Fantasy experts are betting on huge breakouts from two Bears wide receivers

Because Yahoo Sports believes both Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are positioned to make significant jumps this season.

It's another sign of the expectations surrounding Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson's offense entering Year 2 together. And while Colston Loveland has generated plenty of breakout buzz of his own, Yahoo's fantasy analysts see legitimate value in both of Chicago's young receivers.

Luther Burden's rookie efficiency points toward huge Year 2

The case for Burden begins with what happened once the Bears finally expanded his role late last season.

Yahoo fantasy analyst Justin Boone highlighted Burden among his favorite 2026 breakout receivers, noting that the second-year wideout averaged nearly 64 receiving yards per game from Week 10 forward, production that would translate to more than 1,000 yards over a 17-game season.

Burden was also the WR28 in fantasy points per game over the final eight weeks despite spending much of his rookie season in a limited role. Even more impressive were the underlying efficiency metrics: Burden finished third among wide receivers in yards per route run, trailing only Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He also ranked inside the top 20 in targets per route run and yards after the catch.

That efficiency becomes particularly intriguing now that DJ Moore is no longer in Chicago.

Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus left behind a significant number of targets, and Burden should absorb a healthy portion of them as one of the featured weapons in Johnson's offense.

But it's not all perfect.

Burden is currently sidelined by a groin injury that will keep him sidelined until Week 1. The Bears remain hopeful he'll be available for the season opener, and Burden has already been spotted doing light rehabilitation work with trainers.

Boone isn't allowing the injury to scare him away. He currently ranks Burden as his WR19, describing him as a fantasy WR2 with legitimate WR1 upside if his development continues.

Rome Odunze could be Bears' forgotten fantasy value

The fantasy football hype surrounding Burden and Loveland has arguably pushed Odunze into the background.

Yahoo's Matt Harmon believes that's a mistake.

Odunze was playing at a high fantasy level before the foot injury that derailed his 2025 season. Harmon noted that over the first eight weeks, Odunze ranked as the WR11 in fantasy points per game, 19th in yards per route run and 15th in receiving yards per game.

Then the foot problem surfaced.

Odunze recently provided an encouraging update on the injury, saying he doesn't think about it after spending the offseason working with his training team to get everything right. If he's healthy, there's plenty of reason to believe his early-2025 production was more representative of his ceiling than what followed.

Bears could support multiple fantasy football breakouts

Normally, having two breakout candidates at the same position on the same team would create a problem. There are only so many targets to go around.

But the Bears' situation is different: Moore's departure creates additional opportunities, while Williams could be poised for another significant step in his third NFL season.

Odunze, Burden and Loveland should form the core of Chicago's passing game, with D'Andre Swift contributing out of the backfield and players like Kalif Raymond filling complementary roles.

Burden offers explosive after-the-catch ability and elite efficiency metrics from his rookie season. Odunze offers size, separation ability, red-zone potential, and the evidence of WR1-level fantasy production before injury struck last season.

There's a scenario where one clearly emerges as Williams' favorite receiver.

There's also a scenario where both break out.

Considering the trajectory of Johnson's offense, fantasy managers might want exposure to either outcome.