RADIO
Rome Odunze Feeling "Ready to Go" Ahead of Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) said he is "feeling like I'm ready to go" for the team's Week 1 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, per Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. Odunze was limited in practice throughout this week due to a calf injury and is officially listed as questionable to play on Sunday. However, it appears as though Odunze is trending toward being active against Carolina. Across 12 games in 2025, the 24-year-old recorded 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns on 90 targets. Odunze missed time down the stretch of the season due to a foot injury, and his production trailed off in the second half before he was sidelined by the injury. When fully healthy, the former first-round pick remains a high-upside pass-catcher. However, Chicago may be cautious with Odunze early in the year as he deals with his current calf issue. All in all, fantasy managers should view Odunze as a risky WR3/flex option in Week 1.
Source: The Athletic - Kevin Fishbain
Source: The Athletic - Kevin Fishbain
Rome Odunze Questionable for Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) is officially questionable for Sunday's season opener against the Carolina Panthers, according to Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune. Odunze was listed as limited Wednesday and Thursday after spending Monday and Tuesday rehabbing the injury, so this looks like one fantasy managers will have to carry into the weekend. The good news is that Chicago has been optimistic. Head coach Ben Johnson called Odunze day-to-day earlier this week and said the calf issue is not related to the foot injury that bothered him last season. Odunze still managed 44 catches for 661 yards and a career-high six touchdowns in 12 regular-season games in 2025. If he suits up, the calf adds some risk to what already looked like more of a WR3/flex spot for Week 1. If he cannot go, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland would be the biggest names to watch for extra targets, while Kalif Raymond could pick up more work on the outside.
Source: Sean Hammond
Source: Sean Hammond
Bears to be Cautious With Rome Odunze Early?
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) will practice on Friday, according to Sean Hammond of The Chicago Tribune. The Bears' coaching staff will assess where Odunze is after practice and make a decision on his Week 1 status against the Carolina Panthers from there. Johnson noted that "there's a long season ahead." The 24-year-old was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but it does not sound like Odunze is a slam dunk to be active this weekend in the season opener against Carolina. It makes Odunze a risky WR3/flex option in all fantasy formats since he could be on a strict snap count on Sunday if he is cleared to suit up. The former ninth overall pick from Washington in 2024 had six touchdowns but disappointed with only 44 receptions and 661 receiving yards in 12 starts in 2025 while dealing with a foot injury in the second half of the season. Odunze's foot injury is apparently a thing of the past, but a new calf injury has now put his Week 1 status in doubt. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Odunze's status on Sunday morning.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Rome Odunze Limited Again on Thursday
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) was listed as limited in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week, according to the team. With two limited sessions to begin Week 1 preparation, Odunze is still up in the air to play in the season opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, and he might need to upgrade to a full practice on Friday to be cleared to play this weekend. If he is limited or out on Sunday, Kalif Raymond and Zavion Thomas would have a path to elevated roles alongside Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland. Odunze, the ninth overall pick in 2024 from the University of Washington, had a career-high six touchdowns in 12 regular-season games in his sophomore campaign in 2025, but he was limited with a concerning foot injury that he says is in the rearview mirror. He is shaping up as more of a WR3/flex option to begin the 2026 season if he plays against the Panthers. Check back for Odunze's final injury status on Friday.
Source: Bears Communications
Source: Bears Communications
Rome Odunze is Listed as Limited in Practice on Wednesday
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice. After sitting out on Tuesday, Odunze was back on the practice field on Wednesday. Odunze is currently considered day-to-day while he deals with a calf injury. It seems that his status for the Week 1 matchup against the Carolina Panthers is up in the air. Fantasy managers don't need to panic yet, with two more days to get upgraded to full in practice. The Bears would likely need to rely on Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland more in the passing game if Odunze is unable to go.
