Sometimes a player’s early-season line tells a bigger story than the score around him. For Colston Loveland, one catch on five targets for three yards ahead of a Monday night home game against the Philadelphia Eagles is less a one-night blip than a reminder that the Bears have not yet turned his talent into reliable production.
That is a sharp change from the second half of Loveland’s rookie season, when he became a factor for the Chicago Bears and looked like the kind of second-year pass-catcher fantasy managers wanted to build around. Entering 2026, the expectation was not simply that he would contribute, but that he could settle into TE1 territory. Instead, the numbers have been stubbornly quiet.
Why the production has lagged
The simplest explanation is that the Bears have not needed to lean on Loveland as a pass-game centerpiece. The source notes that Chicago has been content to use him as an improved run-blocker, which helps the offense in ways that do not always show up in fantasy box scores. That role matters, but it also limits the volume that usually drives tight end value.
The context around the first two weeks of 2026 matters too. In Week 1, the Bears scored 59 points against the Carolina Panthers, so there was no reason to force-feed any one target. In Week 2, a torrential downpour in Chicago and Brian Flores’ aggressive blitzing defense disrupted the passing game, and Caleb Williams also suffered a fourth-quarter injury. That combination helps explain why Loveland’s usage has not yet matched preseason hopes.
It is also worth saying that this is not the profile of a player who has disappeared. He has still drawn targets, even if the results have been thin. Five targets for one catch is not what managers want, but it does suggest the Bears are still looking his way rather than shelving him entirely.
Should fantasy managers still trust him?
For now, yes — but with realistic expectations. Loveland’s slow start does not erase the case for him as a TE1, especially if backup quarterbacks are asked to play more while Williams is out. Tight ends often gain value when offenses simplify and lean on shorter, safer throws, and that is where Loveland can still become more useful.
The important distinction is between short-term frustration and long-term role. Right now, the stat line looks like a waiting game, and that is exactly how it should be read. The Bears have not yet built their passing attack around Loveland, but they also have not closed the door on a bigger role. The gap between those two realities is where his fantasy outlook still lives.
If anything, the next few weeks will say more about the Bears’ willingness to adapt than about Loveland’s ability to produce. He remains the same player who flashed as a rookie. The question is whether Chicago is ready to let that version show up more often.
