NFL Week 1 Summary: immediate fantasy soccer heating words from Vikings-Bears Monday Night Football

• The Minnesota Vikings‘Backfield Committee: While Aaron Jones started for the Vikings, newcomer Jordan Mason split the workload evenly – and led the rear field in both hasty attempts and hasty yards.

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Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

The new running rotation of the Vikings: Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason rotated during the game and shared Backfield tasks in a near-life split.

The Vikings acquired Jordan Mason from the 49ers this season to combine with Aaron Jones. With Jones who was the president, it was unclear how Minnesota would manage the rotation of the Backfield, although early reports suggested a split of 50-50.

Jones opened the game and played Elke Snap on the first two discs, while Mason took over on the third. From there, the two alternated series for most of the game, where each typically full disks uses. The Vikings also mixed in a few plays with both backs on the field at the same time.

Although the expectation was that the Vikings would distribute the Backfield tasks between Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, many assumed that it would be situational – early downs for Mason, who passed down for Jones. Mason was in the first place a two-down back in San Francisco, while Jones flourished in the passing competition during his time in Green Bay.

Instead, the two were used interchangeably. Snaps were almost even on both early and late downs, indicating that the Vikings trust both backs in every situation. This opens the door for game-to-game volatility, depending on the performance.

Last season, Jones played everywhere from 51% to 92% of the attacking snaps; Former Vikings back Alexander Mattison varied from 31% to 80% the year before. Although this Backfield currently looks like a real 50-50 split, history suggests that the balance could shift. Based on performance and age, it would not be surprising if Mason eventually came to the fore when the main option.

TJ Hockenson‘s Snap Rate has improved: The playing time of Hockenson was limited last season due to his return of an injury and the depth of the Vikings in a tight end.

The Vikings kept their top two tight ends in TJ Hockenson and Josh Oliver, but continued from their third tight end, Johnny Mundt. Hockenson played only 61% of attacking Snaps last season. That included 51.6% of the early snaps in a tight final sets, 91.7% on third downs in a tight final sets and only 53.2% of the snaps in two -proof final formations.

In the season opener, Hockenson’s Snap Rate mainly improved early downs in sets with one tight final sets, causing repetitions of Oliver. He remained the clear option on the third downs, but remained limited in two-tight sets. Because no fullback was active in week 1 and the Vikings that use fewer 12 employees than normal, Hockenson’s Snap Share saw a boost.

The attack still has to improve for Hockenson to achieve his full fantasy potential, but the increased use is a promising sign.

The first look at the Backfield splits of the bears: D’Andre Swift remained the clear lead in the back field of the Bears.

When De Beren Ben Johnson hired as head coach, many expected a large shock from Backfield. Instead, their only addition was the seventh round Rookie Kyle Monangai. There was a steady buzz outside the season around Monangai who possibly jumped Roschon Johnson on the depth map, and with Johnson put aside in week 1 due to a foot injury, Monangai came in as number 2.

D’An Andre Swift remained the clear lead and used tasks in all situations. Monangai saw limited work, and the bears also mixed in a number of non-running back sets. Swift’s Snap Rate reflected his use at the end of last season. Although he did not dominate early Downs because he had at the end of 2024, he was consistently on the field for Third Downs, an increase in last year’s role.

Swift was on average only 3.3 yards per Carry, a modest start, but that is understandable behind a traced offensive line and within a new schedule. Given his volume, he remains a reliable weekly fantasy starter. Monangai is perhaps the handcuff, but he is currently not an exemption from priority.

Luther Burden III Remains fourth on the depth card: The load played some snaps in the attack, but there is no clear path to a significant increase in snaps.

The bears used an early second round pick on order, but his role remains limited on the way to the season. Although many names that he would be the third broad recipient in sets with three recipients, the free-agent was the addition of Olamide Zaccheeaus who consistently fulfilled that role during the previous season.

In most formations, DJ Moore stood up as the X, Rome Odunze while the Z and Zaccheeaus worked from the lock in 11 employees. The burden in sporadically rotated-it-made-to-set sets like Moore’s backup, immersion for Zaccheeaus in the lock and appears in four receiver sets but he was not a fixture in a certain package.

It is reasonable to remain the burden for the time being, but if his Snap share does not increase in the coming weeks, it might be time to continue. The most likely path forward is the split of the splitting of the loads with Zaccheeaus or catching him up, but even that may not be enough for consistent imagination.

Cole Boer Every down, every down, remains a tight end despite the presence of Colston Loveland: Loveland was generally limited to two-tight sets.

De Beren spent a first round pick on Colston Loveland to combine with Cole Kmet, and the two saw almost identical use during the preseason, were often used interchangeably. That changed in week 1.

The sleek final rotation was simple: KMET played in all situations, while Loveland was mainly limited to two-tight sets. In some run-heavy packages, even third-stringer Durham Smythe took the field over Loveland. There were only a few plays in which Loveland KMet replaced.

As a result, the KMET share share was slightly lower than at the end of last season, but still higher than his use at the beginning of 2024. He would be a priority fantasy based on playing time only, but his involvement in the passing game was limited outside of one catch of 30 meters. Loveland caught his both goals for 12 meters.

Loveland is worth stabbing, especially given its pedigree in the first round and the heavy use of the preseason in all situations. He is not yet a fantasy -starter, but he has more upside down for a future role expansion than colleague -smokie -burden.

Various notes

• The Vikings had suspended a very simple wide recipient rotation with Jordan Addison. Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor played on every down, while Adam Thilen joined them in sets with three recipients. While Thilen was the final recipient in Carolina, all three of the recipients were over the entire field, comparable to the wide recipient use of the Vikings last season.

• Minnesota Vikings who walked back Zavier Scott was inactive with an ankle injury. Even if he was healthy, there was a chance that he would be inactive because teams usually do not have four halfbacks in the Gameday schedule.

Table notes

• Snaps include plays that are mentioned back because of penalties, including keeping offensive or defensive pass -interference. The other three statistics have removed these plays.

• Goals can differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would come from a clear shot pass, whereby the NFL can give the target to the nearest recipient, while this data does not.• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback Scrambles do not count for the total number of Carry’s in the game.