Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire Debate: Luther Burden III vs Ryan Flournoy

Luther Burden III and Ryan Flournoy both are young Wide Receivers with quite high-upside in Fantasy Football. One player will be much better to pickup.

Sep 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) celebrates after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Your Fantasy Football season is never dead until, well, it is literally dead. Many of you many be entering the Fantasy Football Playoffs this week. Many of you may have one more week to go. Regardless, if you are reading this, it means that you still have a shot at a title run. You can always improve your team via the waiver wire, and that is what we will help you do today. Luther Burden III and Ryan Flournoy both may have upside to be used.

The Case for Luther Burden III

The Bears are working in a new-look receiving core. Rome Odunze is out for some time and now, DJ Moore struggles mightily. It looks that Burden is going to operate as the Bears WR1 until Odunze is back.

Luther Burden propaganda pic.twitter.com/IOfiIuMzw7

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 8, 2025

Burden has played 12 Games this season. He has a 40 Targets (10% Target Share), 30 Receptions, 395 Yards, and 1 Touchdown. Last week was his first game without Odunze and Burden had 6-of-28 Team Targets, 4 Receptions, and 67 Yards. We are expecting Burden to work in a >20% Target Share for the time being.

This is the Bears upcoming schedule (Rank vs WR):

• vs Browns (9th)
• vs Packers (11th)
• @ 49ers (20th)
• vs Lions (31st)

Burden will gave a somewhat difficult upcoming slate of matchups. Nonetheless, he will have greatly volume without Odunze, so he will rank out as a Flex option with WR2 upside.

The Case for Ryan Flournoy

If the minimum is dropped to 150 routes, two interesting Year 2 receivers enter the chat:

Adonai Mitchell
Ryan Flournoy https://t.co/2ceBD94wD2 pic.twitter.com/ZcnXGCDSZ3

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) December 9, 2025

It seems that Flournoy has broken out to become the WR3 in Dallas. He has had a ton of promise all year long, but Flournoy has still been in mild competition with Kavontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert.

Flournoy has played 12 Games this season. He has 39 Targets (9% Target Share), 29 Receptions, 349 Yards, and 3 Touchdowns.

He surely favored from a soft matchup in a high-scoring game versus the Cowboys. Nonetheless, Flournoy had (13) Targets last week for (9) Receptions, 115 Yards, and 1 Touchdown.

I would not overvalue one game too much, but it is definitely worth noting that Flournoy has accomplished much more than his counterparts (other than Lamb, Pickens). Flournoy is the WR3, but with volatility. He may have a games of 2-3 Targets, and other games of 6+ Targets. He is as boom-or-bust as they come. 55% of Flournoy's Season Targets came over two games.

Flournoy will be a bench piece with Flex upside in a favorable matchup. This is the Cowboys upcoming schedule (Rank vs WR):

• vs Vikings (4th)
• vs Chargers (1st)
• @ Commanders (28th)
• @ Giants (29th)

Waiver Wire Debate: Luther Burden III vs Ryan Flournoy

Both of these Wide Receivers have shown that they have high ceilings. However, we can only pick one player in this scenario — Burden III.

Over the next couple weeks, Burden is going to be operating as the WR1 in his offense. Yes, the Bears are much less of a passing team than the Cowboys, but it is still a better role to have. He will have a higher, well, everything. No to mention, Flournoy has brutal next two weeks. He cannot be started as you hope to even make it two more weeks in the playoffs.

Pickup Luther Burden III for a very-high short-term ceiling.