2025 Chicago Bears Fantasy Preview
2025 Chicago Bears Fantasy Preview Chicago’s 2025 offseason was transformative. New head coach Ben Johnson, formerly Detroit’s offensive coordinator, brings a dynamic, play-action-heavy scheme (13.2 percent play-action rate) to maximize quarterback Caleb Williams. GM Ryan Poles overhauled the roster, trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, signing center Drew Dalman, and drafting eight players, including three offensive starters.) Free agency additions like DT Grady Jarrett and DE Dayo Odeyingbo bolster a defense that ranked 14th in DVOA, while offensive line upgrades signal a shift toward protecting Williams and enhancing the run game. Caleb Williams, the 2024 No. 1 pick, remains the Bears’ cornerstone. Johnson’s hire is pivotal, as his work with Jared Goff (72.4 percent completion rate in 2024) suggests Williams could leap in Year 2. Williams’ improvisational style (9.8% scramble rate) aligns with Johnson’s quick-pass offense, projecting a 4,000-yard season if the line holds. Although his rookie season was below expectations, Williams is a prime rebound candidate supported by an improving roster and a more fantasy-friendly scheme. D’Andre Swift (1,049 yards, 4.8 YPC, 2024) leads the backfield, complemented by Roschon Johnson. Seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai (669 college carries, 0 fumbles) adds power and pass-blocking, fitting Johnson’s outside zone scheme. Swift is an interesting name to keep in mind on draft day. The fantasy community seems down on him, but he still posted RB19 numbers last season. Additionally, he checks boxes that make him a good fit in Johnson’s scheme, and the team chose not to target an early-round back in a deep class. Swift might be an excellent sleeper RB2. D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze (No. 9 pick, 2024) form a top-tier duo. Moore saw a steep decline in his numbers but still posted WR14 overall numbers. With Keenan Allen gone, Odunze will be the undisputed WR2. The duo is joined by second-rounder Luther Burden III (940 yards at Missouri). Burden’s 5.1 yards after catch projects him as a WR3 starter in 11 personnel, adding explosiveness. Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay provide depth and special-teams value. The group’s separation ability (Moore: 2.8 yards per route) eases Williams’ reads. No. 10 overall pick Colston Loveland joins Cole Kmet to form a formidable tandem should Johnson choose to run ’12’ personnel- something the Lions did on 32.3 percent of their snaps in 2024, third-most in the league. Loveland’s slot usage (48% at Michigan) and separation skills complement Kmet’s in-line blocking. Chicago ranked dead last in offense one year ago. With Ben Johnson calling plays and a much-improved roster, that’s not going to happen again. Fantasy Grade: B- QB Williams, Caleb, CHI [QB1] Expectations were probably too high for Caleb Williams in Year One. While his stats (62.5 percent completion rate, 20 TDs, 6 INT) were fine, Chicago’s abundance of weapons had many fantasy analysts projecting top-10 rookie stats. Instead, Williams ranked 27th in adjusted yards per attempt, 27th in QBR, and 40th in Accuracy Rating. Much of that had to do with ranking 1st in deep-ball attempts and 2nd in air yards. With Ben Johnson calling plays and an overhauled offensive line, expect Williams to be more efficient. Williams improved down the stretch and should be a real value in drafts after an innocuous rookie campaign. ADVICE: Rebound candidate and value with QB1 upside. RB Swift, D’Andre, CHI [RB1] Sleeper The Bears were rumored to be attempting to trade up to draft Ashton Jeanty, but the 2025 NFL Draft came and went without Chicago adding a running back until the seventh round. Fantasy managers seem to be done with D’Andre Swift, but he’s been quietly productive. Swift ranked 10th in snap share (66.9 percent) and carries (253). He also ran the eighth-most routes, and with Ben Johnson now in the Windy City, Swift has underrated value in an offense littered with skill-position talent. Johnson coached Swift to a pair of RB2 finishes in 2022-2023, where he averaged 13 PPR points per game. ADVICE: Potential sleeper target for Zero-RB drafters. RB Johnson, Roschon, CHI [RB2] Sleeper If Ben Johnson follows the model he succeeded with in Detroit, multiple Chicago running backs will have value in 2025. Johnson (6-0, 219) has a similar style to David Montgomery, but Johnson offers more speed and burst. Last year, Johnson ranked 10th in the league with 1.03 fantasy points per opportunity, two spots ahead of Montgomery (0.99). Johnson is also an excellent short-yardage option, cashing in six touchdowns on nine carries inside his opponent’s 5-yard line. Finally, Johnson caught 34-of-40 targets in 2023, showing underrated three-down skills…just like David Montgomery. ADVICE: Quietly a sneaky value pick in the mid-to-late rounds of fantasy drafts, with plus TD potential. WR Moore, D.J., CHI [WR1] D.J. Moore has become one of the