Veteran wide receiver dubbed Bears player to watch in preseason Week 2 vs. Bills

There’s a lot of hype around the Chicago Bears’ Week 2 preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. It’s for good reason, too. It marks Caleb Williams’ 2025 debut under new head coach Ben Johnson. And with expectations for the Bears’ offense at an all-time high, a poor performance from Williams could jumpstart an all-out panic.

But let’s think positively, right? There’s no reason to worry until there’s a reason to worry. Most credible training camp reports suggest Williams is getting better by the day. Indeed, Sunday night’s game will be his first test against a live defense outside of a practice environment. But we should see a promising series or two from the 2024 first overall pick.

Williams won’t be the only player to watch against the Bills, however. In fact, one veteran wideout was dubbed a must-see performer, and it’s not who you’d initially think: Olamide Zaccheaus.

That’s right. It’s not DJ Moore or Rome Odunze. Instead, it’s Zaccheaus, whom the Bears signed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract in free agency. The thought process at the time was that Zaccheaus would offer solid depth with upside. And when Chicago landed Luther Burden in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, any projection that had Zaccheaus as a starter faded.

Olamide Zaccheaus continues to hold off Luther Burden on Chicago Bears depth chart

That’s not how training camp has unfolded, however. Zaccheaus has been one of the Chicago Bears’ top overall performers, even during joint practice sessions with the Dolphins and Bills.

He’ll make his Bears debut against Buffalo on Sunday night. If he plays well, he’ll shut the door on Burden being a starter in Week 1.

“He’s been having a great camp,” said safety Jaquan Brisker. “He’s a fast slot receiver. He’s quick and when he catches the ball he’s got a very fast burst, so I think he’s very talented.”

Zaccheaus has mostly been a career role player. He totaled a career-best 45 catches for the Washington Commanders in 2024. His best yardage total came in 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons when he totaled 533 receiving yards.

The point? He’s never been a guy that an NFL offense relied on. But that’s expected to change this season if he can keep his current pace.

“OZ is the F-receiver in this offense,” said receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. “It’s a big deal, because you’re asked to do a lot as it relates to blocking and as it relates to running certain routes. You have to know the full scheme: you have to know the X, you have to know the Z, you have to know what’s going on in the backfield. For him — much like the other guys — he has to know everything that’s going on and the intricate part, the inside part, as it relates to blitzes, the nickel.

“It’s a lot that goes into that, being the F receiver. That’s why you see it showing up with him a lot, because he has understood it. He’s getting in the spot where he needs to be all the time and he’s able to make the plays. I believe he’ll continue to do that as well.”

That level of responsibility — all that goes into being the F receiver — is part of the reason why Burden’s ascent up the depth chart has been slower than expected. He missed most of the offseason workout program with a soft-tissue injury, making those lost reps in this offense a brutal blow.

If Olamide Zaccheaus makes a big play or two against the Buffalo Bills, his stock will continue to rise. And the pressure on Luther Burden to become a faster learner will increase significantly.