Sleeper Surge: Bears’ Rookie Luther Burden Emerges as Must‑Draft Fantasy Gem in 2025

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III won't make his NFL debut for another couple of months, but he's already making waves in 2025 fantasy football projections.

It's easy to understand why there's so much excitement around Burden's upside in an offense led by coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. Sure, there's serious target competition with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, but even as the likely WR3 in Chicago, Burden has a chance to become a household name by the end of his first season.

And that's why he should rank high on every fantasy football manager's draft wish list.

According to Pro Football Focus, Burden is one of the top sleeper wide receivers to snag this summer.

Of course, most of Burden's potential rests on Williams' right arm.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

"Caleb Williams’ development is key," PFF's Nathan Jahnke wrote. "Williams had three games this past season with a PFF overall grade above 80.0 but ended the season with five sub-60.0 marks in his final six games. The 2024 first-overall pick has an entirely reworked offensive line and multiple new receivers to throw to, so he’s being given every opportunity to succeed. Burden won't become fantasy-relevant as a rookie unless Williams takes a step forward."

Burden's NFL career hasn't gotten off to the start that he likely hoped for. He began the 2024 college football season as a presumed early (very early) first-round pick, but he tumbled into the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, where the Bears snatched him up at No. 39 overall. Not a great start.

He's also been dealing with a soft-tissue injury that's kept him out of most of the Chicago Bears' offseason workout program. He's missed valuable reps, which could cause him to get off to a slower start than many are currently projecting.

But one thing is for sure with Luther Burden: Once the Bears unleash him as one of their primary wide receivers, there will be no looking back.

I thought Burden was worthy of being the first wide receiver selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, and had he repeated his production from 2023, when he had 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns, he would've been. But his regression to just 676 yards and six scores made general managers think twice about investing a first-round pick on him.

"That's staying with me forever," Burden told reporters about falling to Round 2. "Everybody who passed up on me gotta pay."

Take note, fantasy football players. Don't make the same mistake NFL general managers did.