While a particular issue for the Chicago Bears’ offense in Week 1 (and a particular player) is getting almost all the attention, a core tenet of Ben Johnson’s successful offenses in Detroit was absent.
Leaving out quarterback Caleb Williams’ team-high 58 rushing yards, the Bears had 61 yards on 20 carries in the season opener. The refurbished interior of the offensive line did not help, as guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson registered the two lowest Pro Football Focus run blocking grades on the team, but take away a 13-yard run and D’Andre Swift had 40 yards on his other 16 carries.
Swift was also the only Bears’ running back to get a carry in Week 1, as wide receiver DJ Moore had the three remaining rush attempts.
With Roschon Johnson inactive after missing a lot of time during the preseason, rookie Kyle Monangai was the No. 2 running back for the Bears in Week 1. He missed time late in the preseason with an injury of his own, so that role amounted to just nine snaps and one catch for 11 yards.
Based on everything Ben Johnson said all summer, it's fair to assume Monangai's role will grow moving forward.
Kyle Monangai makes easy fantasy football list heading into Week 2
It's easy for fantasy football managers to overreact to Week 1, but it's also possible to not react enough. Keeping your eyes open to opportunities on the waiver wire can pay off over the long run, and with that in mind Alex Kay of Bleacher Report had Monangai on his list of running backs worth stashing after the first week.
"D'Andre Swift was the lone Bears back to even carry the football in the opener. The starter's efforts left much to be desired, however, as Swift gained just 53 yards on 17 carries."
"The team's disappointing rushing performance could lead to Kyle Monangai getting more involved. Fantasy managers should add the rookie to their rosters ASAP, as he's an ideal lottery ticket with potential to cash in his immense upside as early as Week 2."
"Despite Swift's failures, first-year head coach Ben Johnson kept the veteran on the field for 81 percent of the offensive snaps. Monangai may have only logged a meager nine offensive snaps and had just one touch—an 11-yard catch early in the first quarter—in his NFL debut, but his usage rate could spike up significantly against the Detroit Lions on Sunday."
"With Swift struggling and Johnson dealing with a foot issue, Monangai represents Chicago's best chance to jump-start what has long been a flailing ground game. The first-year back has earned Johnson's trust and it now appears inevitable that he'll at least get his shot to shine within the next few weeks."
Ben Johnson's history with the Lions says the No. 2 running back in his offense will be a fantasy factor. As expected, even with the excuse of bad line play, Swift was not entirely up to the task as the back dominated the backfield workload in Week 1.
Read more: It only took one game to bring calls for Tyson Bagent to replace Caleb Williams
After waivers have cleared heading into Week 2, Monangai is actually rostered in just six percent of Yahoo! leagues and 2.1 percent of ESPN leagues. His appeal as an add is tilted strongly to deeper leagues (more than 12 teams, deep benches), but the idea he could become very viable very soon expands his appeal as a bench stash for managers looking to bolster their running back depth.