Luther Burden III

Chicago Bears·#10UNDERPAID

Pos WRHt 6'0"Wt 205 lbCollege Missouri

Model Score

73.7 MODEL

Resting on limited playing time

How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →

Season Stats · 15 games

4744th

Rec

65240th

Rec Yds

264th

Rec TD

6062nd

Targets

43.545th

Yds/Gm

8.556th

Fantasy PPG

Advanced Metrics EPA & Next Gen Stats

0.85493rd

EPA / target

4.7 yd2nd

Avg separation

7.7 yd

Avg cushion

1.611th

YAC over exp

71.3%

Catch %

STM Take

Burden at STTM #36 tier 5 as a rookie behind the Bears' WR1/WR2 of Odunze and D.J. Moore is the role-share story of a top-50 pick stuck behind two established starters. The college tape (1,212-yard SEC freshman year) is one of the best in the 2025 class. The year-two case opens up if D.J. Moore's Buffalo departure clears a target lane.

Burden was born in St. Louis, attended East St. Louis Senior High in Illinois, and was a top-5 national recruit out of high school. He played at Missouri where he was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection, including a 1,212-yard 2023 season. Chicago took him 39th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Rookie line: 47 catches for 652 yards and 2 TDs alongside Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore.

Strengths

Two-time first-team All-SEC at Missouri including a 1,212-yard 2023 season; the college ceiling is real.
Top-50 draft capital plus a 5-star recruit pedigree; the talent profile is among the best in the 2025 class.

Concerns

Rookie 47 catches on 652 yards reflects a part-time role; the carry share never expanded.
Caleb Williams's tier-5 QB rank capped the team-level passing volume for the entire WR room.

What to watch: Whether D.J. Moore's BUF departure clears a WR2 role for Burden alongside Odunze in 2026; the system fit is the bullish case.