It’s looking like D’Onta Foreman will be starting at running back for the Bears this week. Their top 2 other backs haven’t practiced at all the last two days.
Khalil Herbert left the Washington game with an ankle injury. I don’t think we’ll see him in Week 7 either. Roschon Johnson has been their 2nd-string back, but he’s in the concussion protocol. Per the team-issued report, neither Herbert nor Johnson practiced at all on Wednesday or Thursday.
Foreman hasn’t been active for the team’s last four games, but he’s not a typical 3rd-string back. He just happens to be stuck behind a pair of backs the team likes more.
Foreman was productive in the second half of last season for Carolina. After the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey, Foreman in the final 12 weeks of the season ran for 877 yards – 3rd-most in the league.
In the offseason, Foreman signed a one-year deal with Chicago for $2 million. He ran fine in the preseason, carrying 8 times for 32 yards. Had the Bears not been intrigued by Johnson (who backed up Bijan Robinson at Texas) I think they would have been comfortable with Foreman as their No. 2 tailback this year.
There are a couple of other teams working in new backs this week – Arizona, Miami – but Foreman to me looks like the safest choice to be in a featured role.
| LEADING RUSHINGS, 2022 (Weeks 7-18) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| Josh Jacobs, L.V. | 249 | 1163 | 4.7 | 9 |
| Derrick Henry, Ten. | 245 | 1130 | 4.6 | 8 |
| • D'Onta Foreman, Car. | 191 | 877 | 4.6 | 5 |
| Nick Chubb, Cle. | 192 | 876 | 4.6 | 5 |
| Travis Etienne, Jac. | 166 | 824 | 5.0 | 5 |
| Kenneth Walker III, Sea. | 184 | 807 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 156 | 800 | 5.1 | 3 |
| Miles Sanders, Phil. | 154 | 784 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Najee Harris, Pitt. | 189 | 770 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Christian McCaffrey, S.F. | 159 | 746 | 4.7 | 6 |
| Jamaal Williams, Det. | 185 | 734 | 4.0 | 11 |
| Dalvin Cook, Min. | 170 | 723 | 4.3 | 4 |
| Tony Pollard, Dall. | 138 | 715 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Brian Robinson, Was. | 179 | 715 | 4.0 | 1 |
| Aaron Jones, G.B. | 143 | 712 | 5.0 | 1 |
| Saquon Barkley, NYG | 176 | 696 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 139 | 681 | 4.9 | 4 |
| Latavius Murray, Den. | 145 | 637 | 4.4 | 5 |
| Cam Akers, LAR | 137 | 635 | 4.6 | 6 |
Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com
—Ian Allan