Kyle Monangai undoubtedly exceeded expectations as a rookie. He climbed the Chicago Bears depth chart, earning the RB2 role behind D’Andre Swift, and proved to be an effective complement to the lead runner.
Entering year two, is there an opportunity for Monangai to progress further, making him an appealing mid-round selection in fantasy football drafts?
Should You Draft Kyle Monangai in Fantasy Football?
We can and should dismiss seventh-round rookies almost every time. The list of truly successful running backs taken in the seventh round is very short. Oftentimes, even if the Round 7/UDFA backs we think might be something end up being nothing. That’s an early word of caution on Monangai despite a very impressive rookie season.
Monangai’s prospect profile was not very exciting. He ran a 4.6 40-yard time, good for a 44th-percentile speed score. He had no receiving profile, capping out at a 5.1% college target share. And he was 23 years old as a rookie. But sometimes, guys are just good at football.
The lack of receiving work carried over with Monangai, earning just a 5.6% target share. However, he was quite effective on the ground, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
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Efficiency-wise, things weren’t great. Monangai was 34th in evaded tackles per touch rate and 44th in yards created per touch. Just 4.1% of his carries went for 15+ yards. He was a fine player, but it’s fair to say the fact that the incredibly low expectations that come with being a seventh-round pick may have made his rookie season seem better than it was.
Regardless, Monangai proved he’s a capable running back. There’s no denying he’s firmly entrenched as the RB2 behind Swift. That has value.
Monangai averaged 8.6 fantasy points per game last year, good for an overall RB36 finish. That is playable as a desperation Flex. Monangai has standalone value.
Most importantly is the injury-contingent upside. Swift has been quite healthy during his time in Detroit. Although he frequently appears on the injury report, he almost always plays through it. But there was one instance last season in which Swift needed to take a week off. We got a glimpse of lead back Monangai, and it was pretty, pretty…pretty good.
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In Week 9, Swift rested. Monangai saw a 73% snap share and turned 31 opportunities into 198 total yards. He didn’t score. It didn’t matter. Monangai showcased his upside if he ever found himself in the lead back role.
Swift saw a 61.3% opportunity share last season. We should expect another 60-40 split between Swift and Monangai this year. However, if Swift were to ever miss a game, Monangai’s opportunity share could push 80% in those games.
Monangai’s Redraft Fantasy Football Value
The lack of receiving upside makes Monangai a difficult player to put in fantasy lineups whenever Swift is active. His snap share was consistently around 40% over the second half of last season. From Weeks 14-20, which includes the Bears’ two playoff games, Monangai didn’t score at all. He averaged 7.8 PPG. He will take some goal-line looks from Swift, but the touchdowns will be pretty random. When he doesn’t score, it’s not all that great.
The good news is Monangai’s RB34 price is quite reasonable. He’s a standalone RB3/4 with high RB2 upside in the event of a Swift injury.
The best type of non-starting running backs to draft are the ones who have utility by themselves with a clear path to upside. Monangai has that. We can say with certainty that he would be the feature back if Swift got hurt.
Also Read: 2026 Controversial Fantasy Football Running Back Depth Charts: Who To Draft In These Confusing Rooms
I have Monangai at RB35, right in line with consensus. He goes in an area of drafts where you’re probably going to be more interested in the wide receivers. But if you do need a running back, the Bears’ sophomore is a fine bet to make.
Preseason Fantasy RB Rankings
- Bijan Robinson | ATL
- Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
- James Cook III | BUF
- Jonathan Taylor | IND
- Ashton Jeanty | LV
- Christian McCaffrey | SF
- Saquon Barkley | PHI
- Chase Brown | CIN
- De’Von Achane | MIA
- Derrick Henry | BAL
- Kenneth Walker III | KC
- Jeremiyah Love | ARI
- Omarion Hampton | LAC
- Javonte Williams | DAL
- Breece Hall | NYJ
- Kyren Williams | LAR
- D’Andre Swift | CHI
- Travis Etienne Jr. | NO
- Josh Jacobs | GB
- Cam Skattebo | NYG
- David Montgomery | HOU
- Bhayshul Tuten | JAX
- TreVeyon Henderson | NE
- Quinshon Judkins | CLE
- Jaylen Warren | PIT
- Bucky Irving | TB
- Jadarian Price | SEA
- Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
- Chuba Hubbard | CAR
- Kenny Gainwell | TB
- Tony Pollard | TEN
- Jordan Mason | MIN
- Rico Dowdle | PIT
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS
- Blake Corum | LAR
- RJ Harvey | DEN
- Kyle Monangai | CHI
- Rachaad White | WAS
- Chris Rodriguez Jr. | JAX
- Zach Charbonnet | SEA
- Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN
- Jonathon Brooks | CAR
- J.K. Dobbins | DEN
- Tyler Allgeier | ARI
- Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG
- Isiah Pacheco | DET
- Woody Marks | HOU
- Tyjae Spears | TEN
- Nick Singleton | TEN
- Brian Robinson Jr. | ATL
