Luther

Burden

Burden also had one carry for three yards. Rome Odunze missed this contest with a stress fracture in his foot. Burden, in turn, led the team in catches, yards, and targets. He finished the day 25 yards clear of Cole Kmet, the team’s No. 2 receiver by yards. It wasn’t an elite showing from the rookie, but it’s good to see him stepping up as the team’s top wideout, even if the counting stats were underwhelming. Assuming Oduzne is out again next week, Burden will hold a spot in the WR3 ranks versus Cleveland.

We do not yet know Odunze’s Friday practice participation level, but he was sidelined on Wednesday and Thursday. We suspect he was again unable to go today. Odunze’s 23.9 percent team target share leads all Bears pass catchers by at least 8.0 percent. Removing him from the offense frees up a significant number of opportunities for WR DJ Moore, WR Luther Burden and TE Colston Loveland. All three receive a small bump in their potential ceiling outcomes.

Burden ended up leading the Bears in receptions on a day where Caleb Williams had to deal with significant wind and also just missed on some throws. The rookie continues to see his volume increase, and there’s a lot of reason to believe in the second-round pick in the coming seasons. It’s just impossible to treat him as more than a risky FLEX play in 2025, and that’s certainly true for Week 14 against the Packers in Green Bay.

With his snap share continuing to increase, Burden has now caught three passes in three straight games, though he’s yet to exceed 51 yards receiving in the process. The Bears know how dangerous Burden is with the ball in his hands, but it can still be a bit of an ordeal to get it there. Hopefully that continues to change down the stretch of the season. For all his untapped potential and upside, Burden will be a shaky WR4 for Week 13 against the Eagles on the road.

“You get what you earn,” Johnson said. “And I think he’s earned the increased snaps. He’s steadily climbed.” It seems to be confirmation that Burden’s Week 11 ascension ahead of Olamide Zaccheaus will be a permanent feature. It seems like a long-overdue move, though Burden was always more raw as a prospect than some draftniks would have probably liked to admit. Burden is a big play waiting to happen with the ball in his hands, but it still takes some effort to get it there, while the Bears prefer a balanced approach on offense. Burden is growing more viable as a WR4, but he is still someone who is probably best left on 12-team league benches for the time being.

Burden saw more playing time than usual, logging a pass route on 23 of the Bears’ 37 drop backs. Olamide Zaccheaus, who has operated as the team’s primary slot receiver this season, ran just nine routes on the day and was not targeted. It’s a potentially significant development — one that suggests Ben Johnson and the Bears are ready to ramp up the explosive rookie, who has more than two receptions in just four games this season. Burden is a good waiver wire addition for receiver-needy fantasy teams ahead of Chicago’s Week 12 game against the Steelers.

Burden, returning from a concussion, logged a pass route on 21 of the team’s 38 drop backs and was fourth among Chicago pass catchers with three targets. Burden had a critical catch in the fourth quarter on a must-take third down as the Bears came back for the second straight week. Burden could see more snaps and routes if DJ Moore misses time with the shoulder injury he sustained Sunday against New York. The rookie could be a usable WR3/4 option in Week 11 against the Vikings.

Moore landed hard on his right arm in the second quarter and did not return to the game after halftime. He would seem to be done for the day. Moore had zero catches on three targets before he sustained the shoulder injury. He’s been mostly used as a gadget player in Ben Johnson’s offense this year. A Moore absence could open up more snaps and routes for Luther Burden.

Burden missed Week 9 with the brain injury. A full practice to open the week means he should be able to clear the league’s concussion protocol ahead of the Bears’ upcoming matchup with the Giants. Burden isn’t on the fantasy radar unless one of Rome Odunze or DJ Moore, both of whom were held out of practice today, misses Week 10.

The Bears will be without their lead back for the first time in 2025. That leaves rookie RB Kyle Monangai as the team’s default RB1 against one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL. Monangai, who has 20 carries over his past two outings, should be in every 12-team league fantasy lineup today, facing a Bengals defense allowing 133 rushing yards per game this season. Burden’s absence should mean more routes and targets for Olamide Zaccheaus.