Rome Odunze Could Be 2025’s Biggest Fantasy Football Sleeper at Wide Receiver

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Rome Odunze enters his sophomore season poised for a breakout after flashing big-play ability and red-zone upside as a rookie alongside Caleb Williams. With his size, speed, and pedigree, Odunze has the tools to deliver WR3 draft value that could quickly evolve into top-20 production in 2025. Let's take a look at the Chicago Bears wide receiver heading into the 2025 NFL season and why he could be one the league's biggest sleepers.
Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
After drafting their franchise quarterback first overall in 2024, the Bears snatched up WR Rome Odunze with the ninth selection in the first round. He brings size (6’3” and 210 lbs.) to the Bears’ offense, and his speed (4.45 40-yard dash) grades well. His route running has a high floor but will improve with more NFL experience. Odunze has excellent hands and a wide catch radius. He’ll upgrade Chicago’s scoring value at the goal line and enhance their explosiveness in the deep passing game.
Over his final two seasons at Washington, he caught 167 of his 244 targets (68.4%) for 2,828 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 16.7 yards per catch. His highlight year came in 2023 (92/1,677/14). Odunze gained more than 100 yards in 10 matchups (7/132/1, 7/121/1, 8/180, 5/125/2, 8/128/2, 3/111/2, 7/106/2, 7/120/2, 8/102, and 6/125).
Chemistry was an issue between Caleb Williams and Odunze in his rookie season, highlighted by his low catch rate (53.7). Chicago had him on the field for 84.0% of their plays as their WR2. He finished 49th in wide receiver scoring (54/749/3 – 145.90 fantasy points). Odunze gained over 100 yards in two matchups (6/114/1 and 5/104) with starting value in one other game (4/42/2). On his off days, he scored 9.00 fantasy points or fewer in 12 of his 17 contests.
Rome Odunze 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
His path and pedigree point to a breakout season. He should be a slam-dunk value at WR3 this draft season. Odunze ranks 35th at wide receiver this summer but his price point is expected to rise. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him catch 80 passes for 1,100 yards with double-digit scores.
Rome Odunze checks a lot of the boxes you’re looking for in a Year 2 breakout player. pic.twitter.com/q2wNVMfxEB
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 13, 2025
Odunze is currently ranked the WR29 in our 2025 PPR Projections. We expect him to be Caleb Williams' second-favorite target behind DJ Moore. Ultimately, his final fantasy finish will be largely dependent on whether he can turn red-zone opportunities into touchdowns.
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With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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