One of the biggest questions of the Chicago Bears injury report for their Week 1 game against the Tennessee Titans was the status of veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Allen was a limited participant in practice this past Wednesday and Thursday before returning to a full capacity on Friday. Despite Allen being a full participant in Friday's practice, the veteran wide receiver was listed as questionable for today's game.
Bears fans are waking up to good news on Sunday as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that Allen is expected to play against the Titans.
#Bears WR Keenan Allen (heel) and standout pass-rusher Montez Sweat (toe), both of whom are listed as questionable, are both expected to play Sunday, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2024
Is Keenan Allen playing today?
According to Rapoport's sources, the new-look Bears' offense will be in full effect on Sunday. Before we dive into what that looks like, let's first mention how Allen's being on the injured list could be a staple during the 2024 season. That was the case during the 2023 season when Allen was dealing with the same toe injury with the Los Angeles Chargers but still managed to set a career-high in receptions.
Given the watered-down version of Shane Waldron's offense that the Bears ran during the preseason, Sunday will be the first opportunity to see it in its truest form. This creates the question of where Allen will line up when he is on the field with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. As a whole, it seems that Allen and Moore are the two starting receivers. But when running three wide-receiver sets, Allen could be in the slot with Odunze on the outside.
Beyond Allen, Rapoport also confirmed that Montez Sweat is expected to play on Sunday. The Bears' defensive line depth is already in question with injuries to Zacch Pickens, Darrell Taylor, and DeMarcus Walker. Sweat's playing on Sunday will give the Bears an opportunity to consistently pass rush against the Titans.