In April, the Chicago Bears left no doubt about how they are approaching their immediate future: score in bunches. They drafted Caleb Williams a year ago. They brought in Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick this year before doubling down on the pass catcher upgrade with Missouri’s Luther Burden III with the 39th selection.
Clearly, this team wants to give Williams every chance to succeed at a high level in his second season, and it’s our job to forecast just how much of a role they will put on the shoulders of their newest high-pedigree receiver.
Luther Burden III’s Fantasy Outlook
I’ll address rookie tight ends in the Loveland profile, but the learning curve for the receiver position hasn’t proven prohibitive for the select few who are truly ready for the professional game.
Last season alone, we saw three first-year wideouts average north of 15 points per game, and none of them were the WR ranked highest in the class by most (Malik Nabers was WR6, Brian Thomas Jr. was WR11, and Ladd McConkey was WR16). In four of the past five seasons, we’ve seen multiple players reach that threshold, and Burden, as the fifth receiver taken in the 2025 draft, could be next in line regarding immediate success.
Screw it, Luther Burden highlights pic.twitter.com/BFw5WHlIf2
— Harrison Graham (@HGrahamNFL) July 31, 2025
I’m not worried about Burden’s skill set, which is why I’ve penciled him in as a top-50 receiver. His athletic profile is elite, and his ability to catch the ball away from his body projects very well at the professional level.
In college, he could stretch the field and pick up yardage in mass with the ball in his hands. Can he do both from the jump against NFL-level competition?
That remains to be seen, but having multiple outs is undoubtedly a positive. Suppose you’re willing to bet on Burden in a redraft setting (it should go without saying that he’s a hot commodity in dynasty formats, as he gets the rare opportunity to develop alongside a quarterback who is doing the same). In that case, you must be confident that he can earn volume.
MORE: Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
In 2024, DJ Moore reached double figures in PPR points 13 times, and all other Chicago receivers totaled nine such games. If we take for granted that Moore will be the top target earner in this offense, the throughline for consistent production is a little thin unless Williams truly develops into a top-10 pocket passer in the sport.
On the plus side, Keenan Allen is no longer in the mix, and he was responsible for five of the top-10 Bear WR games a year ago. I’m confident that Burden is capable of producing at a high level. Still, I fear his season-end stat line will look more valuable than what he realistically provides fantasy managers with.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe Burden’s raw ability will overwhelm from the jump and allow him to emerge as a weekly option in all formats. More likely, I believe, he will be a random number generator you hope to get right when pressed to plug him in.
Mason LeBeau‘s Luther Burden III Fantasy Projection
Luther Burden is an incredibly exciting player who joined the ideal offensive mind to take advantage of his talents. The question becomes of his rookie usage in a loaded receiver room. Because of the pecking order here, I’ll tend to pass on him even at his cost (WR56), but his value is in a good place where I still end up with shares of him.Â
There’s a chance this offense can become more focused by the end of the season. WR DJ Moore will always get his, but after that, there are a lot of options, but a lack of proven talent. WR Rome Odunze needs to prove himself first, but even if he has a better second year, Burden could be in a more lucrative role with guaranteed touches. I’d almost project him into a Deebo Samuel-type situation with the lack of running back talent currently on the roster.Â
So, much like most rookies, I wouldn’t project him for a ton of touches early on. With his draft price, that’ll make him a waiver warrior unless he gets a huge game in Weeks One or Two. Even if that does happen, wait it out, because this offense has a lot of mouths to feed and receivers to get involved, meaning Burden will likely have his share of duds. Once the weather starts to get colder, though, Burden is as good a bet as any to have a strong finish.Â
