D'Andre Swift or Jeremiyah Love: Toss-Up — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Too close to call — the edges cancel out.

D'Andre Swift and Jeremiyah Love grade out even this week. Swift's best edge is the game script (23.5 implied points to 17.0), Love's best edge is the projection (14.7 to 12.3) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.

D'Andre Swift

RB20CHIvs CAR

10.511.412.3 Projected Points

Start· medium

Jeremiyah Love

RB17ARIvs LAC

11.012.814.7 Projected Points

Sit

Why D'Andre Swift

Start· medium

RB1 and lead back. Explosive one-cut runner off 1,000-plus rushing yards with steady passing-game usage.

Swift is the locked-in Bears starter (58% snaps, 10% target share) and RB21 with 12.3 projected — a fine flex/RB2 as a 2.5-point favorite.

Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
CAR ranks 21 of 32 against RBs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 23.5 team points as 2.5-point favorites.
Listed RB on the latest depth chart with a 58% snap share in 2025.

The call

Role is the case: the post-cuts depth chart lists Swift as the starting back ahead of Monangai and Johnson, and he's held a 58% snap share with a 10% target share — three-down volume in PPR.
RB21 at 12.3 projected points is a usable RB2/flex in a 12-team league; you're not benching that for a replacement-level option.
Game script cooperates — Chicago is a 2.5-point favorite with a 23.5 implied total, which points to a positive-script workload and goal-line looks.
The one caution: the Carolina DvP composite (21 of 32) is built on a 0-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so treat the matchup as neutral rather than a boost.

Latest on Swift

Verified

RoleThe Bears' depth chart following final roster cuts lists D'Andre Swift as the starting running back, with Kyle Monangai as the backup and Roschon Johnson third.Sports Illustrated · Aug 31, 2026

Fantasy football buzz: D'Andre Swift and Rome Odunze are injured ... now what?

With D'Andre Swift and Rome Odunze both leaving practice early, fantasy managers might need to reconsider their strategy if drafting Thursday night.

ESPN · Sep 3, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Jeremiyah Love

Sit

Rookie RB in a committee backfield. Explosive big-play back with breakaway speed and pass-game receiving upside.

Sit — RB17 consensus, projects RB16 this week: LAC is the 8th-toughest matchup vs RBs, 17.0 implied team total caps the ceiling.

Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
LAC ranks 8 of 32 against RBs (one of the tougher matchups, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 17.0 team points as 11.5-point underdogs.
Listed RB on the latest depth chart.

Latest on Love

Prop bets, outlooks and projections for the 2026 NFL rookie class

Which rookies will make an impact in 2026? Here's our favorite first-year players to bet and how we think they'll fare.

ESPN · Sep 5, 2026

Where is an appropriate spot to draft Jeremiyah Love in fantasy?

ESPN · Aug 31, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	D'Andre Swift	Jeremiyah Love
Projected points	10.511.412.3	11.012.814.7
Consensus rank	RB20	RB17
Opponent vs position	CAR · 21 of 320-game sample	LAC · 8 of 320-game sample
Rushing Yards	25 of 32	9 of 32
Rushing TDs	24 of 32	12 of 32
Rushing Attempts	25 of 32	6 of 32
Receptions	17 of 32	6 of 32
Receiving Yards	13 of 32	7 of 32
Anytime TD	23 of 32	6 of 32
Target share	10%(2025)	—
Reception share	11%(2025)	—
Implied total · spread	23.5-2.5	17.0+11.5
Depth chart	RB1	RB1
Snap share	58%(2025)	—
Injury designation	Q	Questionable
Start/Sit record	0–0+1 toss-up	—