Instinctively, the fantasy football community has gravitated to the Chicago Bears' up-and-coming young playmakers, tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. But what about Rome Odunze?
The steady drumbeat surrounding Burden, who's currently being chosen as a fringe top-20 receiver in point-per-reception (PPR) formats, has been impossible to ignore. Loveland is universally considered a candidate to finish as the highest-scoring TE. Then there's Odunze, who is often the odd man out in the discussion — but is low-key shaping up as the bargain of the three.
We can all get caught up chasing the next big thing; it's human nature. Burden and Loveland are However, sometimes the best value can be found in guys who are flying a bit under the radar, like Odunze.
With a consensus WR28 average draft position (ADP), Odunze has the makings of a potential steal, and dare we say, league-winner this summer. A third-year breakout is well within the range of outcomes, making him an intriguing mid-round selection for managers. Managers shouldn't let his late shortcomings last season be a deterrent.
Bears' Rome Odunze might quietly be among the most mispriced assets in fantasy football
Not long ago, Odunze was the new kid on the block and the talk of the town in Chicago. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had a solid rookie showing before regressing as a sophomore for several reasons. Adjusting to head coach Ben Johnson, quarterback Caleb Williams' well-chronicled accuracy problems, and above all, health (or lack thereof) were at the forefront.
Trying to battle through heel/ankle issues in 2025 ultimately made things worse for Odunze, who was establishing himself as one of the league's best young pass-catchers. The Washington product was later diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot and eventually had to miss five straight games. He was never the same after getting hurt, and the numbers bear that out (pun intended).
126 wideouts recorded at least 10 targets from Weeks 1 through 8, and 135 receivers met the criteria from Week 9 on (excluding the playoffs). Odunze was among both bunches, and as you can see, the pre- and post-injury splits were staggering, to say the least.
Rome Odunze Weeks 1-8 of 2025 | Rome Odunze from Weeks 9-18 of 2025 |
|---|---|
T-22nd in average depth of target (14.1) | T-18th in average depth of target (15.0) |
17th in receiving yards (473) | 83rd in receiving yards (188) |
T-24th in yards per route run (1.98) | 87th in yards per route run (1.10) |
T-3rd in receiving touchdowns (five) | One receiving touchdown |
12th in PPR fantasy points per game (15.5) | T-57th in PPR fantasy points per game (7.6) |
Note: Metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats ($).
It feels safe to say that Odunze's second-half struggles are baked into his price tag, considering he'd probably jump a tier or two in the rankings. Assuming better health in 2026, it's easy to make a case to take him over other players in the WR2/3 range. We have a near two-month sample size of the 24-year-old functioning as the focal point of Chicago's passing attack and being a high-end asset.
Earlier this offseason, many were quick to hit the panic button when Odunze described overcoming his foot issue as the "new normal." He's since walked back those comments and made it clear nothing is physically limiting him from getting back on track.
Meanwhile, Burden, whose lofty expectations have him coming off the board before Odunze, is going at his ceiling. The former's cost is justifiable (for now). At this rate, however, it may get exorbitant to the point that he's a bad value while the latter is quietly being slept on.
Read more: Kalif Raymond gave Bears fans every reason to believe rookie is the real deal
Everyone should want pieces of this Bears attack heading into the upcoming campaign. They have a legitimate chance to be the scariest attack in the business. Buying the dip on Odunze is an ideal way to invest in this dynamic group that's so clearly on the rise.
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