Bears' Cole Kmet: Listed as co-starter entering Year 7
Rotowire
Kmet is listed as a starting tight end along with Colston Loveland on the Bears' unofficial depth chart heading into the Sept. 13 season opener versus the Panthers.
The Bears make ample use of 12- and 13-personnel groupings that will allow Kmet and Loveland to frequently share the field together, but Loveland remains the clear top receiving option of the two and will be a featured part of the passing game. Kmet, meanwhile, will function primarily as a blocker, though he's not a total non-entity as a receiver. The 27-year-old churned out a career-best 73-719-6 receiving line on 90 targets in 2023, though Kmet's production has fallen off precipitously over the past two seasons. That trend may only continue into 2026 while Loveland preps for a heightened role after he was more of a part-time player for the first half of his rookie campaign.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Low-volume role continues
Rotowire
Kmet caught two of three targets for 16 yards in the Bears' 19-16 loss to the Lions on Sunday.
Kmet finished the regular season with 30 receptions (on 48 targets) for 347 yards and two touchdowns while catching two or fewer passes in all but three games. He was held under 20 receiving yards nine times and frequently operated as a blocker in two-tight-end sets alongside rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland. Kmet is signed with Chicago through 2027 but projects as a low-ceiling fantasy option if his usage remains unchanged.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Low-volume role persists
Rotowire
Kmet caught both targets for 16 yards in the Bears' 42-38 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.
Kmet has caught two or three passes in five straight contests, including two targets in this game while operating behind Colston Loveland. After posting between 28 and 45 receiving yards in four of those games, he has been held to 16 yards or fewer in his last two. The limited target volume keeps him confined to deep-league tight end consideration.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Low-volume usage persists
Rotowire
Kmet caught two passes for 14 yards on three targets in the Bears' 22-16 overtime win over the Packers on Saturday.
Kmet has caught exactly two passes in four straight contests, continuing to operate as the secondary tight end behind Colston Loveland. This marked his first game under 28 receiving yards during that stretch, but the low number of receptions limits his fantasy upside, keeping him confined to deep-league fantasy consideration.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Suiting up in Week 16
Rotowire
Kmet (ankle/knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Packers.
Kmet opened Week 16 prep with a limited walkthrough Tuesday and limited practice Wednesday due to ankle and knee injuries before progressing to all activity Thursday. He told Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network after the latter session that he intended to play Saturday, which now will come to pass. Despite handling between 63 and 79 percent of the offensive snaps in each of the last six contests, Kmet has put together just a 14-159-1 line on 18 targets, while rookie TE Colston Loveland has earned similar snap shares but compiled a 22-264-2 line on 29 targets during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Questonable for Week 16
Rotowire
Kmet (ankle/knee) was a full participant in Thursday's practice and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Packers.
Kmet was limited during Tuesday's walk-through practice and during Wednesday's session, but after logging a full practice Thursday, he said afterward that he plans to play Saturday, per Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network. That said, official word on Kmet's status may not arrive until the Bears release their inactive list roughly 90 minutes before Saturday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff. If he suits up against Green Bay, Kmet will contribute at tight end alongside rookie Colston Loveland.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Limited in practice
Rotowire
Kmet (ankle) was a limited practice participant Wednesday.
The Bears also listed Kmet as limited after Tuesday's walk-through. He handled his normal role during Sunday's blowout win over Cleveland, playing 72 percent of snaps on offense while catching two of four targets for 28 yards.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Held to two receptions again
Rotowire
Kmet recorded two receptions on four targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 31-3 win over the Browns.
Kmet finished fourth on the team in targets, notably one behind Colston Loveland. Kmet did manage a long reception of 17 yards, and both of his targets came deep in Cleveland territory. While there are some positives to take away from Kmet's performance, he remains a peripheral part of Chicago's offense.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Usage remains limited
Rotowire
Kmet caught one pass for three yards on one target in the Bears' 31-28 win over the Steelers on Sunday.
Kmet is coming off a season-high five catches for 45 yards last week, but he has 10 or fewer yards and two or fewer targets in five of his last six games, including one target Sunday. With Colston Loveland taking on the lead receiving tight end role, Kmet profiles as touchdown-dependent tight end depth.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Paces team in receiving in win
Rotowire
Kmet caught all five of his targets for 45 yards in the Bears' 19-17 win over the Vikings on Sunday.
