The Chicago Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football to close out Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. It’ll make the official start of the Ben Johnson era in Chicago and feature a quarterback battle between two top-10 picks from last year’s NFL draft in Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy.

When setting your fantasy football lineups this week, there are a handful of players who you should make sure are in your lineup and others who should be left off in this prime-time NFC North matchup.

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Here’s a look at five players in this Bears-Vikings matchup who you should start or sit this week in fantasy football:

5. START: Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson

In J.J. McCarthy’s first career NFL start, T.J. Hockenson should be a security blanket in the passing game for the second-year QB. Hockenson found plenty of success against the Bears last season, totaling 12 receptions for 166 yards in two meetings. It also helps that Chicago’s defense allowed the sixth-most receiver yards to tight ends last season.

4. SIT: Bears TE Colston Loveland

When all is said and done, rookie tight end Colston Loveland could very well emerge as TE1 for the Bears (as soon as a few weeks). But there’s no guarantee that Loveland will be a significant factor in his first ever NFL game in a loaded receiving corp that features wideouts DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus, as well as Cole Kmet. Loveland has developed a trust with quarterback Caleb Williams, but he’ll need to prove it in live game action.

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3. START: Bears RB D’Andre Swift

The biggest thing going for D’Andre Swift is that he should receive a bulk of the carries in an injury-depleted running back room, where Roschon Johnson will likely be out and rookie Kyle Monangai is recovering from a hamstring injury. Then there’s the fact that Swift, who averaged 1,304 scrimmage yards in the last two seasons, is reunited with Ben Johnson, who will not shy away from the ground game.

2. SIT: Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

J.J. McCarthy will make his first NFL start on the road, in prime time and in his hometown on Monday night. While McCarthy has the potential to flourish in this Kevin O’Connell offense, with playmakers like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Adam Thielen, it won’t be immediate success. Not to mention, last year, this Bears defense allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and the fewest touchdowns.

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1. START: Bears WR Rome Oduzne

Rome Odunze didn’t have a great fantasy season last year as the third wide receiver behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. But with Allen back in Los Angeles and Ben Johnson running the show, Odunze is poised for a breakout season. Chicago has no shortage of weapons for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, but Odunze could emerge as WR1 by season’s end. Last year, the Vikings allowed the second-most fantasy points per game and receiving yards to receivers, which bodes well for Odunze.

Get more in-depth fantasy coverage including rankings and cheat sheets at The Huddle.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Fantasy football start/sit: Bears vs. Vikings