Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet missed his first game of the season last week with a back injury. It was a big loss for the Bears as, without him, they had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Baltimore Ravens. In six games this season, Kmet has nine receptions for 132 yards and one TD. His status is still unclear heading into the Bears’ Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
What Happened to Cole Kmet?
Cole Kmet left the Bears’ Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints with a back injury. The severity of the injury was not immediately clear. However, he was unable to be a full participant at practice last week and eventually was ruled out of the game against the Ravens. This was the first time Kmet missed a game in his six-year career.
“First time watching a Bears game since college.”
Cole Kmet after missing his first-ever NFL game: pic.twitter.com/tx6m2cVNTQ
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) October 29, 2025
Is Cole Kmet Playing Week 9?
The Chicago Bears have not provided an official update on Cole Kmet. He is listed as questionable heading into the team’s Week 9 game against Baltimore. On Wednesday, he was a limited participant at practice. This was his first time on the field for practice since sustaining his back injury a little over a week ago.
Kmet’s return to the field is a good sign, but it does not confirm that he will return on Sunday. He will likely remain questionable unless he is upgraded to a full practice participant on Thursday or Friday.
Cole Kmet Fantasy Outlook
Cole Kmet is an impactful player for the Chicago Bears. However, his absence last week should not have been much of an issue for fantasy owners, except in deep leagues. Kmet is not someone who should be rostered in most leagues because he simply does not put up enough counting stats.
In previous seasons, Kmet was an adequate TE option for fantasy owners. Notably, he made 73 receptions for 719 yards and six TDs in 2023. However, the Bears drafted TE Colston Loveland with the 10th pick in the 2025 NFL draft. As a result, the two TEs share the snaps, and neither is particularly viable for fantasy. So, while the status of Kmet is unclear heading into Sunday, his fantasy outlook is not good either way.
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