Luther Burden III 2025 Fantasy Football Ranking, Projections, And Forecast

Chicago Bears rookie Luther Burden III will make his NFL debut tonight against the Minnesota Vikings.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III speaks during the Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Chicago Bears rookie wideout Luther Burden enters the 2025 season with explosive playmaking ability and a second-round draft pedigree, but fantasy managers may need to be patient as he develops. While his speed, YAC skills, and deep-ball prowess are undeniable, his role in Chicago’s passing attack could limit early production before a potential late-season surge.

Burden will make his NFL debut tonight against the Minnesota Vikings. However, he'll be competing with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, fellow rookie Colston Loveland, and Cole Kmet for targets. Fantasy managers shouldn't exactly expect fireworks in Week 1.

Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears

After shining in his second season at Missouri (86/1,243/10), Burden experienced a regression in his statistics last year (61/676/6, with nine rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns). He gained over 100 yards once (6/117/1) in 2024 while having a beast run over five matchups (8/117, 7/114/2, 10/177, 11/140/2, and 11/149) the previous season. Burden gained 14.1 yards per catch in 2023, compared to 11.1 yards per catch last year while playing with the same quarterback, Brady Cook. 

The Missouri Tigers featured him as a chain mover close to the line of scrimmage to increase his involvement in their offense and allow Burden to utilize his open-field running to make plays. He has a selfish side to his game, where his play isn’t as motivating when the ball isn’t going his way. Burden brings excellent hands with exceptional timing and finishing power in the deep passing game. He posted a 4.41 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine.

At the next level, Burden should excel at crossing patterns with deep speed to take the top off a defense. His change of direction speed is excellent when running parallel to the line of scrimmage and turning up the field when he sees daylight. He runs with wiggle and vision, making him a dangerous player after the catch. The next step in his development is improving his overall route running and focus. 

The Bears drafted Burden in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, adding a young, exciting element to their offense. He suffered a minor injury in early June, giving him plenty of time to recover. 

#Bears rookie WR Luther Burden III has earned strong praise over the last week for the work he’s put in to grasp Ben Johnson’s offense, along with his attention to detail.

Several Chicago coaches tell me there’s no hiding Burden’s immense talent … it’s far better than where he… pic.twitter.com/AE4Exgl6WM

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 13, 2025

Luther Burden III 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook

I expect some development time needed in his game, pushing Burden into a fight with the Bears’ tight end for the third option in the passing game. He is the future replacement of DJ Moore in this offense. The early fantasy market ranks him 54th at wide receiver, requiring about 135.00 fantasy points or about 50 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns. 

Burden is currently ranked the WR89 in our 2025 PPR Projections with only 31 receptions for 340 yards and two touchdowns. That might seem criminally low but with so many mouths to feed, it may take time for Burden to explode in this offense.