Source: Bears PR
Source: Bears PR
Luther Burden III Appears Healthy Ahead of Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) was one of the most talked-about players in the early stages of training camp, seemingly making a highlight play every time he took the field. A groin injury suffered in early August caused him to miss a significant portion of camp, but by most accounts he has looked like the same explosive player since returning to practice more than a week ago, and all indications point to a full workload in the Bears' season opener against the Panthers on Sunday. Following the departure of veteran DJ Moore, Burden will compete with Rome Odunze and tight end Colston Loveland to see the most targets in what profiles as a high-ceiling Chicago offense, and after dominating on a per-route basis late in his rookie season, the second-year wideout with WR1 upside could see a hot start to the 2026 season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zavion Thomas an Intriguing Deep-League Stash Candidate Entering 2026
Entering 2026, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas projects to be his team's WR4 behind Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III (groin), and Kalif Raymond. Bears tight end Colston Loveland is also expected to be heavily featured in the team's passing game, pushing Thomas even further down the target pecking order. However, Thomas showed an ability to impact games as both a pass-catcher and a rusher during his college career, recording 488 receiving yards, 99 rushing yards, and five total touchdowns across 13 games at LSU in 2025. The 21-year-old also ran a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the Draft Combine, which likely played a role in the Bears using a third-round pick on him this past April. If Thomas can work his way into a consistent role in Chicago, he could become an explosive big-play threat in the Bears' offense. As a stash candidate in deeper league formats, Thomas could be an intriguing waiver wire target for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Won't Practice Tuesday, Bears "Hopeful" for Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (leg) will not practice on Tuesday, and head coach Ben Johnson told reporters he is considered "day-to-day." Johnson clarified that the 2024 first-round pick did not aggravate the foot injury that he dealt with last season but is instead dealing with "something different," and the team remains hopeful he'll be able to suit up for a Week 1 matchup with the Panthers. Odunze led the Bears with 87 targets in 2025 despite missing five games, and following the departure of veteran DJ Moore, there is an expectation of a further consolidation of opportunities between Odunze and second-year pass-catchers Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland. Fantasy managers will now need to monitor Odunze's status when the team releases its first official practice report on Wednesday.
Source: Courtney Cronin
Source: Courtney Cronin
Rome Odunze Missing From Monday's Practice
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (leg) was the only player missing from Monday's brisk, 50-minute practice, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Odunze is still not back on the practice field after leaving Thursday's practice early with a right-leg injury. The 24-year-old's status will be closely monitored heading into the team's Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. We should have a better read on the former first-rounder's status for this coming weekend once the Bears release their first official practice report of the season on Wednesday. But for now, Odunze's status is firmly up in the air. If he is limited or out against the Panthers, receivers Luther Burden III (groin), Kalif Raymond, and Zavion Thomas could all see extra targets, as well as tight end Colston Loveland. Odunze regressed with 44 catches and 661 receiving yards in his sophomore season in 2025 while playing in just 12 games due to a foot injury, but he also had a career-high six receiving touchdowns, and he is expected to have a bigger role in 2026 with DJ Moore out of the picture. As of right now, Odunze is shaping up as a shaky WR3/flex in Week 1 in fantasy because of his leg injury.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Kalif Raymond Making Noise in Bears Camp
Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond has spent the summer making a stronger case for offensive work than most expected when he signed in March. The veteran caught a 54-yard touchdown from Caleb Williams during an early camp practice, and the connection kept showing up from there. Williams found Raymond deep again on Aug. 18, hit him for a touchdown during the joint practice with Cincinnati and connected with him on another difficult downfield throw in padded work Sept. 3. Ben Johnson has praised what Raymond has brought to Chicago, while the Bears themselves noted that he excelled throughout camp. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III still sit ahead of him in the receiver pecking order, so this isn't suddenly a high-volume fantasy role. Raymond caught only 24 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown with Detroit last season. Still, he's looked like more than just a return specialist this summer. RotoBaller has him at WR101 in half-PPR formats, keeping him mostly in the deep-league conversation for now.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Luther Burden III Poised for Breakout Season Amidst Improving Health
