- Luther Burden III is essentially the most versatile extensive receiver within the class: While different receivers is likely to be caught in a selected position in an offense, Burden can line up wherever and preserve productiveness.
- Burden lands in a crowded Chicago Bears receiving room: Chicago invested a big contract on D.J. Moore and top-10 picks on Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland, which might make it laborious for Burden to grow to be a precedence.
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PFF’s Fantasy Football Player Profile sequence delivers essentially the most in-depth fantasy soccer evaluation obtainable for the 2025 season.
Using PFF’s unique information, we consider participant efficiency, competitors for touches and the way teammates and training staffs will influence every participant’s fantasy soccer outlook.
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Draft Position Rankings
Player efficiency
Burden has spent the final three seasons as one among Missouri‘s high two extensive receivers, and the earlier two performed out of the slot. In 2023, he earned the third-highest receiving grade amongst Power-Five receivers, behind Malik Nabers and Malik Washington however forward of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze. This included a top-five yards-per-route run determine, simply forward of Ladd McConkey.
Burden’s 2024 numbers weren’t practically as sturdy. Reasons have ranged from accidents to basic declines within the Missouri offense. The Tigers’ offense was among the many most run-heavy within the SEC, using the second-most operating performs within the common season in comparison with a below-average variety of passing performs. That restricted Burden’s routes relative to another receivers. On a per-play foundation, he remained comparatively sturdy. His separation fee over the past two years was the most effective among the many high 5 receivers within the class. Our draft information centered on how well-rounded of a large receiver he was, his functionality to play each place and that his largest weak spot revolved round his blocking capacity.
Projected position
Burden spent his school profession primarily taking part in out of the slot as a low-average depth of goal receiver. He joins a Chicago Bears staff with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, who’ve spent most of their careers on the skin. Odunze performed 33% of his snaps from the slot final season, whereas Moore has by no means performed greater than 31% of his snaps from the slot. The Bears made two free agent additions who’ve primarily performed out of the slot in Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay. Still, each have been signed to low one-year contracts, and Burden ought to surpass each on the depth chart comparatively shortly.
It is troublesome to belief a large receiver, for fantasy functions, if they’re solely taking part in out of the slot. For instance, Khalil Shakir was the Buffalo Bills‘ finest receiver final season, catching passes from the league MVP. He principally performed in three-receiver units and completed thirty seventh in fantasy factors per recreation. Burden would wish to beat out Rome Odunze. On one hand, Odunze was a top-10 choose, however he additionally underperformed as a rookie and was drafted by the previous regime.
There can be a query about what number of targets Burden will obtain in a really crowded receiving room. D.J. Moore is a stable WR1, whereas Odunze and rookie tight finish Colston Loveland have been chosen with top-10 draft capital. Burden could end fourth on the staff in targets.
Impact of teammates
The huge motive for optimism concerning the Bears’ passing recreation is Ben Johnson. While he persistently runs greater than the common offense, his offenses run quite a lot of performs and rating quite a lot of factors. The point of interest of his passing recreation with the Lions was slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Burden is the more than likely receiver to fill that position. However, St. Brown was additionally taking part in persistently in two-receiver units, and his offenses stayed in two-receiver units extra typically than most groups.
All optimism on the offense hinges on Caleb Williams’ improvement. Williams had three video games this season with an offensive grade above 80.0, however ended the season with a passing grade beneath 60.0 in 5 of his last six video games. The former first total choose has a wholly re-worked offensive line and a number of new receivers to throw to, so he’s being given each alternative to succeed, however there isn’t any probability Burden turns into fantasy-relevant as a rookie except Williams takes a step ahead.
Bottom line
Burden was among the many most proficient extensive receivers within the 2025 draft class however landed on a staff with a number of different choices within the passing recreation. If he can surpass others on the depth chart, he could also be Ben Johnson’s new model of Amon-Ra St. Brown. If he doesn’t surpass others within the goal pecking order, he may not be price rostering in fantasy leagues as a rookie by the top of the season.
Footnotes
- Statistics in tables and charts have been chosen based mostly on their capacity to foretell future fantasy efficiency on a per-game or per-opportunity foundation or to explain the participant relative to others on the identical place.
- “Opportunities” are outlined as passing dropbacks, speeding makes an attempt and routes run as a receiver.
- Numbers are offered both by season or based mostly on the previous three years. For rookies, solely school statistics are included. For non-rookies, solely NFL statistics are thought of, no matter whether or not they performed in school throughout the earlier three years.
- As school competitors is simpler than NFL competitors, most rookies are more likely to see a decline from their historic numbers.
- Only FBS information is taken into account for faculty gamers and comparisons.
- Kneel-downs are faraway from speeding information to supply cleaner quarterback speeding fee statistics.
- The desk colours on this article vary from blue (indicating good/excessive) to crimson (indicating unhealthy/low).
- All percentiles and colour codings examine the given participant to others with a excessive pattern of alternatives. Generally, the cutoff is one-third of the potential alternatives within the pattern. If a participant doesn’t meet the edge, they’re nonetheless included within the comparability, although their outcomes could seem higher or worse than anticipated as a result of smaller, much less predictive pattern measurement.
- Information on utilization classifications and their significance might be discovered right here for operating backs, extensive receivers and tight ends.