NFL’s healthiest producers, missing just two games across seven seasons and finishing as a top-25 fantasy WR in each of the past six. While his 2024 numbers dipped from WR9 in points per game to WR28, that drop came in a crowded receiver group with a rookie quarterback. Still, Moore ranked top 10 in both targets and receptions. His production surged post-Week 10, averaging 17.3 fantasy points per game after OC Shane Waldron’s departure. Now under offensive-minded head coach Ben Johnson, and with Caleb Williams entering Year 2, Moore has room to thrive. With added competition from rookies Luther Burden and Colston Loveland, he’s more volatile than elite. ADVICE: WR2 with spike-week upside. A target in the early 4th round. WR Odunze, Rome, CHI [WR2] Sleeper The 101 targets Rome Oduze drew in his rookie season were in line with preseason expectations. However, the results were slightly disappointing. Oduze only caught 54 of those passes, resulting in a (-1.6) yards per target over expectation figure. Caleb Williams played a big part, as all of Chicago’s pass-catchers were in the minus on that metric. Odunze only had seven plays designed for him, and he was first read on just 18.9 percent. With Keenan Allen gone, expect an increase in Year Two. Odunze is a good value at
2025 Rookie Profile: Luther Burden III
2025 Rookie Profile: Luther Burden III (WR) Missouri Welcome to the 2025 fantasy football season. FullTime Fantasy‘s annual rookie reports next present 2025 Rookie Profile: Luther Burden III, the standout wide receiver from Missouri. Resume Luther Burden III, a wide
2025 Rookie Profile: Luther Burden III (WR) Missouri
Welcome to the 2025 fantasy football season. FullTime Fantasy‘s annual rookie reports next present 2025 Rookie Profile: Luther Burden III, the standout wide receiver from Missouri.
Resume
Luther Burden III, a wide receiver from Missouri, entered college as one of the most heralded recruits in the 2022 class. A consensus five-star prospect out of East St. Louis Senior High School, he was ranked as the No. 1 receiver nationally by ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports and the No. 6 overall player per 247Sports Composite.
Named MaxPreps National Player of the Year, Burden dominated his senior season with 71 receptions for 1,174 yards and 20 touchdowns. Choosing Missouri over Alabama and Georgia, he became the Tigers’ highest-rated receiver signee in program history and only their fourth five-star recruit in the past two decades.
At Missouri, Burden earned First-Team All-SEC honors in 2023 and 2024, Second-Team All-America in 2023, and was a 2023 Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. He declared for the 2025 NFL Draft after his junior season.
College Stats
Burden’s 2023 season was a breakout, with 1,212 receiving yards ranking third in Missouri single-season history and five consecutive 100+ yard games, a feat only one other Tiger has achieved. His 2024 production dropped due to a combination of shoulder/arm injuries, an undisclosed illness, and a regressed Missouri passing game (team passing yards fell from 3,671 in 2023 to 2,535 in 2024). Despite this, he maintained an 85.9% catch rate and faced heavier defensive attention.
2022 (Freshman): 45 receptions, 375 yards (8.3 YPC), 6 receiving TDs; 18 rushes, 88 yards (4.9 YPC), 2 rushing TDs; 24 punt returns, 251 yards (10.5 avg), 1 punt-return TD
2023 (Sophomore): 86 receptions, 1,212 yards (14.1 YPC), 9 TDs; 13 rushes, 75 yards (5.8 YPC); started all 13 games
2024 (Junior): 61 receptions, 676 yards (11.1 YPC), 6 TDs; 9 rushes, 115 yards (12.8 YPC), 2 TDs; started 10 of 12 games
Career Totals: 192 receptions, 2,263 yards (11.8 YPC), 21 TDs; 40 rushes, 278 yards (7.0 YPC), 4 TDs; 24 punt returns, 251 yards (10.5 avg), 1 TD
Measurables
Burden’s measurables reflect a compact, explosive athlete. His below-average height and arm length limit his catch radius, but his elite speed and agility shine in open-field scenarios. Smaller hands are a minor concern, though his drop rate (3.5% over his final two seasons) suggests reliable ball skills.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 206 pounds
Arm Length: 31.25”
Hand Size: 8.5”
40-Yard Dash: 4.41 seconds (95th percentile)
10-Yard Split: 1.54 seconds (90th percentile)
Vertical Jump: Not publicly reported
Broad Jump: Not publicly reported
Other: Elite speed score (88th percentile), 28% career target-per-route-run rate (3rd in 2025 WR class), 0.49 missed tackles forced per reception.
Luther Burden III’s a TOP 15 Prospect
➖10 Yard Split: 1.55 (8.32)
➖20 Yard Split: 2.58 (8.53)
➖40 Yard Dash: 4.42 (9.18)His speed continuously improved and Burden looked SO smooth during the Gauntlet Drill.
➖Height: 6’0
➖Weight: 206 lbsBurden had 0 Drops, ELITE HANDS.. pic.twitter.com/CqgqbeuX8D
— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) March 1, 2025
NFL Fits…
To get access to this feature…
USE CODE: BLITZ50 FOR 50% OFF your first TWO MONTHS! —OR— Use save20 for 20% off our 6-month package!
DEADLINE THIS SUNDAY.