Cole Kmet, tight end for the Chicago Bears, is currently dealing with ankle and knee injuries, leading to his questionable status for the vital Week 16 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on Saturday night. Despite the concerns, Kmet has shown positive signs by practicing throughout the week, including a full session on Thursday.
While the Bears have not yet confirmed whether Kmet will play, he expressed confidence in his playing status during interactions with reporters, as noted by Adam Hoge of ALLCHICAGO.com. Final confirmation regarding Kmet’s availability will be made approximately an hour and a half before the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff when both teams will announce their inactive players.
As for fantasy football implications, Kmet’s performance has declined significantly this season, currently ranking as TE37 overall heading into Week 16, which is a stark contrast to his previous elite status. The emergence of rookie tight end Colston Loveland and the overall competition in the Bears’ passing game have contributed to his decreased production. However, with two wide receivers out for the Bears, Luther Burden and Rome Odunze, there may be an opportunity for Kmet to step up and become more involved.
Despite the potential for increased targets, Kmet faces a challenging matchup against the Packers, who have allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season. Given Kmet’s overall decline and the tough matchup, he might be best left on the bench for those in fantasy playoffs unless facing dire injury situations.
The Bears and their fans will be looking for Kmet’s performance to rebound, and if he does take the field, it could offer a glimmer of hope amidst the current struggles of the team’s passing game.