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) missed a large chunk of training camp after suffering a groin injury in early August. However, the second-year wideout returned to the practice field on Tuesday, and he appears to be trending toward being a full-go for Week 1. Across 15 games (five starts) as a rookie in 2025, Burden III recorded 47 catches for 652 yards and two touchdowns on 60 targets. His best stretch came at the end of the year, as he recorded 21 catches for 324 yards and a touchdown over his final four games of the regular season. Entering 2026, Burden III appears poised to play an even larger role in the Bears' passing game following the team's offseason trade of veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. As long as he remains on the field, Burden III could be in line for a breakout season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Suffers Apparent Leg Injury in Practice
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (leg) exited Thursday's practice early with an apparent injury, according to Sean Hammond of The Chicago Tribune. Odunze came up hobbling during an install period at the start of practice and appeared to be favoring his right leg. He was not overly concerned and tried to stay on the field before trainers pulled him to the side. Head coach Ben Johnson will not meet with the media until next week, so we might not get much information on the specifics of Odunze's injury until the Bears' first official practice report is released next Wednesday. The 24-year-old's injury does not sound overly serious, but it is another thing to worry about for fantasy managers after the former first-rounder dealt with a foot injury for much of last year. Odunze finished the 2025 regular season with a 44-661-6 line in just 12 games played, but the good news is that he has not shown any ill effects this summer from his foot injury, which appears to be behind him. The former Washington Husky wideout has an opportunity for a bigger role in Chicago in 2026 with DJ Moore out of town, but injury concerns make him more of a WR3/flex target as he enters Year 3 in the NFL. Stay tuned for an update on Odunze's injury status early next week.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Luther Burden III Will Practice Tuesday
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) will practice Tuesday, head coach Ben Johnson said, according to Mason Williams. Burden injured his groin during an Aug. 8 practice and missed the rest of the preseason. He returned to the field Aug. 26 but was limited to individual drills before heading inside when the Bears moved into 7-on-7 work. Tuesday's practice should give Chicago another look at where he stands as Week 1 approaches. Burden caught 47 passes for 652 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie and is listed with the first-team offense on the Bears' current depth chart. Getting him back into team work would be another encouraging step, but his actual participation level Tuesday will matter more than the announcement itself.
Source: Mason Williams
Source: Mason Williams
D'Andre Swift Should Remain an RB2 for Fantasy Managers in 2026
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift had a solid 2025 season, tallying 1,087 rushing yards, 34 catches, 299 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. He saw his workload slip a little bit as Kyle Monangai took on a bigger role during the second half, but Swift still had control of the backfield by season's end. While Monangai is trending up ahead of 2026, it's hard to imagine the Bears shifting away from a backfield dynamic that clearly worked last year. Swift was highly efficient, and although he did share plenty of snaps and volume with Monangai, there's no doubt that he could have handled an every-down role if necessary. Having Monangai by his side to lighten his load and keep his legs fresh could actually be key for Swift heading into his age-27 season. The seventh-year NFL veteran may no longer be pushing for 20 touches per game, but with high efficiency on the ground and a persistent nose for the end zone, he's still a legitimate RB2 option in all fantasy leagues. The experts agree, as Swift ranks as the overall RB17 in RotoBaller's latest 2026 fantasy football rankings for redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Could Be Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2026
Across 12 games in 2025, Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze recorded 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns on 90 targets. The 24-year-old got off to a hot start to the year, but his production tailed off in the second half of the season, and he missed time with a foot injury down the stretch. Including the Bears' two playoff contests, Odunze recorded more than three receptions in just one out of seven games he suited up in after Week 8. However, Odunze has been healthy throughout this summer, reportedly having no issues with the foot injury that hampered him in 2025. In contrast, Bears wideout Luther Burden III (groin) has been dealing with a groin injury throughout much of training camp. Additionally, Chicago could be looking to funnel more targets to Odunze in 2026 after the team traded away veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills at the start of the offseason. Entering the year, Odunze may be flying under the radar at his current redraft ADP of WR27.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
