Chicago Bears Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Bears RB Khalil Herbert is participating in practice on Sunday. He left practice early on Saturday with an unknown injury, but apparently it wasn’t anything of significance. The 2nd-year RB remains an intriguing bench stash.

Bears rookie S Jaquon Brisker recently had surgery to address the thumb injury he suffered in the team's preseason opener, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Brisker reportedly has a decent chance to return for Week 1.

Bears RB Khalil Herbert left Saturday's practice on a cart, according to multiple reports. We have yet to see any details beyond that but will certainly be watching for more.

The Athletic’s Adam Jahns considers Bears TE Cole Kmet the team’s #2 option in the passing game. No surprise there, but per Jahns, Kmet has earned the “trust” of Justin Fields and OC Luke Getsy. The young TE snagged 2 of 3 targets from Fields for 31 yards in Thursday night’s preseason game, carrying over what's been a strong training camp showing. There’s clear TE1 potential here.

Packers TE Robert Tonyan was activated from the PUP list on Sunday. Coming back from an ACL tear, Tonyan will be limited in the short term to individual work and walkthroughs, per HC Matt LaFleur. We’d temper early-season expectations for the veteran TE.

Insider Peter King came away from Bears camp believing the team has "big intentions" for WR Velus Jones this year. That's not a surprise considering he was the 71st overall pick of this spring's draft -- and considering the state of Chicago's WR corps. "He will play," King said. "And he has hit the ground running." Jones didn't check many analytical boxes as a prospect and still isn't someone we're betting on long term. But his opportunity alone makes him worth a look at the end of fantasy drafts.

Despite some early hope that TE Robert Tonyan's repaired ACL would be ready for the start of training camp, he remains on the PUP through the 1st 9 practices. And according to Packers Wire, the team has provided no update on when Tonyan will actually get back onto the field. He told the Bussin' With the Boys podcast last week that the knee "feels great." We'll see when that next step comes.

Bryan Perez of Bears Talk writes that "no Chicago Bears player is having a better start to training camp" than TE Cole Kmet. OC Luke Getsy says they're moving the 3rd-year TE around the formation and that he's doing everything well, including running some routes from out wide. "I think he's on the brink right now of taking his game to another level," Getsy says. "So I am hopeful that by the time we get through this camp, he is ready to be a rock star for us, because we're going to need him to be." That need is key, as Kmet looks like the favorite to follow WR Darnell Mooney as top targets. Kmet has been a value pick outside the top 12 TEs in PPR drafts all year.

According to Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns of The Athletic, S Jaquan Brisker and CB Kyler Gordon have "been two of the Bears' best playmakers since their draft selections." The Bears took both in the 1st half of Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Each rookie appears headed for a starting gig. We'd bet on Brisker having the stronger chance at IDP relevance this season.

Lions HC Dan Campbell comped RB D’Andre Swift to Alvin Kamara. “It goes without saying, Swift is one of our most explosive players on offense,” Campbell said. “Like, literally, we feel like, ‘All right, man, if we set this up right and there’s any space, this guy can take it to the house.’ He’s got that ability, and so — my gosh, man — you want those guys out there every play.” Swift has missed 7 games over the past 2 seasons, but there’s top-5 PPR upside here if his health cooperates.

The Packers unsurprisingly place TE Robert Tonyan on the training-camp PUP list Friday. Tonyan is working back from a mid-season ACL tear and is not a lock to be ready for Week 1. The team can activate him off the camp PUP at any point. Staying on the list into the regular season, however, would require Tonyan to miss at least 4 games. Tonyan missing camp time should give us a chance to see if there's anything behind the mild spring buzz for TE Tyler Davis.

Adam Jahns of The Athletic writes that RB Khalil Herbert “looks poised for a larger role” in year 2. The former 6th round pick wasn’t drafted by new GM Ryan Poles. And he’s learning a different offense under new HC Matt Eberflus and OC Luke Getsy. Still, one look at the Bears’ depth chart says Herbert’s close to a lock for the #2 job behind David Montgomery. At a minimum, it’s encouraging that he handled 18, 19, 18 and 23 carries early in his rookie year with Montgomery sidelined. Ultimately, we don’t anticipate Herbert seeing enough work to gain standalone fantasy value. But one Montgomery injury would likely place the 2nd-year back firmly in RB2+ territory.

