Vikings at Bears Single-Game FanDuel NFL DFS Picks for Monday Night Football

Following Sunday's clash between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, we'll get another NFC North showdown on Monday Night Football with the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Chicago Bears to cap off Week 1. Head coach Ben Johnson will be making his debut for the Bears while J.J. McCarthy is making his first start under center for the Vikings, so both offenses should look a bit different from last season.

For those unfamiliar with single-game NFL DFS on FanDuel, single-game slates feature five flex spots with identical scoring to the main slate. However, kickers are included in these contests, and there is an "MVP" roster slot. The MVP receives 1.5 times his total fantasy points, but beginning in 2025 on FanDuel, their salary also increases 1.5 times.

Here are players worth considering for tonight's game.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Vikings at Bears NFL DFS Picks

MVP Candidates

Justin Jefferson ($22,200 MVP/$14,800 FLEX) -- With Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games of the 2025 season, Justin Jefferson should see even more looks in the passing attack for the Vikings. Even though the circumstances are now different and it was a small sample, Jefferson tallied team-high marks in receiving yards per game (107.0), target share (30.6%), air yards share (49.9%), and yards per route run (4.12) whenever Addison was sidelined for Week 2 and Week 3 of last year (via Next Gen Stats). Making Jefferson your MVP does require you to place confidence in McCarthy performing well in his first career start.

Caleb Williams ($18,900 MVP/$12,600 FLEX) -- It wasn't smooth sailing for Caleb Williams in his rookie season with the Bears, but he did produce 29.9 FanDuel points (FDPs) against the Vikings at home last season, and he now has Ben Johnson calling the plays on offense. Along with expecting Williams to make improvements as a passer in an improved environment, he does provide a solid floor due to his rushing production despite facing a Minnesota defense that loves to be aggressive under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Our projections have Williams forecasted for the second-most FDPs (16.4) on Monday's slate.

J.J. McCarthy ($18,000 MVP/$12,000 FLEX) -- There is some uncertainty surrounding J.J. McCarthy ahead of his debut in the NFL, but it's hard not to like the situation he's in, as we've seen head coach Kevin O'Connell make the likes of Nick Mullens and Joshua Dobbs look good in his offense. While it remains to be seen how much McCarthy uses his legs after suffering a torn meniscus that kept him sidelined for his rookie campaign in 2024, it does help to have a superstar like Jefferson to get the ball to. If McCarthy is fully healthy and doesn't have any limitations, he has the potential to be the best MVP choice of the bunch.

Flex Targets

D.J. Moore ($10,200) -- You could make an argument for just about any pass catcher in Chicago's revamped offense, but D.J. Moore stands out due to his consistency over the years. In addition to Moore finishing last season as the WR16 in NFL DFS, his 6.1 yards after the catch per reception in 2024 (14th among WRs with 50-plus targets, per PFF) makes him a valuable weapon in Johnson's scheme. With Keenan Allen no longer in the picture, Moore's 26.6% target share and team-high 30.9% red-zone target share from a season ago should make him Williams' go-to option in the passing game.

Adam Thielen ($7,800) -- As mentioned above, Addison is inactive for the Vikings, which prompted Minnesota to reunite with veteran Adam Thielen via trade before the season began. Although Jalen Nailor ($4,000) could also see more playing time -- and provides us with salary relief -- amid the absence of Addison, Thielen should operate as the team's primary slot receiver to begin the year, and he showed he still has some gas left in the tank with the 24th-most yards per route run (2.06) among wideouts with 50-plus targets while catching passes on the Carolina Panthers last season. Even though the Bears now have a different defensive coordinator in place, they allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to slot receivers (14.5) a season ago, per RazzBall.

Jordan Mason ($5,800) -- Despite Aaron Jones ($10,400) still being the starting back for the Vikings, they acquired Jordan Mason in a trade during the offseason, and all signs point toward him having an immediate role alongside Jones. On single-game slates, picking the players who find the end zone is crucial, and Mason is a fantastic salary-saving option due to his potential role when Minnesota gets into the red zone or in short-yardage situations. Considering that Mason isn't much of a factor in the passing attack with 14 career receptions across his first three seasons in the NFL, rostering him is better in lineups where you're building around the Vikings playing with a lead.

Colston Loveland ($5,400) -- We'll need to wait and see what Roschon Johnson's ($4,400) status is for Monday night's contest, as his absence could lead to D'Andre Swift ($9,400) and rookie Kyle Monangai ($1,400) receiving boosts on the ground. That being said, rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland is someone I want to be aggressive in taking early in the season due to the fact he could have a bigger role than expected despite Cole Kmet still being involved in the offense. Aside from Loveland being the first player selected in the Ben Johnson era, there's a chance he sees snaps out of the slot in Chicago's new-look offense because of his elite receiving upside from the tight end position.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.