Rome Odunze a Fringe WR3 in Potential Shootout
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is a viable fantasy play despite a stiff test against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football. Odunze disappointed owners last week, picking up just three catches and 39 yards (four targets) in the Bears' 31-23 win over the Falcons. The results were undesirable, but Atlanta funneled much of Chicago's passing game to within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, and even more of that to within five, rendering the 24-year-old ineffective. While it's becoming clear the team prioritizes teammate Luther Burden III when he's on the field, Odunze is the clear snap leader of the Bears' wideouts and ranks eleventh in the league with 163 routes run. Even a New England defense that's been stingy against opposing passing attacks hasn't been enough to shut down fantasy receivers completely. Furthermore, the Patriots have ruled out several players across their defensive backfield, and a 50.5-point over/under doesn't portend too poorly. Odunze is RotoBaller's PPR WR35 for Week 7.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Colston Loveland Comes Alive Ahead of Week 7 Clash
Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland looks to build on a season-high output from his last time out in an intriguing matchup with the visiting New England Patriots. Loveland rewarded owners who stayed true to him with a 6/65/1 line (seven targets) against the Falcons in Week 6. It was a much-needed performance, as he'd largely underwhelmed in 2026. The 22-year-old will face a much tougher matchup on paper this Thursday against a New England defense that has yielded the seventh-fewest PPR points to tight ends through six weeks. Even still, head coach Ben Johnson has designed creative play calls, and quarterback Caleb Williams was locked in in his first appearance back from a lingering hamstring issue. After a bit of early-season turmoil, the Bears' offense is ascending ahead of a pivotal matchup on Thursday Night Football. Loveland is RotoBaller's PPR TE10 for the outing.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
D'Andre Swift Primed to Deliver RB1 Value Against Pats?
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift offers a strong fantasy floor for this week's home game against the New England Patriots. The seventh-year pro didn't find much success on the ground against the Falcons in his last outing (16 carries for 44 yards). However, he scored twice and added value in his second straight four-catch appearance (five targets). Swift's usage is exceptional, and his six rushing scores so far put him well on pace to beat the previous season-high of nine he set a year ago. Unfortunately, he'll get a New England defense this Thursday night that's been formidable in all phases in 2026. Over six weeks, the unit has allowed the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game (91.8). While the Patriots are a scary matchup, the 27-year-old's involvement in the passing game should sustain his fantasy output, even if he struggles to find room on the ground again. Swift ranks as RotoBaller's PPR RB11.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Luther Burden III A Borderline WR2 Vs. New England
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III and the Bears host the Patriots in Week 7 on Thursday Night Football. Burden is coming off a strong showing last week, when Caleb Williams returned from his hamstring injury and was very efficient. Burden caught all eight of his targets for a season-high 95 yards, although he didn't get into the end zone. The Patriots' secondary has been solid when healthy this season, allowing only two wide receiver touchdowns in the last three weeks. Burden is still a low-end WR2 this week, checking in as the No. 22 WR in RotoBaller's Week 7 rankings. He has emerged as the Bears' top receiver this season, leading the team in catches, targets, and receiving yards. He has shown a solid rapport with Williams and is a strong option to have in your lineup this week, especially if he's in your FLEX or third WR slot.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Caleb Williams A Strong Starter in Most Leagues on Thursday
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looked sharp in his return from a hamstring injury last week against the Falcons. He was very efficient, completing 30 of 36 pass attempts for 305 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and zero interceptions. He didn't run quite as much or as effectively as he did in Week 1, but he was very effective in the pocket. Williams and the Bears are facing the Patriots on Thursday Night Football of Week 7, and the Patriots have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs this season. However, since the game is expected to be a high-scoring contest with plenty of points for both sides, Williams brings a very high ceiling. He is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 7 QB this week, making him a strong start this week in almost all formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colston Loveland Gaining Momentum After Big Performance
Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland had a relatively slow start to the 2026 season, but broke through with a strong performance in a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6. He earned seven targets, tied a season-high with six receptions and set a new season-high with 65 receiving yards. Loveland also scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 6. Loveland has recorded 19 receptions for 175 yards and the aforementioned touchdown so far in 2026. He has worked far ahead of fellow tight end Cole Kmet (seven receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown) in the passing game. Loveland ranks as RotoBaller's No. 10 tight end for a Week 7 matchup against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football and is a strong start candidate.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Kyle Monangai Out for Third Consecutive Game
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (toe, thumb) has been ruled out for Thursday's Week 7 matchup against the New England Patriots, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. Monangai will miss his third consecutive game after suffering the injuries during Chicago's Week 4 victory over the New York Jets, when he rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. The second-year back hasn't played since that performance, which has left D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson to handle the backfield duties. Swift recorded 16 carries for 44 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 31-23 victory over Atlanta, adding four receptions for 26 yards. Johnson was heavily involved too, rushing 13 times for 51 yards and a touchdown while catching two passes for 34 yards, although he lost a fumble. With Monangai unavailable, both backs should keep seeing substantial opportunities, with Swift holding the lead role.
Source: Kevin Fishbain
Source: Kevin Fishbain
Kyle Monangai Misses Another Practice on Tuesday
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) is missing practice for a second straight day on Tuesday, according to Sean Hammond of The Chicago Tribune. Monangai looks set to miss a third straight game this Thursday night when the Bears host the New England Patriots to kick off Week 7 action. The 24-year-old second-year back was also listed as a non-participant during the team's walkthrough practice on Monday, so he will need to return to practice on Wednesday to have any shot at gaining clearance to be active on Thursday night. The bruising RB should be rostered in most fantasy football leagues as the backfield complement to starter D'Andre Swift, but you should keep him on your bench again this week. Monangai is dealing with a thumb injury and turf toe. If he is forced to miss a third straight game, Roschon Johnson will be in play as an RB3/flex option after he had a surprisingly big role alongside Swift in the Week 6 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Johnson had a season-high 13 carries for 51 yards and his first rushing touchdown of the year, adding two catches for 34 yards as a receiver.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Kalif Raymond's Early-Season Production Has Dried Up
Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond has caught fewer passes over his last three games than he did in the season opener alone, a sharp reversal from his promising start to 2026. Raymond opened with eight receptions for 84 yards against Carolina and piled up 19 catches for 214 yards and a touchdown on 21 targets through Week 3. Since then, he's managed just seven receptions for 30 yards on eight targets across three games. Caleb Williams' return in Sunday's 31-23 victory over Atlanta didn't change that, as Raymond caught both of his targets for 18 yards. Luther Burden III led Chicago with eight receptions for 95 yards, while Colston Loveland added six catches for 65 yards. Rostered in 17% of leagues, Raymond is a speculative bench addition in 12-team PPR formats, but his disappearing target volume makes him hard to justify starting against New England on Thursday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Monangai Estimated as DNP on Monday
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) was listed as a non-participant in the team's walkthrough practice on Monday. The participation is an estimation. Monangai might be a long shot to return with a short turnaround in Week 7 on Thursday night at home against the New England Patriots. The 24-year-old second-year back has missed the last two games with thumb and turf-toe injuries, so he will need to return to the practice field on either Tuesday or Wednesday to have a shot at playing this week. D'Andre Swift unsurprisingly led Chicago's backfield in the Week 6 win over the Atlanta Falcons and scored two rushing touchdowns, but he was not very efficient on the ground and had only three more carries than Roschon Johnson, who had 13 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 34 yards. Swift had just 44 rushing yards on his 16 carries while catching four passes for 26 yards. If Monangai misses a third straight game in Week 7, Johnson will be a worthy RB3/flex option in deeper fantasy leagues against New England at Soldier Field. Monangai should be stashed in the majority of fantasy leagues while he works through his two injuries, as he has 324 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 60 rushing attempts through the first four games of his sophomore campaign.
