Luther Burden III holds a surprising edge over Jaxon Smith-Njigba

No Chicago Bears fan can deny that wide receiver Luther Burden III is ascending to the WR1 role and may even be showing early signs of surpassing Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in a certain category.

Before the season started, the buzz was real about Burden and his breakout year after an up-and-down rookie campaign. Rome Odunze was seen as the number one receiver on the team

It was a slow start for Burden, but since Caleb Williams returned from his hamstring injury in Week 6, the young Bears receiver has caught fire and has been the top guy. Burden has found his way to the top of the team's receiving stats.

Now entering Week 8 against the Seahawks, it's clear Burden is the team's WR1 for now. What might surprise some fans is how close Burden is to being at Smith-Njigba's level.

Luther Burden III has Jaxon Smith-Njigba beat in one stat

Pro Football Focus put together a stat on the most missed tackles among wide receivers this season. Burden leads with 15. Smith-Njigba ties the Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua for second place with 12.

FanSided's Ryan Heckman went a step further, adding context for how impressive this stat is for Burden. Smith-Njigba broke 12 tackles on 58 receptions. Burden broke 15 tackles on just 35 receptions.

Burden has been targeted 47 times, catching 35 of those passes for 491 yards and two touchdowns. He has gained 225 of those 491 yards in just the last two games and has caught all 17 of Williams' passes.

PFF gave Burden an overall grade of 78.6, ranking him 18th out of 76 eligible wide receivers. He has a receiving grade of 79.1 (ranked 17th).

How Luther Burden III is a major X-factor for the Bears in Week 8 against the Seahawks

Williams and Burden have built quite the chemistry with each other over the course of the season, as the two seem to be in sync. That chemistry will continue to grow in 2026 and beyond as Burden develops into an elite receiver.

This won't be an easy game for Burden, though, as the Seahawks have one of the best secondaries in the NFL. Seattle is ranked first in pass defense, allowing just 144.4 yards per game.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson can get creative with his play-calling and move Burden around. He's shown that he can break tackles and make guys miss, so he needs the ball in his hands. Burden should move around in the slot, on the outside, and should be used in the running game as well.

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Burden brings the kind of speed and athleticism the Bears need to take full advantage of and get him going early. Seattle will bring the heat up front, so get the ball to Burden and let him do the rest. While this will be a rough game for the Bears' offense, Burden will still have a game-wrecker from start to finish.

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