Bears’ Kyle Monangai Tabbed as Potential 2026 Breakout Star

The Chicago Bears may have quietly stumbled into one of the more intriguing breakout candidates in the NFL and fantasy football heading into the 2026 season.

After spending most of last year flying under the radar behind quarterback Caleb Williams and head coach Ben Johnson, second-year running back Kyle Monangai is beginning to generate serious offseason buzz.

Both Pro Football Focus’ Nic Bodiford and Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski recently highlighted Monangai as a potential breakout player entering 2026 after an impressive rookie campaign in Chicago. 

And when looking at how the Bears handled the running back position this offseason, it is not hard to understand why fantasy analysts are buying in.

Bears May Have Opened the Door for Kyle Monangai

One of the biggest reasons Monangai has become such an appealing sleeper is because the Bears surprisingly avoided making any major additions at running back this offseason.

Chicago largely stood pat behind starter D’Andre Swift, despite Swift entering the final year of his contract. The Bears did not draft a running back early, nor did they sign a proven veteran in free agency, leaving Monangai in a much larger role than many originally expected.

That has led some analysts to believe Monangai could carve out a role similar to the one David Montgomery played under Johnson with the Detroit Lions. While Swift is expected to continue handling explosive plays and receiving work, Monangai’s physical running style and success between the tackles could make him the preferred option near the goal line and in short-yardage situations like we saw at the end of last season. 

Even in a complementary role, that type of workload can create major fantasy value. Montgomery consistently produced touchdowns and weekly fantasy relevance in Johnson’s offense, despite often being viewed as the secondary option behind Jahmyr Gibbs.

Monangai could be walking into a similar opportunity.

Kyle Monangai Quietly Produced One of the NFL’s Better Rookie Seasons

Monangai’s rookie numbers did not receive much national attention, but they were quietly impressive.

The former Rutgers standout rushed for 783 yards while averaging 4.6 yards per carry and added 164 receiving yards with five total touchdowns. According to Bleacher Report, Monangai ranked third among rookie running backs in rushing yards during the 2025 season.

What made the production even more notable was how much stronger Monangai became as the season progressed. He slowly earned more touches throughout the year and eventually forced his way into a meaningful role alongside Swift in one of the NFL’s top rushing attacks.

Beyond the numbers, Monangai consistently passed the eye test with his vision, balance and physical running style. His ability to contribute as a pass catcher and pass protector also gave the Bears confidence to keep him on the field in multiple situations.

Now entering his second season, there is a growing belief that Chicago could expand his workload even further to evaluate whether he can become the team’s long-term answer at running back.

If that happens, Monangai may not stay under the radar for very long. He could become one of the most important offensive pieces for Chicago in 2026.

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