Let’s cut the fluff: Colston Loveland is the tight end Chicago dreams of, not just because of his eye-popping catches, but his frame is pure matchup nightmare. He’ll be nestled right next to Ben Johnson’s offense, and trust me, that pairing’s gonna be fireworks.
Who the Hell Is Loveland?
- A 6-foot-6, 248 -lb nightmare with catch radius for days and hands that don’t let go — PFF graded him 88.5 over his college career at Michigan, top 8 among Power Five TEs.
- He racked up 117 receptions, 1,466 yards, 11 TDs across 39 games at Michigan. In 2024 alone? 56 catches, 582 yards, 5 scores, broke Michigan’s single-season TE record (ESPN.com).
- PFF had him fourth nationally over two seasons with a 90.8 receiving grade.
He’s not just a vertical threat — yes he has one — but a savvy route-runner built like a defensive end who can shed linebackers, win contested battles, and block. Despite rehabbing a shoulder injury all offseason, Loveland impressed enough in team evaluations to lock down a prominent role from day one.
Bears Scheme = Gold Mine for Loveland
- Ben Johnson magic: According to SumerSports, Johnson was 3rd in 12-personnel usage (two TEs) with Detroit, magical passes into Sam LaPorta. Loveland is literally cut from the same mold.
- Role clarity: Cole Kmet still has his $50M+ extension (Spotrac) and is locked in, but Loveland’s not a backup. He’ll work alongside Kmet but with freedom — a true two-TE set up that confuses defenses.
Rookies Don’t Break Records (Usually)
Rookie tight ends historically — nice guys who run solid routes but get buried by scheming complexities. Inside:
- Top 10 rookie TE average (last decade): ~62 catches, 713 yards, 4.3 TDs.
- CBS Sports Fantasy: projects Loveland at ~47 catches, 501 yards, 4 TDs.
- My projection: 58 receptions, 631 yards, 4 TDs. Not record-smashing, but "hell of a rookie" by any standard.
He’ll likely see 42 snaps per game (~65%), haul in around 4.8 targets/game with that 72% catch rate, yielding 37.1 yards/game.
Context Is King
Loveland steps into a loaded receiver room featuring DJ Moore, first-rounder Rome Odunze, dynamic rookie Luther Burden III, and established TE Cole Kmet. That’s a crowded huddle, no doubt, and it means targets will be a premium. But it also means softer matchups and a lot of single coverage. In Ben Johnson’s system, tight ends feast off play-action and misdirection, and Loveland’s versatility gives him a leg up.
Expect him to rotate across the formation — slot, in-line, H-back — which opens the door for mismatches and red zone targets. Even if he’s not seeing 8+ targets per game, his per-play efficiency should be elite. According to PFF, he’s the kind of tight end who can crack the top-12 in fantasy production without heavy volume, thanks to his ability to convert limited touches into meaningful gains.
Visualizing Rookie TE Stats
| Category | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie TE Avg (Last 10 Yrs) | 62 | 713 | 4.3 |
| Loveland Projection | 58 | 631 | 4 |
In short: he’s almost there, lacking only a handful of targets to break elite rookie ceiling
Why 2025 Will Be Loveland’s Launchpad
- Coach Scheme Fit
Two-TE sets, high athleticism. Johnson is recreating Detroit’s formula. - NFL-Caliber Tools
Elite receiving grade (top 4 nationally), plus stout blocking — he fits traditional schemes and modern-minded ones. - Opportunity
Kmet isn’t going away, but neither is rotation — Loveland’s athletic virtue earns snaps. - No QB excuses
Unlike Michigan’s shaky passing game, Chicago’s rookie QB Caleb Williams hits love-in-the-chest routes; Loveland’s stand out in studio tape.
Final Verdict
Loveland’s rookie year isn’t heading for comparison with Brock Bowers or Sam LaPorta, but that’s not the point. The objective is fantasy-relevant volume, red zone roles, and consistency, and he nails all three.
Let’s summarize:
- Snap Share (~65%): Full-time starting role.
- Targets (80–85): Solid chunk of passing volumes.
- Receptions (55–60): Reliable TE1 territory.
- Yards (600–650): TE2 upper echelon.
- TDs (4–5): Realistic, maybe even optimistic counts.
My bold take? Loveland finishes third among rookies in receptions & yards, grabs top-10 TE fantasy ranking, and becomes a weekly must-start — all without hogging the headlines like Bowers did.
Add a few highlight TDs and he’s the sleeper nobody expected — but everybody’ll talk about.
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