NFL Week 1 concludes with a Monday Night Football showdown between division rivals tonight. The Chicago Bears have a new head coach and look to unleash Ben Johnson’s offense at home against the Minnesota Vikings. With some talented new faces like tight end Colston Loveland in town, will this team have what it takes to start this new era on the right foot?
Here are the best Colston Loveland prop bets for Bears vs. Vikings on Monday Night Football to cap off the Week 1 slate.
Best Colston Loveland prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
The Bears already had an established starter at tight end with Cole Kmet, but his presence didn’t stop the team from spending a premium pick on the position in the 2024 NFL Draft back in April. Chicago ended up using their No. 10 selection to take Colston Loveland, an early-declare out of Michigan. Was it a bit of a luxury pick? Absolutely, but it’s easy to like the player this team brought into an offense which finds itself positioned to take a leap under Johnson.
While the Michigan Wolverines didn’t throw the ball a ton during Loveland’s three seasons with the program, they did win a National Championship in 2023 and his stats actually seem more impressive in the context of what the offense looked like. During his sophomore campaign, he hauled in 45 catches for 649 yards and four scores in 15 games as a member of that title team. The following season, the Wolverines dealt with questionable quarterback play but Loveland still caught 56 balls for 582 yards and five touchdowns in just 10 games, showing a knack for getting open in the middle of the field before an injury cut his year short.
In what looks like a redesigned offense under Johnson’s tutelage, Loveland sees the opportunity to truly make an impact as a rookie. The Bears’ head coach turned a rookie Sam LaPorta into a record-breaker just two seasons ago with the Lions, and the hope is that he can do the same with Loveland now. While this offense does seem a bit crowded at the skill positions, Chicago used premium draft capital on their new tight end and he’s listed as a starter on the team’s official depth chart, though it does use 12 personnel with Kmet also designated as a starter.
Loveland’s betting lines on DraftKings Sportsbook are set at 2.5 receptions and 28.5 yards, both very low marks for a first-round pick who the coaching staff seems to love. With his blocking ability, the rookie should see the field plenty and the Vikings’ defense was formidable overall but slightly vulnerable against the pass in 2024. They’re also missing safety Harrison Smith tonight due to injury, which does bump the outlook for the Bears’ passing game slightly.
While it’s tough to predict exactly how this offense will play in Johnson’s first regular-season game at the helm, it’s fair to assume he’ll make a point to get the ball to his highly-touted tight end. After LaPorta finished second on the Lions in red zone targets in each of his two seasons under Johnson, I’m banking on the head coach to prioritize those high-value looks for his new big-bodied target. At +390 odds, an anytime touchdown for Loveland provides standout value tonight on Monday Night Football.
