It was another electric week for the Chicago Bears with quarterback Caleb Williams running the show, but Luther Burden III is starting to get some attention, and his signal-caller is enjoying his presence.
Burden has been on a roll since Williams returned to the field in Week 6. In the win over the Atlanta Falcons, Burden caught eight passes for 95 yards.
His performance in the Week 7 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football was even better. Burden caught just four passes but went for a season-high 130 yards and one touchdown, with his longest reception coming from 58 yards out.
While those numbers are impressive, one trend is growing with this Bears team: Williams and Burden have a special connection. The stats show that, but another stat shows that it runs deeper than that.
Caleb Williams and Luther Burden III are a dynamic QB-WR duo for the Bears
One fascinating stat shared after the game is that Williams and Burden are literally a duo. Why is that? Because Williams has thrown the ball to Burden 17 times in four games, and Burden has caught it all 17 times.
Caleb Williams has targeted Luther Burden 17 times this season.
— Ryan (@RyanHeckmanNFL) October 23, 2026
Burden has caught all 17 of them.
After the game, Williams was asked about the chemistry he and Burden have built over the season and into last year. Williams praised the second-year receiver but wouldn't make him the only target in the passing game.
"Luther's a problem child, and we want to keep getting the ball in his hands," Williams said in his press conference. "I heard he's 17 for 17 when the ball's thrown to him so far this season. We got other guys that make plays: Rome, Colston, we're going to keep being explosive, we're going to keep having fun."
Burden is off to a faster start this season than he was in his rookie season, catching 35 passes for 491 yards and two touchdowns. Williams has completed 71% of his passes for 1,020 yards and five touchdowns, with one interception in four games. He's rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Has Luther Burden III overtaken Rome Odunze as Bears' WR1?
The narrative going into the season was that Rome Odunze would be the team's top receiver, but that clearly won't be the case. Burden has solidified himself as the Bears' WR1, and honestly, it may not be close. Look at the numbers between the two for the 2026 season:
Name | Receptions | Targets | Yards | Yards Per Catch | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luther Burden III | 35 | 47 | 491 | 14 | 2 |
Rome Odunze | 24 | 39 | 381 | 15.9 | 0 |
Sure, Odunze is more productive per reception, but Burden is the guy that Williams and the other Bears quarterbacks have turned to. This season, there have been a lot of questions about Odunze that have led to question hispeople WR1 being questioned.
Odunze tends to let the ball hang when running with it, leaving himself vulnerable to fumbles too often. His drops have been pretty bad; he's dropped two touchdowns this season. In one play against the Patriots, he pushed off a defender, was called for pass interference, and dropped the pass in the end zone.
Burden is a more reliable target right now. His speed makes him so dangerous on the field, and he's also reliable with his hands. The ability to get open as well, though, is a big part of it. On the Prime Video broadcast, Burden credited the coaching with scheming receivers open, but he is truly an elite route runner.
Read more: Ryan Poles can't ignore what Bears must do at trade deadline with cornerback mess
Odunze deserves credit for his clutch late-fourth-quarter plays that helped the Bears win that Patriotsbeat the. Overall, though, Burden is the man Williams will look to for a big play, even if he doesn't want to admit it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google