Chicago Bears receiver Rome Odunze missed practice all week with a foot injury that he sustained last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. While there wasn’t an apparent injury in that game, he hasn’t practiced since and will now miss a game for the first time in his career. In his absence, more targets will be available for DJ Moore and Luther Burden III at wide receiver.
Can either option be fantasy football-worthy plays this week against the Packers? Let’s take a look at the outlook for the Bears’ receivers in Odunze’s absence this week.
Analysis
Rome Odunze injury update
Odunze started the season red hot but has cooled off in the last few weeks, maybe part of which can be explained by the heel injury.
There aren’t a lot of details on exactly what the injury is that he’s dealing with, but there were reports earlier this year that he has dealt with a heel issue since the start of the season that has been a “progressive thing.” Now, it has progressed to the point where he’ll be forced to miss a contest.
DJ Moore fantasy football outlook
Moore was already a strong starting option this week, but this locks him in as a WR2 with WR1 upside. He has been very boom-or-bust this season and has posted a pair of games with 23 fantasy points in his last five games while also being held under five fantasy points in the other three contests.
On the year, he’s averaging 41.8 receiving yards per game and has scored three touchdowns, two of which came a couple weeks back against the Steelers:
Luther Burden III fantasy football outlook
Since Moore already had a large snap share and decent target share, the bigger beneficiary from Odunze’s absence will likely be rookie Luther Burden III. Burden is a great fantasy football sleeper with a high ceiling while Odunze is out.
He has already been in a growing role, catching at least three passes in four straight games with 13 catches for a total of 157 yards over that span. He had a season-high six targets last week against the Eagles on Black Friday and matched his season-high with four catches as well.
Burden’s best fantasy game came in Week 3 against the Cowboys when he hauled in three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown on this big play:
The second-round pick from Missouri has plenty of big-play potential, and if he gets a few more targets, he can definitely be a flex play in standard-sized leagues with WR2 upside if he gets loose for a big play.
The Bottom Line
With Odunze out, both Moore and Burden III are strong options. The Packers have been solid against wide receivers, but they did give up 215 yards and two touchdowns to the position against the Lions on Thanksgiving, even with Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) out most of that game. The Bears’ passing game has been solid enough to expect both to exceed expectations with the extra work and likely be solid starting plays in season-long leagues.
In one-week DFS contests on DraftKings, like the NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st], both receivers are good values. Moore has a salary of $4,800 with a very high ceiling compared to the other receivers in that salary range. Burden is an even better bargain play at only $3,800. He would have already been one of the best fantasy football sleepers available under $4,000 before Odunze’s injury, and the extra responsibility make him almost a “must play” at this price. He may be a popular play in Odunze’s absence, but the extra targets give him both a high ceiling and a high floor against the Packers.
