Luther Burden III on the verge of elite rookie company

The Bears rookie receiver is already establishing himself as a long-term threat.

Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) rushes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The more Luther Burden III gets to play for the Chicago Bears, the more you see why Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson invested a second-round pick on him when they didn’t need another receiver.

The rookie now has 30 catches for 395 yards on the season, which has already put him 21st overall on the Bears’ rookie receiving list all-time. If he keeps up this pace over the last four games, he might even sneak into the top 10. 

But he’s not just playing well for a Bears rookie. In fact, he might be about to join some very elite company when it comes to recent rookie receivers if he keeps it up.

Right now, Burden owns a 76.9 Pro Football Focus grade this season, which is second only to Tetairoa McMillian among rookie receivers with at least 29 targets this season. That’s not bad for a guy who only started getting consistent burn within the last month or so. 

If Burden manages to bump that grade up to 80, he’ll put himself on track to be an elite receiver in this league, according to a tweet from fantasy football expert Dwain MacFarland.

Last year, MacFarland highlighted 17 receivers who posted grades of 80 or better in their rookie seasons, and the list is filled a bunch of names you’ll recognize: Justin Jefferson, Drake London, Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, A.J. Brown, and Amon-Ra St. Brown to name a few. In fact, if you look at that list, you won’t see a single miss on there. After all, Tank Dell might have gone on to continue producing well had his leg not been shredded.

Bottom line: the track record of pass-catchers who make this list as a rookie is very good. That speaks well for Burden and the trajectory he’s on.

Luther Burden III is getting dangerously close to joining this list.

76.9 PFF Receiving Grade this year.

Posted his 2nd-highest grade of the season (78.3) this week. https://t.co/dQB5JErVRh

— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) December 9, 2025

He still has some things to learn route-wise, which will come with more time on the field with Caleb Williams. But every time he touches the ball, something good happens for the Bears, and he’s a threat to break a tackle and chew up extra yards at any time.

Burden has seen five or more targets in each of his last four games, and that should only continue with Rome Odunze likely to be sidelined for a few weeks with a stress fracture in his foot. The Bears’ mission: find ways to keep getting him the football in space and bringing him along as a weapon in the passing game.

At this rate, he might end up having one of the most consequential seasons a Bears rookie receiver has ever had—and set himself up to be a problem the league will have to deal with for a while.

More Chicago Bears News:

• Why Kurt Warner says Caleb Williams’ low completion percentage isn't all bad

• These stats could be interesting omens for the Bears’ passing game going forward

• Olin Kreutz still thinks the Bears are for real after Packers loss

• Bears “Stock Up”: Luther Burden III makes his case for more play