This is our Monday Night Football DFS breakdown, running through all relevant player salaries on DraftKings and FanDuel while forecasting the potential game outcomes as the Chicago Bears face the Minnesota Vikings in Chicago.
Chicago vs. Minnesota (-1.0)
QUARTERBACK
There is arguably a lot of reason to find both Caleb Williams ($9200 DK, $12600 FD) and J.J. McCarthy ($9000 DK, $12000 FD) promising as they head into their second NFL seasons – McCarthy's first as starter – and it's certainly possible either of the 2024 first-round picks makes a good impression in this prime-time game.
With that said, the venue could be challenging or either or both, as well. The Vikings defense is almost certainly one of the most ferocious in the league, boasting immense pass-rushing ammo to cover for their otherwise mediocre cornerback personnel, but even that corner personnel regularly overachieves thanks to the standout coaching and disguised coverages of Brian Flores. Williams can be forgiven for struggling against a defense like this, and playing in Chicago isn't really an advantage when it comes to playing offense. Just the same, Williams is likely a solid NFL starter at worst and he has plenty of standout pass-catching options at this disposal, and particularly when you factor in his rushing ability it's easy to see why Williams should be a good fantasy quarterback in 2025.
Tough as the matchup might be for Williams, it's arguably an even sterner test for McCarthy – starting his first NFL game on the road in one of the harsher venues. McCarthy is certainly used to playing Midwest football, at least, and he has a good amount of support around him in the Minnesota offense, not to mention a standout schemer/playcaller in Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy might very well be up to the task, and the Chicago defense is probably less threatening than the Minnesota one, but it would be understandable if the Vikings preferred to limit McCarthy's exposure in his first game. A run-heavy game plan could be in order, particularly if left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) is out.
RUNNING BACK
D'Andre Swift ($8800 DK, $9400 FD) is a good player with a tough task ahead of him. The Vikings run defense is not friendly and big hits are often a recurring theme. Strong run defense is a crucial part of Minnesota's defensive equation, because they want you to throw the ball in unfavorable down-and-distances so that they can tee you up for their horrifying blitz arsenal. A gutsy game from Swift would go a long way toward making Williams' job easier at quarterback, and if the Bears defense can hold strong and provide the Bears with good field positioning there's a chance Swift could accumulate the volume necessary to wear down the defense a bit. The initial sledding figures to be tough, however.
It's not clear whether Swift's top backup will be Roschon Johnson ($3000 DK, $4400 FD) or rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monongai ($2800 DK, $1400 FD), but Johnson is working through foot issue that might keep him out of the game. If Johnson is out then it would be Monongai as the clear backup. Promising as Monongai might be, if he's the RB2 it might foreshadow a busy game for Swift.
Aaron Jones ($7400 DK, $10400 FD) and Jordan Mason ($7000 DK, $5800 FD) could both be busy in this game, and for most of the year. In this particular game the Vikings have extra reason to stick to the ground, though. McCarthy making his first NFL start brings enough pressure alone, but adding the road venue and Chicago specifically really could make the spotlight bright. Meanwhile, it's probably true to say the Chicago defense is tougher against the pass than against the run. Jones should be the starter and main pass-catching back, while Mason should be the power runner and short-yardage guy. If you do fade either Vikings running back as part of your Monday Night Football DFS strategy then you might want to make room for the other – the Vikings need to run in this one.
WIDE RECEIVER + TIGHT END
Justin Jefferson ($10800 DK, $14800 FD) is a tough fade on a single-game slate, even one where the Vikings are otherwise not projected to throw for much. The volume could be limited to give McCarthy more cover in the hostile road environment, and the efficiency could suffer if McCarthy struggles at all. Those conditions still aren't enough to make Jefferson a safe fade. It might also help that CB1 Jaylon Johnson is playing through calf and groin injuries. The absence of Jordan Addison (suspension) probably helps assure more dialed-up targets for Jefferson, especially in high-leverage situations.
T.J. Hockenson ($6600 DK, $8400 FD) could also be busy in this one. Hockenson has been targeted at a blistering pace since arriving in Minnesota, and Addison's absence could boost Hockenson's target share a little more yet. It's often a tight end that a quarterback looks to for security, and McCarthy might be inclined to do that regularly while working through the pressure of his first start. Adam Thielen ($4400 DK, $7800 FD) seems like a good bet to function as the WR2, though at this point in his career the veteran might be hard-pressed to make any plays downfield. Slot wideout Jalen Nailor ($3600 DK, $4000 FD) is probably Thielen's primary competition for snaps, with rookie third-round pick Tai Felton ($800 DK, $2000 FD) believed to be toward the bottom of the Minnesota depth chart for now. The Vikings like to run two-TE formations often, so Josh Oliver ($1600 DK, $2000 FD) should be on the field a lot as a blocking-oriented punt play at tight end.
DJ Moore ($9600 DK, $10200 FD) and Rome Odunze ($8000 DK, $8000 FD) are a strong one-two punch who figure to take it to the next level for Chicago in 2025. This matchup still could be one of the worst of the season for the Bears passing game, not because the Vikings cornerbacks are intimidating but because the Minnesota pass rush looks like the sort that can throw an entire offense off its game. It's not easy to face the Vikings defense without conceding some amount of fear. If Moore or/and Odunze produce well then it would be a great sign that Williams is withstanding the pressure, but Moore and Odunze do need Williams to show up and stand tall. Colston Loveland ($5800 DK, $5400 FD) should eventually be one of the most prolific pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, but in this matchup it's not clear to what extent the rookie 10th overall pick might be unleashed.
Not only does Loveland need to fight for playing time against distinguished veteran tight end Cole Kmet ($4000 DK, $4800 FD) – Loveland is probably caught in a zero-sum game for slot reps against wideouts Luther Burden ($4600 DK, $3600 FD) and Olamide Zaccheaus ($2000 DK, $3200 FD). While Burden is the subject of much anticipation in his own right, the rookie wideout might have to split a problematic number of snaps with Zaccheaus for the foreseeable future.
KICKER
Will Reichard ($5000 DK, $7000 FD) could be on the verge of establishing himself as one of the league's best kickers, even in an era where the bar is set historically high for the position. A quad injury last year tanked Reichard's field goal percentage a bit, but rather than his 80 percent conversion rate the better measure of his ability is the fact that Reichard averaged a lot of distance on his kicks, converting eight of 11 from beyond 50 yards. Reichard attempted nearly as many from beyond 50 as he did under 40 (12).
Particularly if the game is close, Cairo Santos ($4800 DK, $6400 FD) is also capable of making a notable impact on the one-game slate. Though Santos probably doesn't boast Reichard's range, Santos is usually very accurate and has missed only 10 field goals in the last five years (93.2 percent converted).
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Devin Duvernay ($200 DK, $2800 FD) is a standout returner who might be worth pairing with the Bears ($3400 DK, $6800 FD) if you select them, and the Bears otherwise have a chance to make some plays as a defense against a first-time starter playing in a prime-time road environment. The Bears pass rush is good and they have at least average talent in the secondary, so the Vikings have reason to hide McCarthy in this setting.
The Vikings ($5400 DK, $7200 FD) defense boasts more firepower yet and could put forth the league's best pass rush in 2025. Brian Flores is capable of synthesizing pass rush even without much ammo thanks to his confusing blitzes and varied coverages, but this year the Vikings added two excellent interior disruptors (Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen) and were already three-deep at outside linebacker (Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner). Williams didn't turn it over much in 2024, but unnecessary sacks were a recurring issue.