Matt Schneidman of The Athletic writes that Packers TE Robert Tonyan “may not be ready to play Week 1.” Schneidman adds that he’d be surprised if Tonyan isn’t ready to play by Week 6. The veteran tore his ACL at the end of October, so he’ll be ~10.5 months removed from the injury come Week 1. Tonyan’s not a particularly desirable TE2, even if he’s ready for the opener.

Panthers beat writer Ellis L. Williams believes new OC Ben McAdoo’s “up-tempo and quick-release concepts” should add YAC opportunities for WR DJ Moore. Williams envisions Moore thriving on quick-hitters and downfield routes, similar to how a young Odell Beckham excelled with McAdoo in New York. “It’s long and it’s treacherous, but it’s built for the NFL,” Moore said regarding McAdoo’s playbook. “The playbook is long, like some of the verbiage is long. You just got to be able to study and comprehended. But it worked when he was calling it in New York and all the places that he’d been.” Improved QB play will remain the key to unlocking Moore’s upside. Entering year 5, he’s never topped 4 TDs in a single season.

The Lions are hoping to get RB D’Andre Swift to play through the pain more in 2022. Note that the talented RB has played 13 games in back to back seasons. “Injuries happen, but one of the things Swift and I had a conversation about -- is you’ve got to be able to play through some of these injuries as a running back,” RB coach (and former pro) Duce Staley said recently. “We all know there’s a difference between being injured and hurt. As soon as you step in this building as a running back, Day 1 training camp, you’re not going to feel the same. There will be some things you have to fight through.” Per beat writer Kyle Meinke, Swift bulked up a bit over the offseason. Only 23, Swift’s consistency should improve in a revamped Detroit offense.

Bears OC Luke Getsy spoke about his first impressions of TE Cole Kmet. “I’ve been very impressed with Cole,” Getsy said. “Again that mindset that we’re trying to set, he’s been a great example of that as well. And you go back to that thing we talked about before, just the ability, the flexibility as a player, I think he has all that stuff. So I’m excited to see him have a bunch of different roles in our offense. Some players that are out there they’re kind of like this is what they do well. But I think the more guys that you can get in a system that can do a bunch of different things, the more success you’re going to have and I think Cole is one of those guys.” Kmet played all 17 games last year, notching 60-612-0 on 93 targets. A favorable target outlook remains in year 3, and a TE1 finish is certainly within his range of outcomes.

Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com writes that the team feels “fine” about their TE situation. He notes that Robert Tonyan is making “significant progress” with ACL rehab. (Tonyan tore his ACL last October.) Interestingly, GM Brian Gutekunst shouted out TE Tyler Davis, a 2020 UDFA who played 121 snaps last season. “I think we might have found something there,” Gutekunst remarked. Tonyan, 28, posted 5 games with 10 or fewer yards prior to the injury. Don’t count on a major rebound.

Adam Jahns of The Athletic believes WR Velus Jones “should have an immediate role on offense.” Frankly, it would be a major disappointment if he didn’t. The Bears feature a bunch of WR3/4 types behind Darnell Mooney, while Jones exits college as a 25-year-old. So yes, the opportunity outlook is nice. And Jones boasts rare, 4.31 speed. But his pedigree is uninspiring, with just 58-627-4 across 4 seasons before a 2021 breakout (62-807-7). He's not someone we're chasing in rookie drafts.

The Bears selected Tennessee WR Velus Jones in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jones spent 6 years in college -- 4 at USC, 2 at Tennessee -- never topping 807 receiving yards. He turns 25 next month. Jones blazed a 4.31-second 40 time at 6'0, 204 pounds at the Combine, but there's not much else to like about his profile. He at least finds opportunity in a Chicago WR corps with little behind Darnell Mooney.

Penn State S Jaquan Brisker went to the Bears in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft. Brisker averaged 6.3 tackles per game in 2020, and 5.3 per game last season. He didn’t offer much in the big-play categories. Brisker offers nice versatility, though, and tested well athletically. Chicago returns Eddie Jackson at safety but sports an opening at the other spot, which could mean quick IDP value for this Round 2 pick.