Source: Bears Communications
Source: Bears Communications
Roschon Johnson Draws Waiver Interest After 15-Touch Performance
Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson handled a season-high 15 touches in Sunday's 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, benefiting from Kyle Monangai's (toe) second consecutive absence. Johnson rushed 13 times for 51 yards and a touchdown while catching both of his targets for 34 yards, although he also lost a fumble. He played 40% of Chicago's offensive snaps, with D'Andre Swift remaining the lead back. Johnson has now accumulated 25 touches across the two games Monangai has missed, giving him a viable short-term fantasy role. Monangai remains week-to-week with turf toe, although head coach Ben Johnson said Friday that his recovery was trending in the right direction. With the Bears facing New England on Thursday, Johnson is worth adding in leagues with at least 10 teams and could provide RB3/flex production if Monangai remains sidelined. He handled just five touches in Week 4, when Monangai rushed 30 times against the Jets.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
D'Andre Swift Salvages Fantasy Day With Two Rushing Touchdowns
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift only averaged 2.8 yards per carry in the 31-23 road win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Week 6 with starting quarterback Caleb Williams back from a hamstring injury, carrying the ball a team-high 16 times for 44 yards. It was the second straight game in which backup Kyle Monangai was out due to thumb and toe injuries, so fantasy managers had high hopes for a high-ceiling game. The 27-year-old still had solid value on the day, but it was surely disappointing to see backup Roschon Johnson carry the ball 13 times for a team-high 51 yards while adding a touchdown of his own. The good news for fantasy managers is that Swift managed to find the end zone two times, bringing his 2026 total to six in six games. He also caught four of his five targets for 26 yards, but Johnson outgained him through the air, too, with 34 yards on two receptions. Swift salvaged what would have otherwise been a lackluster day at the office with his two scores against the Falcons. He will remain a must-start in fantasy football going into a Week 7 showdown on Thursday night at Soldier Field against the New England Patriots, regardless of whether Monangai returns following a two-game absence.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Caleb Williams Extremely Efficient in Return From Injury
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 30 of his 36 pass attempts for 305 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 6 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He also rushed for three yards, took four sacks, and recovered his own fumble. Williams didn't have the greatest game by any means, but he stood out for his efficiency by maintaining an 83.3% completion rate with more than 300 yards total. Fantasy managers were certainly pleased to see these numbers from the former No. 1 pick after he missed three games with a hamstring injury. He is firmly solidified as a mid-to-low QB1 in fantasy football, and he remains a very intriguing starter for Week 7 against the New England Patriots on Thursday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colston Loveland Has Best Game of the Season vs. Falcons
Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland caught six passes on seven targets for a season-high 75 yards and scored a touchdown in his team's Week 6 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Loveland entered Sunday's road game with a disappointing season start for fantasy managers, but still looked favorable against a Falcons defense that has struggled against the passing game in 2026. The former first-round pick had the lone receiving touchdown for a rejuvenated Bears offense as quarterback Caleb Williams returned after a three-game absence. Loveland will face a steeper challenge in Week 7 against the New England Patriots, but his Week 6 performance boosts his stash value in deep leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Caleb Williams Active for Week 6 Against Falcons
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (hamstring) is active for Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 24-year-old missed the previous three games after suffering a right hamstring tear against Minnesota in Week 2, but he returned to full practice participation this week despite carrying a questionable designation into Sunday. Through his first two appearances, Williams completed 36 of 55 passes for 407 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while adding 107 rushing yards and two scores. His return gives Chicago's offense a considerable boost after Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent handled starting duties during his absence. Atlanta has been more vulnerable against the pass this season, making Williams an appealing low-end QB1 option in his return. However, fantasy managers should keep in mind that his rushing involvement could be somewhat limited in his first game back from the hamstring injury.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
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