The Chicago Bears made waves when they selected tight end Colston Loveland 10th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite sky-high expectations, the rookie hasn’t yet performed up to par at the pro level. Entering Week 8 though, he sees the chance to make a major impact with starting tight end Cole Kmet (back) already ruled out against the Baltimore Ravens. This game projects as a shootout, so is Loveland week finally here?
With Cole Kmet out, is Colston Loveland a must-start tight end streamer for Week 8’s fantasy football lineups?
Analysis
The No. 10 pick in this year’s draft out of Michigan, Loveland produced multiple seasons of 50+ catches and 500+ yards while playing in one of college football’s least pass-happy offenses. He possesses plus athleticism and brings quality blocking to the picture in a 6-foot-6, 241-pound frame, so it’s not too hard to see the vision of an elite NFL tight end. While raw numbers haven’t been there in his rookie production, splitting snaps with another tight end doesn’t exactly help create top-end fantasy outings. The Bears do run 12 personnel at the NFL’s ninth-highest rate of 32.55%, but Loveland hasn’t seen the field all that much. He played no more than 57% of snaps in any of his four games prior to Week 7, a contest in which Cole Kmet exited due to injury in the second half, thus bumping Loveland to a 67% snap share.
Admittedly, the fact the rookie has just 13 targets with eight catches for 78 scoreless yards across five games feels disappointing given the hype. After all, Bears head coach Ben Johnson turned a rookie Sam LaPorta into a record-breaker and top fantasy contributor with the Detroit Lions. Once Chicago drafted Loveland as one of just a handful of tight ends to go inside the top-10 picks over the last 20 years, expectations were set understandably high. Even Johnson said the numbers are a bit underwhelming this past week in a press conference, but he did speak fairly highly of the rookie in the same breath.
“I’m pleased with how Colston Loveland is playing,” Johnson said. “I know the production, call it six games into it, isn’t what any of us maybe had looked for from a numbers perspective, but he’s impacting games in a very positive fashion and he’s a reason why our offense is going to continue to get better.”
Last week against the New Orleans Saints, Loveland saw four total targets and hauled in three for 24 yards. He worked as the clear-cut primary tight end once Kmet left the game and did look rather quick on his routes while picking up blocks without any noticeable issues. He should see the starter’s role in Week 8 against the Ravens, which creates some intrigue as a fantasy option (likely out of the free-agent pool). Both sides deploy quality offenses, if not great ones when fully rolling, but neither defense truly stands out. The game carries a projected total of 49.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook, so this looks like a potential shootout spot assuming Lamar Jackson (questionable, hamstring) suits up on the other side. If the opposing quarterback does indeed play, passing volume could take center stage in this one.
Expecting a massive game from Loveland probably isn’t a realistic goal, but a starter’s share of snaps and possible pass-heavy game script set him up to at least post a respectable performance for fantasy football purposes. Kmet played at least 90% of snaps in four of six games thus far, so if the rookie sees anywhere close to that much time on the field, he could easily set new career-highs in catches and yards while potentially hauling in his first NFL touchdown. Expect a line of somewhere around six-to-eight targets with four or five receptions. If you’re looking to stream a tight end in fantasy this week, Loveland is probably one of the best options available due to the projected opportunity and lack of other enticing starting options.
