Who Should I Start? D'Andre Swift or Zach Charbonnet

Saturday, August 30, 6:18 PM

Dan Wiederer of The Athletic believes Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift could surpass 1,500 yards from scrimmage this season. While that mark may not be realistic, there are more than a few reasons to believe Swift might be in line for his best year to date. Ben Johnson, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator and new Bears head coach, was instrumental in the success of Jamaal Williams, David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs. With Johnson "devoted" to the run and the Bears lacking proven depth in the backfield, the door is open for Swift to thrive. The 26-year-old has bounced around the National Football League since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In 73 regular-season contests with the Lions, Eagles, and Bears, he's accumulated 3,688 yards and 29 touchdowns off 846 carries, adding eight more scores as a pass-catcher. Quarterback Caleb Williams will certainly get his opportunities to run in 2025. However, Swift should remain atop the depth chart as long as he's productive. If not, rookie Kyle Monangai could be the favorite to take over in the backfield.

Friday, September 5, 2:21 PM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet will enter the season backing up Kenneth Walker III. However, Charbonnet should have stand-alone fantasy value given how much he has impressed the coaching staff. Charbonnet and the Seahawks draw a solid matchup for running backs in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2024. With how highly Seattle's coaching staff has spoken of Charbonnet this offseason, a few extra carries and targets could go a long way in Week 1. Additionally, if Charbonnet continues to play at a high level, he could eat more and more into Walker's workload. It is difficult to get a feel for the split in this backfield, but reports suggest close to a 60/40 split in Walker's favor to begin the season. That split could approach 50/50 as the season wears on. You likely drafted Charbonnet as a bench player, but he should see enough work to merit flex consideration in Week 1 in a pinch.