Kmet dealt with a back issue during the practice week, but it clearly didn't hamper him in Chicago's victory, as the veteran tight end paced the team in catches and receiving yards while finishing tied for second with his five targets. Kmet has just one touchdown on the season and has yet to reach 50 receiving yards in a single contest. He's recorded 16 catches for 192 yards and one score on 28 targets through nine games.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Returns to full participation
Rotowire
Kmet (back) returned to full practice participation Thursday.
Kmet upgraded to full participation Thursday after being limited by a back injury Wednesday, putting him on track to suit up Sunday against the Vikings. Rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland has overtaken Kmet as the primary option at tight end in Chicago's passing game.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Limited in practice Wednesday
Rotowire
Kmet (back) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.
Kmet cleared the concussion protocol in time to suit up for Chicago's comeback win over the Giants in Week 10, but he appears to have sustained a back injury during that contest. If the veteran tight end is able to resume handling full reps Thursday and/or Friday, he'll have a solid chance to avoid carrying an injury designation entirely for Sunday's road matchup against the Vikings. Kmet has drawn two or fewer targets in four consecutive appearances, with most routes for the tight end position instead going the way of rookie Colston Loveland.
Kmet caught one pass for five yards on two targets in the Bears' 24-20 win over the Giants on Sunday.
Kmet has two or fewer targets in six of eight contests this season and has 16 or fewer yards in each of his last four games. His recent usage leaves him as tight end depth who is difficult to start outside of leagues with very thin options.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Avoids injury designation
Rotowire
Kmet (concussion) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Giants.
Fantasy interest in Kmet himself is perhaps at an all-time low, but his return could have an impact in the form of fewer snaps and routes for rookie Colston Loveland, who put up 118 yards and two TDs at Cincinnati last week. The Bears face another vulnerable defense this Sunday, so Loveland should still have some opportunities even if he cedes some playing time to Kmet.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Upgrades to full activity
Rotowire
Kmet (concussion) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Kmet was forced out of this past Sunday's 47-42 win over the Bengals and was later diagnosed with a concussion, but he appears to be making rapid progress through the five-step protocol. After opening Week 10 prep Wednesday as a limited participant, Kmet has taken another step forward by practicing fully Thursday. He'll still need to gain clearance from an independent neurologist in order to suit up this weekend, but he appears to have a real chance at being available for Sunday's game against the Giants. If Kmet plays, however, he may have to settle for a smaller role than he's handled for most of the season; rookie tight end Colston Loveland broke out with a 6-118-2 receiving line on seven targets in the win over the Bengals and may have earned himself a larger share of the playing time as a result.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Possible concussion
Rotowire
Kmet is under evaluation for a possible concussion during Sunday's contest at Cincinnati.
Kmet visited the medical tent in the second quarter and then walked to the locker room before the Bears made this announcement. At the time of his departure, he'd hauled in one of two targets for 10 yards and also was 0-for-1 passing. Rookie first-rounder Colston Loveland is poised for more work for as long as Kmet is sidelined.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Cleared to return
Rotowire
Kmet (back) was a full practice participant Friday and doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Bengals.
Kmet will return from a one-game absence and likely continue rotating with rookie Colston Loveland, who caught three passes for 38 yards in the loss to Baltimore last week. A favorable matchup with the Bengals should lead to some TE production, but it's hard to say which guy will come out ahead in terms of snaps and routes, never mind targets.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: First career absence in Week 8
Rotowire
Kmet (back) won't play Sunday against the Ravens.
Kmet will miss a regular-season game for the first time in his NFL career after starting his career with a 90-game ironman streak. Rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland is expected to see increased usage in Kmet's absence. Head coach Ben Johnson deemed Kmet "week-to-week" Friday but said the tight end isn't a candidate to go on injured reserve, per Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: Sits out another practice
Rotowire
Kmet (back) was a non-participant in Thursday's practice.
Kmet didn't take any reps for the second day in a row and may be trending toward missing Sunday's game in Baltimore. Before the Bears decide whether Kmet takes a designation into the weekend or gets ruled out for Sunday's contest, the team will wait and see if he's able to log any on-field work Friday. Rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland would be in line for a hefty snap count at tight end if Kmet is unable to play in Baltimore.
... See More... See Less
Bears' Cole Kmet: No impact in passing game
Rotowire
Kmet caught one of two targets for zero yards in the Bears' 25-24 win over the Commanders on Monday.
Even with 2025 first-round pick Colston Loveland struggling to stay healthy and adjust to the NFL, Kmet hasn't been a big factor in the Chicago offense. The veteran tight end has 10 or fewer yards in two of his last three games en route to an 8-116-1 line for the season on 18 targets, leaving him as a depth fantasy option.
