The Chicago Bears prepare for their Week 17 home matchup following their disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. Rome Odunze has now missed two consecutive games with a stress fracture in his foot. Will fantasy football managers have the talented sophomore receiver available for the final stretch?
Rome Odunze Injury Update
Odunze had not missed a game until Week 14. The second-year receiver suited up for all 12 of the Bears’ first 12 games, providing consistency for the team’s passing attack. After Odunze did not practice on Wednesday before Week 14, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Bears receiver has been playing with a stress fracture in his foot.​
The injury has been an issue for a significant part of the season. Odunze first appeared on the injury report due to his heel issue in the week preceding the Bears’ game against Cincinnati. Pelissero reported the injury is not expected to be a long-term issue, and the wideout will likely be considered week-to-week going forward.​
Odunze surprisingly returned to practice after just one week off, getting in three limited sessions ahead of Week 15. He wound up being activated for Week 15, but did not play. In a bizarre scenario, the Bears seemed to think a broken foot would somehow get better with just one game off. Odunze’s injury was apparently so problematic that he could not make it through pregame warmups without aggravating it.​ He was ruled out five minutes before kickoff, undoubtedly leaving many fantasy managers unwittingly starting a zero.
The situation did not improve heading into Week 16. Odunze did not practice at all last week and did not play against the Packers.​
The stress fracture in his foot has no chance of being fully healed after missing just a few weeks. Stress fractures in the foot typically require several weeks to months for complete healing, depending on severity. The fact that Odunze could not even practice suggests the injury remains problematic.​
The Bears are in a difficult position with their receivers. They need Odunze with Luther Burden III also hurt, but they also need to be careful about his long term health.
Odunze’s Fantasy Outlook
With Odunze sidelined, Burden has emerged as a significant factor in the Bears’ passing attack. The rookie receiver had six catches on seven targets for 84 yards before exiting with an ankle injury in the third quarter against Cleveland in Week 15. He tied his career high with six receptions, and his 84 receiving yards marked the second-highest total of his career.​
However, Burden also missed Week 16 with his ankle injury. DJ Moore becomes the clear WR1 option in Chicago’s passing attack when both Odunze and Burden are unavailable. Moore remains capable of delivering fantasy value when given opportunities.​
RELATED: Free Fantasy Football Start/Sit Optimizer
Olamide Zaccheaus profiles as the next receiver in line for targets. With limited healthy receivers available, Zaccheaus could continue seeing increased work alongside Moore. However, Zaccheaus remains a risky fantasy option given the Bears’ run-heavy offensive approach.​
Fantasy managers rostering Odunze should not expect him to play in Week 17. The Bears have already secured a playoff spot and have no incentive to rush their receiver back from a stress fracture. The smart move is to shut Odunze down for the regular season and give the foot adequate time to heal before the playoffs.​
