason opener, Johnson praised Monangai again.

"I’ve been very pleased with where he’s at,” Johnson said. “I think he’s a guy that we’re going to be able to trust this fall.”

The early notion Monangai would push Roschon Johnson to be first in line for work in the Bears' backfield behind D'Andre Swift has now become an inevitable formality. And while Swift should get plenty of work again this season, Ben Johnson know as well as anyone what attempting to give Swift big carry volume looks like.

Kyle Monangai is pushing toward fruitful fantasy role in Bears' backfield

During Ben Johnson's run as their offensive coordinator, the Detroit Lions had a top-notch rushing attack with two backs notably splitting the work.

ESPN fantasy analyst Tristan Cockcroft has taken a fresh look at some deep sleepers for this year, with Monangai on the list.

"A 2025 seventh-round pick, Monangai is a sure-handed prospect who has emerged as a legitimate threat to Roschon Johnson's status as D'Andre Swift's primary backup. While he's not a burner, Monangai went an FBS-leading 607 rushing attempts without a fumble across his past three seasons at Rutgers and his 156 forced missed tackles were seventh, underscoring his exceptional contact balance. New coach Ben Johnson doled out double-digit carries to multiple running backs in 20 of 51 games as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator the past three seasons, signaling his willingness to spread the rushing chores around. Monangai might well earn a meaningful role."

In 2022, Swift split work with Jamaal Williams in the Lions' backfield. Williams became the more trusted back (262 carries), and all he did was set a then single-season franchise record with 17 rushing scores. David Montgomery had a similar role alongside Jahmyr Gibbs the last two years in Detroit, with 13 and 12 touchdowns, respectively.

As Anthony Amico of Establish The Run noted, Ben Johnson has a type when it comes to the power back in his backfield mix.

Read more: Bears get final piece to optimize Ben Johnson's offense in 2026 mock draft

Monangai is not in line to get the kind of carry volume Williams and Montgomery did on their way to double-digit rushing touchdowns as the fairly nominal No. 2 back in Ben Johnson's offense. But being in for a notable piece of a role that has been very fruitful in fantasy is enough to put the Bears' rookie on the fantasy radar, and he is worthy of a late-round flier in deep re-draft leagues.