The emergence of Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden late in the season had the fan base excited about what is to come for him.
While he might not have been a big player in fantasy football, his ranking among receivers might be getting higher after the offseason changes. Fantasy Life writer Dwain McFarland wrote about how Burden could end up being the big winner for 2026.
"The Round 2 NFL Draft pick didn't boom in fantasy as a rookie, playing a limited role with a 40% route share behind Rome Odunze, DJ Moore and battling rising star Colston Loveland for targets. However, he did grow his role over the course of the season, much like Rice. And now, DJ Moore is gone, solidifying Burden's starter status.
Burden will likely get drafted at his floor on ESPN, Yahoo and Sleeper this summer—leaving plenty of room for league-winning upside."
Luther Burden could end up making a massive impact on fantasy teams
Burden went for 652 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Bears, finishing fourth on the team in receiving yards. He played a big role on the team late in the season, as Odunze was dealing with his injury.
Now with Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus out of the picture in the wide receiver room, Odunze and Burden have become the top targets in the passing game. Colston Loveland will also be up there as well, but the potential of Burden makes him more exciting for fantasy owners.
The Bears are going to be able to use Burden more vertically down the field to stretch the defense out and use his speed to burn defenders. Last year, he was used more for screen passes in the first half of the year and then had a bigger role in the second half.
Read more: All eyes are on Bears with how they handle biggest roster issue entering draft
Watch for Burden to have a breakout 2026 season as he should see more targets in the passing game.
Add us as a preferred source on Google