It’s always difficult when the party starts without you. The Chicago Bears popped off for 59 points in Week 1 against the Panthers; their players were a popular pick in fantasy drafts this offseason, and all of the big names ate, except for one player: Colston Loveland. A top tight end target, Loveland put up a goose egg against the Panthers, while TE2 Cole Kmet caught a touchdown. Do we need to reevaluate the top tight end target in Chicago? Or is this a blip on the radar for Loveland?
Week 1 Summary
There’s nothing quite like a Week 1 fantasy panic. Loveland flew up draft boards after posting a 58/713/6 receiving line as a rookie, as most expected significant growth. Being immensely talented is one thing, but catching balls from Caleb Williams on plays drawn up by Ben Johnson put the hype through the moon. So, of course, Loveland threw up a donut in Week 1 while Kmet produced a TE1 week.
But, as most of you know, projecting fantasy production is all about opportunity. On the surface, Kmet’s 2/35/1 receiving line compared to Loveland’s 0/0/0 is immensely concerning, but the snaps and the routes run tell the story.
Loveland led all Chicago skill position players in snap share (87%) and total routes run (35). On a day when Williams could do no wrong passing the ball, it’s pretty incredible that his most frequent route runner got no looks. Compare that to Kmet, who was fourth in snap share (57%) and fifth in total routes run (19). Given that disparity in usage, it’s a miracle that Kmet outpaced Loveland in targets, catches, and yards.
It’s no surprise to see the heavy usage for both tight ends here. Johnson loves using multiple tight ends in his sets; having two big bodies who can work in the seams and the flats makes life tough for opposing linebackers. If anything, the takeaway for Loveland is positive: he got more work as a route runner than anyone else on this roster, and their offense looked incredible. Sooner rather than later, that will bear fruit for his fantasy prospects.
If you have Loveland on your roster, don’t panic or look to the waiver wire. If you don’t have Loveland and want a sneaky TE upgrade, text his owner in your league to gauge their panic level. Cole Kmet warrants some consideration as a possible back-end TE1 candidate; at such a shallow position, anyone with significant touchdown upside is worth a shot.
In short: don’t panic, stay the course. Colston Loveland will be fine.
