Chicago Bears rookie Luther Burden is having a stronger season than you think

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III has seen his opportunities increase in recent weeks. He leapfrogged Olamide Zaccheus in the pass-catching pecking order before becoming an integral target in the last two games due to Rome Odunze missing time with a foot injury.

As Week 16’s showdown against the Green Bay Packers looms, it’s Burden who has positioned himself as an indispensable part of the Bears’ passing game.

Unfortunately, Burden tweaked his ankle in Week 15’s win over the Browns, and his status for Saturday night’s NFC North showdown remains unknown. Burden had a team-high six catches for 84 yards before exiting the game on Sunday.

MORE: Bears’ top PFF grades revealed on offense and defense in Week 15 vs. Browns

Burden enters Week 16 with 36 catches for 479 yards and one touchdown. It’s a stat line that won’t put him in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He won’t even finish as the most productive receiver on the Bears in 2025.

Analytics prove Luther Burden having incredible rookie season for Bears

But the analytics tell a remarkably promising story for Burden, who many believe was the biggest steal of the 2025 NFL Draft. Burden was long considered a first-round lock before falling to the Bears in Round 2.

According to Pro Football Focus’s advanced wide receiver metric of yards per route run, a stat that PFF has tracked since 2011, Burden ranks in the top seven rookie seasons alongside some pretty elite company:

1. Martavis Bryant: 2.76
2. Odell Beckham: 2.75
3. AJ Brown: 2.67
4. Justin Jefferson: 2.66
5. Puka Nacua: 2.59
6. Ja’Marr Chase: 2.51
7. Luther Burden: 2.48

Yards per route run (YPRR) is a metric that measures how many receiving yards a player produces every time he runs a route, not just when he’s targeted. It’s valued because it captures overall efficiency, blending opportunity, production, and consistency into a single number. In general, a higher YPRR indicates a receiver who consistently creates value within the offense and may warrant a larger role.

And that larger role for Burden is definitely coming in 2026, if not sooner.

Over the last two games, Burden’s totaled 10 catches for 151 yards. His ability after the catch is the best on Chicago’s roster, and he’s proven that he must be on the field at all times, regardless of the health of the Bears’ depth chart.

Buckle up, Bears fans. The Luther Burden breakout is coming in 2026.