For some stretch of last season, the Chicago Bears had a pass catcher who was a fantasy stud.
Early on, it was wide receiver Rome Odunze. From Week 1 to Week 4, he was a top-five fantasy wide receiver. Of course, a foot injury would derail his season, but the arrow is back up for him heading into this year.
From Weeks 9-18, Colston Loveland was the TE2 in full-point PPR scoring. The run he had over his last four games, including the playoffs, put him in rare air among tight ends in league history.
It took some time for wide receiver Luther Burden to get fully going, based on playing time, but once he did, he delivered a nice stretch late and a Week 17 performance (eight receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown) that surely helped win some leagues.
Loveland and Burden have been leading lists of 2026 fantasy breakout candidates all offseason. Odunze has been getting some love recently, with an ADP he should be able to outperform as long as he's healthy.
Big Bears' fantasy question puts a quandary on the table for fantasy managers
ESPN tapped 25 of its beat writer to answer the biggest fantasy question for the team they cover. The question for Bears' beat writer Courtney Cronin was "What are your expectations for the three primary pass catchers: Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland and Rome Odunze?
"I expect there to be a different leading receiver most weeks for the Bears. That was the case in Ben Johnson's inaugural season when Loveland finished his rookie campaign No. 1 in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Chicago uses so many multiple-TE formations that Loveland will once again be among Caleb Williams' most targeted and productive weapons. Odunze (who appears back to form in camp) and Burden will put up numbers, but I would be surprised if there are multiple 1,000-yard receivers given the Bears' reliance on the run game and how much Johnson likes to spread the ball around."
The Bears' offense is lined up to be an oasis of fantasy points this year. The question, even beyond Loveland, Burden, and Odunze among the skill-position players, is who will get those points each week.
On Cronin's idea, there won't be multiple 1,000-yard pass catchers in the Bears' offense this year; Loveland looks like the safest bet over the two wide receivers. The big factor with him is where he has to be drafted, likely as the third tight end to go off the board. Burden and Odunze are outside the top-20 wide receivers by ADP, with Burden's training camp groin injury dropping him a bit.
Read more: Bears analyst efforts to quell easy concerns about the left tackle situation
Luck is a natural part of the equation for fantasy managers. When it comes to the top three Bears' pass catchers this year, for those who draft just one, there's a level of crossing your fingers that has been fairly well hidden until now.
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