Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift has been dealing with an increasingly long list of nicks and bruises as the season has gone on. Ahead of the team’s Week 15 Monday night matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings, Swift is questionable to play.
We take a look at the latest on Swift’s status and the fantasy football outlook for Chicago’s backfield in this matchup.
What Happened to D’Andre Swift?
Update: Despite being limited at practice, D’Andre Swift is officially active for the team’s Monday Night Football matchup against the Vikings.
Swift has been on the injury report the last two weeks, first with a quad injury ahead of Week 14 and then a groin injury before this week’s game. In both weeks, Swift has gone DNP-DNP-limited at practice, yet he managed to play in last week’s loss vs. the San Francisco 49ers.
The good news is that last week’s quad injury didn’t really limit Swift’s availability. In fact, he actually played a season-high 78.8% of the offensive snaps with Roschon Johnson (concussion) out.
Swift was also on the injury report ahead of Week 12 (the Bears’ first matchup with the Vikings) with a groin injury. He managed to play in that game as well, despite being listed as questionable on the final report.
Fantasy Outlook for Swift and the Bears’ Backfield
Analysis courtesy PFN’s Kyle Soppe
Swift is trending in the wrong direction with three straight finishes outside of the top 20 at the position, and I worry that doesn’t change this week with a matchup against the fifth-best run defense.
Johnson’s status (concussion) could prove to be awfully impactful here. Swift’s rushing value is moving in the wrong direction (four straight sub-15 carry games, three straight with under 40 rushing yards), but he could have access to goal-line work with Johnson declared out with his concussion.
Pace of play often gets overlooked, but you’re a PFN follower, so that’s not the case for you. You’re aware that the Vikings operate at the fourth-slowest pace and that such a style of play carries with it possession downside.
Swift is a Flex play this week but not a must-start if you have nice wide receiver depth. Should he sit out, Travis Homer is the only other healthy running back on Chicago’s active roster.
The Bears do have veterans Royce Freeman and Darrynton Evans on the practice squad. Last week, they elevated Evans to the active roster for his first game of the season, so expect him to serve as the third RB in this game or the backup if Swift is out.