Start Colston Loveland over Deebo Samuel Sr. — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Loveland’s trusted TE1 role edges Deebo’s bigger-volume flex profile

Loveland gets the nod because his TE1 receiving role and pass-catching mismatch profile offer a cleaner weekly path than Deebo’s lower-ranked flex profile. Chicago’s description of Loveland as one of Caleb Williams’ most trusted pass catchers (chicagobears.com 2026-08-04) gives more weight to his solid team outlook and target share. Deebo’s 24% target share and hybrid usage are real advantages, but the risk is that his 72% snap rate produces another low-impact workload, while Loveland’s 65% share leaves less margin for missed opportunities.

What flips it: A confirmed expansion of Deebo’s weekly touch or route workload.

Sources: chicagobears.com · Aug 4, 2026

AI editor

Colston Loveland

TE3CHIvs CAR

7.39.712.0 Projected Points

Start

Deebo Samuel Sr.

WR55SFvs LAR

5.87.38.9 Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium

Why Colston Loveland

Start

TE1 and pass-catching mismatch. Seam-stretching move tight end with flex alignment and rising target volume.

Start — every-week TE start at consensus TE3: 16% target share in 2025, 12.0 PPR projected vs CAR.

His trusted role gives a 65% snap rate a more reliable target path than the raw usage gap suggests.
TE1 deployment and flex alignment make his scoring path sturdier than a typical lower-end tight end.

Latest on Loveland

Role

Colston Loveland remains one of quarterback Caleb Williams' most trusted pass catchers.

'He's just a sponge right now': How Colston Loveland is evolving ahead of Year 2 chicagobears.com · Aug 4, 2026

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Why Deebo Samuel Sr.

Toss-Up· medium

Starting WR and hybrid weapon. Yards-after-catch bully used on jet sweeps and manufactured touches.

24% target share and 72% snaps keep him PPR-relevant, but an 8.9-point projection and WR55 rank make him a flex-only dart.

Manufactured touches and yards-after-catch ability create upside beyond his ordinary route volume.
His target share is the best volume signal here, but WR55 status makes the upside fragile.

The call

Usage is the case for him: a 24% target share over 16 games with 72% snaps is genuine WR1-level volume for this offense, and in PPR that volume creates a real catch floor even on short throws.
The projection disagrees — 8.9 points and a WR55 consensus rank put him behind most starting-caliber options in a 12-team league, so he's a flex play rather than a lineup lock.
Matchup offers no edge: the Rams grade 21 of 32 in the DvP composite, and that number carries a 0-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so treat it as neutral rather than a reason to start.
A 22.8 implied total with a 3.0 spread points to a competitive, moderate-scoring script. If you need ceiling, look elsewhere; if you need floor at flex, the target share plays.
No injury designation, so the role is intact — the question is purely whether your bench has a higher-upside option.

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Head-to-head stats

Metric	Colston Loveland	Deebo Samuel Sr.
Projected points	7.39.712.0	5.87.38.9
Consensus rank	TE3	WR55
Opponent vs position	CAR · 12 of 320-game sample	LAR · 21 of 320-game sample
Receptions	11 of 32	23 of 32
Receiving Yards	24 of 32	23 of 32
Receiving TDs	9 of 32	14 of 32
Targets	9 of 32	27 of 32
Anytime TD	9 of 32	18 of 32
Target share	16%(2025)	24%(2025)
Reception share	19%(2025)	27%(2025)
Implied total · spread	23.5-2.5	22.8+3.0
Depth chart	TE1	WR2
Snap share	65%(2025)	72%(2025)
Start/Sit record	—	0–0+1 toss-up