The Chicago Bears might be on their bye week, but your fantasy football team isn’t. If the injury bug has plagued your running back room this season, or if you are looking for a midseason adjustment, then picking up Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai off the waiver wire is a wise decision.
How Monangai can help any Bears fans’ fantasy team
In a contact sport like football, injuries are a given. And when it comes to the running back position, this is a harsh truth. Just a quarter into the NFL season, we’ve seen talented running backs like the Arizona Cardinals’ Trey Benson, New York Giants’ Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Los Angeles Chargers’ Najee Harris all suffer injuries. As a fantasy football manager, it’s been a tough season in regards to injuries, especially for running backs.
Picking up Monangai off the waiver wire is a smart move for any fantasy football manager enduring this right now. In fact, he’s been praised as a solid bye-week stash, according to Yahoo Sports. He’s also rostered in just 9% of all leagues, per Roto Baller.
The rookie out of Rutgers is already making a name for himself in the Bears’ crowded backfield. He beat out veteran back Roschon Johnson for second string on the Bears’ depth chart, and he’s seen his involvement in the offense steadily increase since the start of the season, playing around 27% of the team’s snaps on offense. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if his snap count percentage increases as the season progresses, especially when you factor in head coach Ben Johnson’s propensity for running two-back systems since his time as an offensive coordinator in Detroit.
A power runner known for his tackle-breaking ability, Monangai has carried the rock 17 times for 62 yards to go along with three catches for 23 yards. While these stats clearly show he isn’t ready to be in your starting lineup, Johnson has spoken highly of the rookie going back to the start of this season. With teammate D’Andre Swift hogging up the bulk of the workload so far, there is no question Monangai could become a key player for a Bears offense desperately looking for a spark on offense.
Monangai is a great waiver wire pickup to stash in deeper, 12-team leagues or in dynasty leagues.
Read more: Every Bears fan is noticing the same thing about Caleb Williams & offensive line
Monangai and the Bears will step back on the gridiron after their bye week for a matchup against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football.
