Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland has drawn comparisons to Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions, and it's easy to see why. Both were highly touted prospects entering the NFL and notably share one common denominator: Ben Johnson.
Johnson was LaPorta's offensive coordinator in Detroit and is now Loveland's head coach in Chicago. The Bears' new leader kicked off his reign by surprising everyone and handpicking the latter with the 2025 No. 10 overall selection. An investment of this magnitude is a massive vote of confidence and belief in the player.
Naturally, Loveland's draft pedigree and how productive LaPorta's first two seasons with the Lions and Johnson calling the plays have fans excited. Not just Bears Nation, but fantasy football managers are pumped too. However, should those who partake in the virtual gridiron game be this optimistic?
Fantasy football managers should be wary of Colston Loveland's shoulder injury
All that glitters isn't gold. Everyone loves taking the shiny toys in fantasy, but there are plenty of reasons to avoid Loveland. First and foremost, his health is already in question as he recovers from a shoulder injury he suffered in college that required offseason surgery.
Loveland sat out organized team activities (OTAs) and all but the last day of mandatory minicamp, so he's already behind the eight ball. He's expected to be ready at "some point" in training camp, according to Johnson (h/t ESPN's Courtney Cronin). That's a lot of valuable missed time, especially for someone acclimating to the pros.
Colston Loveland's role as a rookie remains a question mark
Cole Kmet is an established veteran tight end who has developed into a focal point of Chicago's scoring unit. Not to mention, he's the first player general manager Ryan Poles signed to a multi-year extension during his tenure, and a lucrative one at that. The 26-year-old isn't just going to disappear, even if Johnson sought out Loveland.
Moreover, the Bears boast one of the league's deepest receiver rooms. D.J. Moore is a fringe top-12 wideout and is getting paid like one. 2024 No. 9 pick Rome Odunze is on the rise and set to see an expanded role with Keenan Allen out of the picture. Then, there's fellow rookie Luther Burden III, who's also been dealing with an injury and starting on the wrong foot.
If there's anyone who knows how to make all of the pieces fit, it's Johnson. Yet, the Lions were among the run-heaviest squads in football in 2024, which also complicates matters. Detroit was seventh in rushing play percentage (47.76) entering the playoffs.
Nonetheless, Loveland has no shortage of competition for targets, and that doesn't include running back D'Andre Swift, who's a capable pass-catcher out of the backfield. He figures to be an integral part of Johnson and Chicago's long-term plans, but his immediate future isn't as clear.
Ben Johnson set fantasy managers up for Colston Loveland to disappoint as a rookie
Loveland wasn't even regarded as the top tight end of his class; Tyler Warren (whom the Indianapolis Colts later chose) was. But Johnson went against the grain after comparing the Michigan product to ... you guessed it: LaPorta.
"You remind me a lot of [LaPorta]," Johnson told Loveland before drafting him (h/t Cronin). "Obviously, we did a lot of things with LaPorta ... I can see you doing a lot of those things as well."
The comments from Johnson, combined with reaching for Loveland, only added fuel to the LaPorta similarity fire. Despite context clues pointing toward a potential sleeper (Loveland's currently the PPR TE18 in FantasyPros' consensus expert rankings), the circumstances aren't favorable. The reality of the situation is that Kmet's presence remains, and Moore/Odunze/Burden will get theirs. Plus, the Bears could very well lean on their ground game.