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Is Roschon Johnson or Kyle Monangai the RB2 for the Bears? Should you draft Johnson or Monangai in 2025 fantasy football drafts? Check out Zach Thompson's draft analysis and advice.
The Chicago Bears have a new offense in place under head coach Ben Johnson, and the early returns from preseason have looked very promising. While D'Andre Swift is in line to carry most of the workload, Johnson relied on a rotation of running backs the last few years in Detroit, making both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs weekly fantasy staples. Even if Swift is clearly the go-to option, who is in a position with the potential to be relevant for fantasy football this season?
Who is the team's second running back? Is it Roschon Johnson, who has been the Bears backup for the last two seasons and flashed some upside? Is it rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai, who has gotten rave reviews throughout his first training camp and preseason?
In this post, we'll take a look at the fantasy football outlook of both Johnson and Monangai, and take a look at who you should draft in fantasy football coming into the first year of the new era under Ben Johnson.
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Roschon Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook
Johnson has floated around the fringes of fantasy football the last two seasons. He's gotten sleeper hype the last two seasons, but until now, he hasn't been able to deliver consistent numbers.
He was drafted in the fourth round out of Texas, and as a rookie in 2023, he had 81 carries for 352 yards and a pair of touchdowns. With Swift's arrival last year, he had only 55 carries and 150 rushing yards, but he was involved near the goal line with six rushing touchdowns, which tied Swift for the team lead in rushing scores.
With a new offense in place, though, Johnson's role this year could look totally different. It's hard to know exactly what Johnson's role will be when the season starts, since he has been sidelined all preseason by a foot injury. Early in camp, it looked like he was working once again as the goal-line option.
Bears training camp takeaways: Day 11
-The most physical practice I've ever seen
-Roschon Johnson shine as goal-line back
-Offense matches defensive intensity, scuffles ensue
-Starters TBD for preseason game vs. Miamihttps://t.co/wXhFOYf5sf— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 5, 2025
He was also mixing in on third down early in training camp, where he brings an interesting change of pace from Swift.
Since the details of his injury are still so unclear, Johnson comes into the season with a very wide range of outcomes. He could end up on IR or possibly even not make the final roster. If he does, though, he could end up playing a significant role behind Swift.
In a best-case scenario, he could grow into the David Montgomery role to complement Swift's Jahmyr Gibbs. He has that kind of ceiling but comes loaded with both injury risk and job insecurity. His ADP is extremely low because of all that risk, going after 180 other players and 55 running backs in most drafts.
If he's hanging around at the end of your draft, he's a flier with good upside, especially if you don't believe in Swift's ability to carry the load.
Kyle Monangai Fantasy Football Outlook
Monangai had a very productive training camp and preseason. He took advantage of Johnson's injury and showed well in his first taste of the NFL. Monangai was a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers, and he was expected to be mostly a depth piece behind Johnson and Swift.
He made an impression this preseason, though, with strong runs like this one.
Kyle Monangai
211 pounds
4.60 forty
1.62 ten yd split
0 fumbles in collegeJamaal Williams
212 pounds
4.59 forty
1.60 ten yd split
0 fumbles first 4 NFL seasonsBen Johnson has a type in his power back. Grind, get what is necessary, protect the rock.pic.twitter.com/jCNPurKkrx
— Anthony Amico (@amicsta) August 10, 2025
Monangai handled all of the snaps on the Bears’ first two preseason drives against the Dolphins in the first week of the preseason and had six carries for 30 yards. However, like Johnson, he is also now dealing with an injury and was unable to play in the last two preseason games. He's also uncertain for Week 1.
Here's what Ben Johnson had to say on Tuesday:
Ben Johnson on the health status of RBs Roschon Johnson, Kyle Monangai and Travis Homer: "There is some question mark on when all these guys will be fully healthy again."
How does that affect what the Bears might do to add at RB as they set the initial 53?
Johnson: "We're…
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 26, 2025
The head coach has praised Monangai as a "guy we can trust" and seems to be confident that neither Johnson nor Monangai will be out for a long time. However, he also doesn't sound confident that either one will be ready for Week 1.
Currently, Monangai is barely being drafted as the RB74 and the No. 247 player overall. He does have upside if he works into a role when he is healthy, but it's a very murky situation since we don't have clarity on exactly what his injury is or its severity.
Who Should You Draft in Fantasy Football?
Both Bears backups are late-round dart throws at this point, since their health is the biggest question mark coming into Week 1 against the Vikings. If both are available, I'd lean toward Monangai since he has a higher ceiling and his injury is more recent and potentially less severe.
With Ben Johnson in control, the offense should be much stronger in the second year with Caleb Williams at quarterback. The team would love to rely on a strong running game with multiple backs involved, and both Johnson and Monangai could get a chance to be part of that at some point this season.
Both are high risk but come with upside. I wouldn't reach for either one, but with their injuries, they'll likely both be on the board as depth options in the closing rounds. Take a flier on either one if you want to, and if you draft Swift, backing him up with one of them is a strong idea since even Swift himself can be problematic at times.
Neither of these running backs is a short-term solution, but both have the potential to be relevant at some point this season.
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