Rome Odunze is on a tear, pushing toward the Bears' single-season receiving TD record as he sits with five scores in four games. Calibrated with Caleb Williams, he looks like a weekly anchor in red-zone and big-play scenarios, making fantasy managers circle him as a must-start option down the stretch. Chicago’s plan revolves around him, and if health cooperates, Odunze projects an uptick that could push him into historic Bears territory.

The rest of the season could bring a running back upgrade for Chicago as GM Ryan Poles eyes help on the ground. A midseason swap for a veteran back could unlock the offense’s ceiling, easing the load on Williams and Odunze while stabilizing the rushing attack. Austin Booker’s return could alter the pass rush and the defensive tempo, too.

On defense, Kevin Byard is playing at a high level, with secondary reinforcements on the way from injury. If Taj Edwards and Kyler Gordon return healthy, the back seven could improve enough to help the whole unit, including Booker who could lead the team in sacks upon activation. Cairo Santos has demonstrated reliability and could further extend his range, potentially hitting a career-long kick this year.

The Chicago Bears will audition Isaiah Foskey this week, a Notre Dame product drafted in the second round by New Orleans in 2023, who flashed limited edge impact across 149 defensive snaps and three pressures in two seasons. Chicago is chasing a low-risk, high-potential depth piece behind Sweat and Odeyingbo, especially with Austin Booker on short-term IR. Foskey’s workout comes as part of a broader evaluation ahead of the 2025 season.

Reuniting with Dennis Allen—who coached Foskey in New Orleans—could help unlock his talents, and the Bears will also host the Eagles next week. If Foskey shows improvement in these sessions, he could push for rotational snaps and longer-term development, giving Chicago a more flexible, cheaper path to added punch off the edge than a high-cost veteran signing.

Chicago Bears open 2025 at home on Monday Night Football against Minnesota, a battle of the NFC North with major fantasy implications. Minnesota touts Justin Jefferson as the primary weapon, while their edge duo of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel looks to pressure a Bears offense that features Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat on the defensive side. Chicago’s left tackle ambiguity adds risk for their quarterback and a test for new offense coordinator Ben Johnson’s unit. Austin Booker will miss Week 1, heightening the edge rush challenge.

Expect Jefferson to soak targets, with the Vikings leaning on their defense to create plays off the rush. Sweat's sack upside is real, while Greenard and Van Ginkel can generate pressure in waves. Odeyingbo’s development is a wild-card factor for Chicago, and the Bears will need adjustments up front to stay competitive. Overall, it’s a high-leverage opener where edge battles and quarterback protection will largely decide fantasy outputs and betting angles.

Kansas City rests a handful of veterans in Week 3 preseason against Chicago, with several depth pieces not slated to play. Chiefs inactive list includes Nazeeh Johnson, Jake Briningstool, Jack Cochrane, Omarr Norman-Lott, Ethan Driskell, plus Jaylen Royals and Mike Edwards. Chicago mirrors that approach, keeping Deion Hankins, Jaylon Johnson, Terell Smith, Shaun Wade, Kyler Gordon, Austin Booker and Dominique Robinson sidelined. Inactives emphasize rest and evaluation over injury, and rosters must disclose who sits about 90 minutes before kickoff. Fantasy takeaway: this is the weekend to watch untested backups seize reps and potentially carve roles behind the top units.

Expect Briningstool and Cochrane to get looks that could foreshadow later usage, while Norman-Lott and Driskell bubble up opportunities on the Chiefs’ interior line and depth chart. For Chicago, the absence of the starting DBs sharpens the spotlight on reserve corners and versatile linemen, which can tilt snap shares for those chasing late-round DFS angles. In other words, Week 3 becomes a stage for rookies and depth players to prove themselves and potentially alter late-season fantasy plans.

Overall, the matchup serves as a practical lab for evaluating depth and future rotation shifts, with inactives signaling thoughtful rest rather than injury. Both franchises leverage the game to test cohesion and identify hidden value among backups, a reminder that preseason results often illuminate future fantasy opportunities more than box-score highlights.

Eric Rogers’ breakout with the Chargers headlines the preseason, posting a 97.0 PFF overall grade — the top mark among defenders — and leading in coverage (95.3) and run defense (92.6). Chicago-born undrafted players have a real platform to push for roster spots, but Rogers’ play makes a compelling case for immediate IDP fantasy attention and a possible late-season rise in snaps if he maintains his form.

Patriots rookies Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson plus undrafted Efton Chism III are turning heads in New England, flashing enough to spark Week 1 fantasy chatter. Campbell’s strong run-blocking and pass protection grades, Henderson’s explosive touches, and Chism’s route-running and contested catches paint a clear path to early involvement, especially in New England’s dynamic offensive scheme which could vault them into valuable depth-chart roles for fantasy managers.

Elsewhere, Gunnar Helm, Grey Zabel, Willie Lampkin, Andrew Mukuba, Jay Higgins, Kenneth Grant and Austin Booker emerge as notable preseason standouts, underscoring the value of chasing sleepers who could contribute in 2025. If these trends hold, fantasy players might add affordable, high-upside pieces late in drafts, while roster decisions in late August could tilt the depth charts toward these names as the regular season approaches.