Fantasy football is a game all about timing, and the time is now to pounce. Luther Burden is a high-pedigree receiver who is available in the vast majority of sites across the industry, and he could be the difference between a nice run for you this postseason and the glory that comes with a title.
Fantasy Football League Winner: Luther Burden
Burden is on the waiver wire, free of cost in 90% of Yahoo leagues and 93% of ESPN leagues as we sit here today.
On the surface, that’s plenty reasonable. The second-round rookie plays for an offense that can be sporadic, and he has just 23 targets on his resume up to this point. There was the goofy-looking 65-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker in Week 3 against the Cowboys, and that’s it when it comes to his highlight reel.
That’s true.
It’s also true that your league will be decided in the future, not the past, and if we are looking to peak at the right time, adding Burden is a no-brainer move.
That doesn’t mean you pick him up today (like, right now) and start him. It means you get him on your roster now and watch his stock grow. It wouldn’t shock me if I’m ranking him ahead of receivers that you’re accustomed to starting consistently (DK Metcalf and Courtland Sutton types) come fantasy Super Bowl time in Week 17, and that is exactly the type of profile you should be looking to stash at this point.
Why the confidence?
Looking for a possible fantasy football league winner? PFSN Analyst @KyleSoppePFN says that Luther Burden will be the late-season add that most impacts fantasy playoffs.
Why? Only one remaining opponent ranks better than 12th in WR yards per catch against, and his snap share has… pic.twitter.com/u59kuJ9dXv
— PFSN (@PFSN365) November 21, 2025
Per the Week 12 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet, the team is telling us that they want him to take control of their WR2 role opposite of Rome Odunze, something that was the plan when they drafted him in April.
Participation Tracker
- Weeks 1-9: 24.3% snap share, 8.7 routes, 2.1 targets
- Weeks 10-11: 46.7% snap share, 21.0 routes, 4.0 targets
Playing time is a good place to start, but it assures you of nothing if the offense isn’t moving in a positive direction.
I think we have a large enough sample to be confident in any Ben Johnson-led unit improving with time, and it’s the “how” behind that driving my confidence in a player who entered the league lauded for his ability to produce with the ball in his hands.
In 2023, Jared Goff was the 26th-rated passer on short throws prior to the bye. He struggled to make ends meet, but after the reset, he executed this Johnson system at a higher level and ranked 11th in that metric the rest of the way.
In 2024, it was more of the same: Goff ranked 10th pre-bye and 2nd post-bye on those quick hitters.
Guess who is showing a similar growth pattern this season?
Passes Thrown Less Than 10 Yards, Caleb Williams
- Weeks 1-4: 92.7 passer rating (21st)
- Weeks 6-11: 101.2 passer rating (7th)
Odunze is the alpha in this offense and Colston Loveland is progressing nicely. But did we not see this exact situation pay off last year?
In December, when fantasy champions are crowned, Jameson Williams was WR16 while playing alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta. Williams and Burden are different players, but the idea of the clear second option in this upward trending offense is the same and that’s why I think why there is flex appeal moving forward despite a season long stat line that is lacking.
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To make things even better, the Bears only have one opponent left on their schedule that ranks better than 12th in terms of yards gained per catch to receivers this season.
Here’s how I stack up the position for Weeks 12-17, understanding that things can shift as injury news develops. I wouldn’t drop Xavier Worthy for Burden, but you don’t need to. At this point in the season, you have fliers at the end of your roster that have no real chance of hitting your lineup.
Any player that you can’t realistically see yourself starting is on the chopping block, and Burden is the proper way to fill that vacated roster spot.
Soppe’s ROS WR Rankings (PPR)
1) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seattle Seahawks
2) Puka Nacua | Los Angeles Rams
3) Amon-Ra St. Brown | Detroit Lions
4) Rashee Rice | Kansas City Chiefs
5) Ja’Marr Chase | Cincinnati Bengals
6) Nico Collins | Houston Texans
7) Ladd McConkey | Los Angeles Chargers
8) CeeDee Lamb | Dallas Cowboys
9) Justin Jefferson | Minnesota Vikings
10) Rome Odunze | Chicago Bears
11) Davante Adams | Los Angeles Rams
12) George Pickens | Dallas Cowboys
13) A.J. Brown | Philadelphia Eagles
14) Emeka Egbuka | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15) Zay Flowers | Baltimore Ravens
16) Tee Higgins | Cincinnati Bengals
17) Tetairoa McMillan | Carolina Panthers
18) Jaylen Waddle | Miami Dolphins
19) Jameson Williams | Detroit Lions
20) Michael Pittman Jr. | Indianapolis Colts
21) Chris Olave | New Orleans Saints
22) DeVonta Smith | Philadelphia Eagles
23) Stefon Diggs | New England Patriots
24) Marvin Harrison Jr. | Arizona Cardinals
25) Keenan Allen | Los Angeles Chargers
26) Courtland Sutton | Denver Broncos
27) Christian Watson | Green Bay Packers
28) Jauan Jennings | San Francisco 49ers
29) Terry McLaurin | Washington Commanders
30) DK Metcalf | Pittsburgh Steelers
31) Deebo Samuel Sr. | Washington Commanders
32) Brian Thomas Jr. | Jacksonville Jaguars
33) Romeo Doubs | Green Bay Packers
34) Ricky Pearsall | San Francisco 49ers
35) Jordan Addison | Minnesota Vikings
36) Michael Wilson | Arizona Cardinals
37) Luther Burden III | Chicago Bears
38) Drake London | Atlanta Falcons
39) Quentin Johnston | Los Angeles Chargers
40) Xavier Worthy | Kansas City Chiefs
41) Alec Pierce | Indianapolis Colts
42) Khalil Shakir | Buffalo Bills
43) Wan’Dale Robinson | New York Giants
44) DJ Moore | Chicago Bears
45) Jakobi Meyers | Jacksonville Jaguars
46) Keon Coleman | Buffalo Bills
47) Rashid Shaheed | Seattle Seahawks
48) Jerry Jeudy | Cleveland Browns
49) Josh Downs | Indianapolis Colts
50) Garrett Wilson | New York Jets
51) Darius Slayton | New York Giants
52) Matthew Golden | Green Bay Packers
53) Jayden Reed | Green Bay Packers
54) Jayden Higgins | Houston Texans
55) Pat Bryant | Denver Broncos
56) Darnell Mooney | Atlanta Falcons
57) Tre Tucker | Las Vegas Raiders
58) DeMario Douglas | New England Patriots
59) Cooper Kupp | Seattle Seahawks
60) Xavier Legette | Carolina Panthers
