Should I Drop D'Andre Swift? Fantasy Football Outlook

2024 D'Andre Swift is 2023 Miles Sanders.

Sanders signed a four-year, $25-million contract with Carolina in the 2023 offseason. He was benched due to inefficiency just a few games into the 2023 season. Swift inked a three-year, $24-million deal with the Bears early this offseason. He could be at risk of losing his starting job due to, you guessed it, inefficient running.

Is it enough for fantasy managers to cut ties with Swift and send him to the waiver wire? Let's break it down.

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Should I Drop D'Andre Swift in Fantasy Football?

The Bears rank 31st in rush yards per game (72.7) through three games. Chicago's run blocking has been dreadful, and Swift isn't breaking off chunk gains, even though he rarely sees a stacked box. He has 37 carries for 68 yards (1.84 yards per carry).

D'Andre Swift has 37 carries this season.

Yards gained on each from least to most:
-12, -4, -4, -4, -3, -3, -2, -1, -1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 20

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 23, 2024

Indianapolis entered Week 3 as the worst rush defense in football. Swift's 20 yards on 13 carries helped move them out of the cellar.

To make matters worse, Khalil Herbert has handled most of the carries inside the five-yard line, and Roschon Johnson siphons some of the third-down snaps. Swift is inefficient, not scoring touchdowns and averaging just two catches per game. That's the trifecta of a bad fantasy football running back.

He's still getting plenty of opportunities right now. Swift saw 15 touches against the Colts in Week 3. However, Johnson (in his first real action of the season) got 12 touches and outgained Swift on the ground and through the air. If that continues, the Bears' coaching staff will have no choice but to give Johnson more work. It's not time to drop Swift yet, but it's getting close.

Who Should I Pickup in Week 4 Fantasy Football?

If a fantasy manager wants to make sure they lock down the Chicago backfield, Johnson is the running back to claim. Avoiding the backfield altogether may be the smarter option.

Some backup running backs are outproducing Swift and offer more upside should the starter in front of them suffer an injury. Bucky Irving and Braelon Allen are two waiver-wire names that can be plugged into lineups now while fantasy managers wait for Swift to (possibly) turn the corner.

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