For fantasy football managers looking to the Chicago Bears for help at running back, they have a decision to make. Was the career game for D’Andre Swift simply a brief flash of success, and is that enough to pick him over backup Roschon Johnson, who also has been productive the last two weeks?
Should You Start D’Andre Swift or Roschon Johnson This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s consensus rankings say that Swift is the player to start. His projected 12.6 fantasy points include 45 rushing yards, three receptions, and 23 receiving yards. That stat line outperforms the consensus for Johnson (9.5 points, 33 rushing yards, three receptions, and 20 receiving yards).
My ranking of these two running backs aligns with the consensus. Although it may be unrealistic to expect Swift to reach his fantasy production of a week ago, he should still be able to outperform Johnson this week, especially against the Carolina Panthers and their bottom-five rush defense.
Swift’s Week 5 Fantasy Outlook
There was plenty of criticism directed at Swift over the first three weeks of the season, and no doubt he heard it.
Asked Bears RB D’Andre Swift if he heard the criticism over the first month of the season.
“I have a phone.” @gmfb pic.twitter.com/KdtqoTrkAe
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) October 4, 2024
But he responded last week in a major way, by having the most productive fantasy game of his career. Swift finished with a career-high 29.5 fantasy points, thanks to 165 scrimmage yards and a touchdown run. In fact, he had more scrimmage yards in Week 4 than he had in the first three weeks combined (114).
Obviously, the biggest question for fantasy managers is which Swift will they see on Sunday? The one that averaged less than two yards per carry (1.8) over his first three games or the one that had a season-high 23 touches last week?
Making the decision to back Swift in Week 4 is the fact that the Bears are facing the woeful Carolina Panthers, which ranks 29th in the NFL in rush defense, allowing 148.8 rush yards per game. Carolina has also allowed six rushing touchdowns in four games, the fifth-most in the league this season.
Johnson’s Week 5 Fantasy Outlook
It took until Week 3 for Johnson to even get his first touch of the season. However, he has been productive over the last two weeks, with a combined 18.8 fantasy points. While that doesn’t sound like too much over a two-week stretch, consider that Swift’s first three weeks produced a total of 19.4 fantasy points.
But even though Johnson hasn’t been bad the last two games, he hasn’t exactly played at a Pro Bowl level, either. He’s averaging fewer than four yards per carry this season (3.7) and still has only 19 touches over his last two games.
Case in point, the best of Swift has been miles better than the best that Johnson has displayed this season. I suspect fantasy managers would rather take the explosive potential of Swift over an average-to-good performance from Johnson.