Swift vs Monangai: Fantasy Start Call for Week 13

Chicago’s backfield underwent a dramatic power shift during their narrow victory over Pittsburgh. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai now head into a challenging Black Friday matchup with evolving roles. Which Bears running back deserves fantasy football consideration for Week 13?

D’Andre Swift’s Fantasy Outlook

Swift’s hot streak came to a crashing halt against the Steelers, posting just 1.9 fantasy points in his worst game of the season. He carried the ball eight times for a mere 15 yards while catching his only target for 14 yards. The poor rushing efficiency represented a significant regression from his recent productive stretch.​

The fumble in the second quarter proved particularly costly for Swift’s standing in the backfield hierarchy. Pittsburgh’s Yahya Black forced and recovered the turnover in Steelers territory early in the frame. While the miscue didn’t directly lead to points, it provided head coach Ben Johnson with justification to reduce his involvement moving forward.​

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Swift’s snap share has declined precipitously over recent weeks after peaking at 62% in Week 10. The slide continued against Pittsburgh, where Swift played just 44% of the snaps. That represented his lowest playing time percentage since Monangai’s breakout performance created genuine competition for touches.​

His touchdown drought extends back to Week 8, marking three consecutive scoreless games. Swift posted at least 14.8 fantasy points in every contest from Weeks 4-10, excluding Week 9 when he sat out entirely. He hadn’t fallen below double-digit fantasy points since Week 1 prior to this recent collapse.​

Kyle Monangai’s Fantasy Outlook

Monangai capitalized on Swift’s struggles by out-snapping him for the second straight week, playing 54% of the snaps. The increased workload translated to 12 carries following 13 opportunities the previous week. This consistent double-digit touch count over recent games suggests he has secured a meaningful role regardless of game script.​

His scoring streak reached three consecutive games with a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Monangai has dominated goal-line opportunities during this stretch while Swift has been shut out of the end zone entirely. This red-zone workload provides weekly touchdown upside that elevates his fantasy floor considerably.​

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Monangai’s emergence traces directly back to Swift’s Week 9 absence against Cincinnati. The rookie exploded for 26 carries and 176 yards in that contest, forcing the coaching staff to expand his role permanently moving forward. The backfield dynamic shifted from Swift as the clear lead back with Monangai serving as a pure backup to a genuine committee approach.​

The main negative for Monangai is that his passing-game involvement remains virtually nonexistent. He hasn’t established himself as a receiving threat, limiting his PPR upside significantly. Without scoring touchdowns, he likely won’t reach double-digit fantasy points given his lack of targets and receptions in the aerial attack.​

Should You Start Swift or Monangai This Week?

Philadelphia presents a middling matchup for Chicago’s running backs. The Eagles allow the 14th-fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to running backs, ranking slightly below average against the position. They’ve performed better defensively against ground attacks over recent weeks compared to their season-long numbers.​

One area where Philadelphia has struggled involves pass-catching backs. The Eagles have surrendered 17.8% of their total receiving yards to running backs, the second-highest percentage in the league behind only Tampa Bay. This vulnerability could benefit Swift significantly if he maintains his passing-down role despite losing early-down work.​

The game environment strongly favors Philadelphia. The Eagles opened as 7-point home favorites with the total set at 44.5 points. Philadelphia enters seeking redemption after blowing a 21-0 lead to Dallas in their only loss since Week 6. Chicago just escaped with a close victory over Pittsburgh, setting up a narrative reversal scenario.​

Both backs qualify as viable fantasy options despite the challenging road spot. Swift should produce steady results through receiving work even if his rushing efficiency continues suffering, making him a safer floor play in PPR formats.

Monangai operates as an RB3/Flex with significant touchdown dependency given his minimal pass-catching contributions. Without finding the end zone for a fourth straight week, his fantasy output likely disappoints managers seeking consistent production.​