In the NFL, most contributors tend to come from the first few rounds of the draft. For instance, the Chicago Bears took a big gamble on their future prior to the 2024 Draft, dealing former starting quarterback Justin Fields in order to select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.
Williams will lead the line for Chicago when it opens its season tonight with an 8:15 p.m. ET clash against the Minnesota Vikings, but surprisingly, seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai is expected to be part of the running back rotation. Monangai was one of 22 seventh-round picks (out of 40) to make his team’s opening roster.
The Bears are 1.5-point underdogs for the Monday Night Football clash at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set to 43.5. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bets centered around Monagai.
Best Kyle Monangai Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kyle Monangai 1st CHI Bears TD Scorer (+900)
The only prop bets available on Monangai are touchdown-scoring ones, and if I’m going to choose a long-shot, this feels like a good one to choose. His anytime touchdown scorer prop (+380) isn’t good value, since it implies that the Bears will score (on average) 2.36 touchdowns, which feels high for a team that scored just 35 total and averaged the fifth-fewest points per game in 2024. His 1st overall touchdown scorer prop (+1800) isn’t great value either, since it implies that both teams have an equal chance of having the first scorer, which benefits the favored Vikings.
Logic would dictate that Monangai won’t make a huge impact in his first game, given his draft selection. However, backup Roschon Johnson has been dealing with a hamstring issue and has been listed as questionable for tonight’s game, which could give Monangai additional opportunity. New head coach Ben Johnson seemingly has faith in him after he took six carries for 30 yards during the preseason. Two of his carries came on back-to-back plays within the opponents’ seven-yard line, indicating that he will mostly be used in short-yardage sets.
As a short, compact power back with sure hands and excellent balance, Monangai fits the mold of a player best suited for goal-line runs. He had a nose for the end zone at Rutgers, scoring 22 total touchdowns in his final two seasons, and he could quickly pass D’Andre Swift as a red-zone threat, given that Swift only scored six touchdowns last season. Johnson had as many touchdowns last season as Swift despite Swift taking nearly five times as many carries, so Monangai could play the Johnson role if he sits or is limited.
Plus, while the Vikings had a very good rushing defense overall, they’re not ideally suited to stop halfback dives. Jonathan Allen would be the first line of defense if Monangai runs right, and last season, Allen recorded the 20th-worst run defense grade among 118 qualified interior defenders. Nose tackle Jalen Redmond was solid, but he played only 24.2% of the team’s total snaps during the regular season. Right defensive end Javon Hargrave is coming off of a season-ending torn triceps and is 32 years old. With so much turnover in Minnesota’s defense, Monangai has an opportunity to take advantage of a unit that’s still developing chemistry.
