The Commanders’ offense, engineered by Kingsbury for Jayden Daniels’ mobility, forces the Bears to defend 11-on-11 as zone reads and Air Raid elements collide with NFL football. Croskey-Merritt’s league-high 6.6 YPC, supported by McNichols and Rodriguez, keeps Chicago on edge even with Ekeler out. Chicago’s plan hinges on healthy T.J. Edwards and Kyler Gordon to limit the run and deny big plays from a top rushing attack.

The Bears return from bye week facing Washington on Monday Night Football with a clear mission: fix a run defense that has burned them and reset after last season’s late slide. Chicago’s front must slow a multi-headed Commanders rushing attack, led by Croskett-Merritt, with Rodriguez and McNichols providing depth. Tyrique Stevenson carries extra attention as he tries to put last year’s Hail Mary behind him, while Ben Johnson coaches a focused game plan to keep the two-game win streak intact.

Washington brings a balanced ground game that can complicate Chicago’s coverages, and Monangai could factor as a hidden engine for the Commanders after Ekeler’s injury reshaped the backfield. The matchup also carries a historical hook—two teams tied to a dramatic finish last season—adding a psychological edge to the Monday night chess match. Fantasy managers should eye grind-heavy Washington plays and any Bears opportunities that surface from by-week rust and strategic adjustments.

Deebo Samuel’s bounce-back season in Washington has fantasy managers circling Week 6 and beyond. Through five games he’s among the league’s top receivers in catches and yards, his 96-yard, eight-catch eruption in Week 5 underscoring his role as Washington’s go-to playmaker amid an ailing receiving corps. The move from San Francisco looks like a cap purge that unlocked a high-end target with red-zone juice, and Samuel’s role figures to stay center-stage as the Commanders chase a playoff berth.