The Chicago Bears made the tough yet correct call to trade DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills ahead of free agency this year, but that move created a vacuum at the top of the depth chart. Without a proven veteran to lead Chicago's wide receiver room, one of either Rome Odunze or Luther Burden III must step up in 2026. Despite Odunze's Top 10 draft status, however, Burden is ready to seize that role at the first opportunity, and that's why Burden checks in at No. 8 on our list of the Top 26 Chicago Bears for 2026.
Chicago Bears WR Luther Burden runs onto the field during player introductions. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Luther Burden's rookie season laid the foundation for a meteoric rise
He may not have appreciated it at the time, but Luther Burden's fall out of the first round of the 2025 NFL draft may have been the best thing for him. Chicago selected him with the No. 39 pick, pairing the explosive playmaker from Missouri with one of the brightest young offensive minds in the NFL, head coach Ben Johnson.
While he didn't exactly take the league by storm as a rookie, Burden flashed enough potential to make NFL analysts believe he's primed for a nuclear season with the Bears in Year 2. He had his first 100-yard game in Week 3, which included a 65-yard touchdown reception off of a flea-flicker. In Week 17, facing a tough San Francisco 49ers team, Burden caught eight of nine targets for 138 yards and a touchdown.
When you start digging into some of the more advanced stats, you see even more reason to believe in Burden. His 2.7 yards per route run is one of the highest marks ever for a rookie, ahead of even Ja'Marr Chase and Puka Nacua. Burden also averaged 4.6 yards of separation on catches, which led the entire NFL. These stats and more show that Burden is ready for a breakout in Ben Johnson's offense.
Chicago Bears WR Luther Burden catches a pass to score a touchdown. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Can Luther Burden actually leapfrog Rome Odunze on the depth chart?
Many fans and analysts expect Rome Odunze to be Chicago's WR1 in 2026, and not for no reason. Odunze was a Top 10 draft pick, after all, and before a midseason injury last year, he was on an All-Pro pace. But Odunze had his own struggles last year. He developed an unusual problem with dropping catchable passes, which is alarming considering that making tough, contested catches was his calling card in college.
But what really makes Burden a strong candidate to be WR1 in 2026 is how he's used by Ben Johnson. Burden's average depth of target was 7.67 yards in 2025, which exactly matches the average depth of target for Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2024, Ben Johnson's final year in Detroit.
That's not to say that Burden is going to be exactly like the three-time All-Pro, but it suggests that Johnson, who was present for the drafting of Burden and not Odunze, may see Burden as his Chicago version of St. Brown. So, when it comes to Luther Burden vs Rome Odunze for the WR1 spot, Burden may actually have the inside track despite less experience and a lower draft status.
Chicago Bears WR Luther Burden celebrates after a first down at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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