A detailed view of the Chicago Bears helmet before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bears opened Packers week without their top two running backs on the practice field Wednesday, as D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai both sat out.
Swift missed practice with hip and knee injuries, while Monangai carried thumb and toe designations. The absences immediately shift attention to the Bears’ backfield ahead of Sunday’s NFC North matchup with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Wednesday's report marks the opening injury checkpoint of the week, not a final ruling on either player's availability. Chicago enters the rivalry matchup with a 3-1 record. ESPN's Adam Schefter took to X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday with the latest on the Bears' running back duo as preparations for the Packers began.
Neither of the Bears’ top two running backs, D'Andre Swift (hip, knee) and Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe), practiced today.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 7, 2026
Monangai enters Packers week after a career-high workload in the Bears’ 23-12 win over the New York Jets. He rushed 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns, with 18 carries coming after Swift’s third-quarter fumble.
Monangai, a 2025 seventh-round pick, underwent an evaluation after leaving late in the game. Ben Johnson said Wednesday that the thumb does not concern the Bears, although the toe designation appeared on the opening injury report.
Swift carried 15 times for 58 yards against New York. His knee had already appeared on the injury report before that game, while the hip designation is new this week.
The timing matters because Chicago leaned heavily on its ground game with Caleb Williams sidelined. The Bears ran 54 times for 232 yards against the Jets, matching the most rushing attempts by a Bears team in a game since 1988. Tyson Bagent will start again Sunday.
Roschon Johnson sits behind Swift and Monangai on the depth chart if either back cannot play. Thursday’s practice report will provide the next update on both players before the Bears visit Green Bay.