Luther Burden was a league winner during the fantasy football playoffs last season, and given the teeth that this offense as a whole showed during Ben Johnson’s first year at the controls, it shouldn’t be a surprise that you’re going to have to spend a pretty penny to acquire his services this season.
How you get exposure to this Bears offense could determine your fate in 2026: Is Burden the best buy of the bunch?
Should You Draft Luther Burden III in Fantasy Football?
Burden’s Redraft Fantasy Football Value
Burden led all wide receivers in fantasy points in Week 17, which is Super Bowl week in most leagues, with an 8-catch, 138-yard, one-touchdown showing in San Francisco.
“Mosters of the Big Play” was born.
OK, maybe that’s not (yet) a widely accepted nickname as much as it is something I made up, but I stand by it. Caleb Williams hasn’t been shy about cutting it loose, and this is a bet on his talent coming through in full in Year 2 under Ben Johnson.
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DJ Moore is gone now, and while he’s a good player, I take that move as a signal that the young core of pass catchers has already shown this offensive mastermind enough to take over the offense. I’m happy to be driving the ship on massive expectations here. Burden pays off that optimism if this trajectory proves accurate.
Jared Goff’s deep passer rating in Ben Johnson’s first season running the offense back in 2022 was 88.8. Over the next two seasons, that number jumped to 109.9. That’s the kind of leap a Ben Johnson offense can produce in Year 2 and beyond, and that’s the sort of growth that needs to happen if Burden is going to join the tier of weekly assets that most believe he is capable of.
A groin injury popped up early in August and has him set to miss the preseason. Is that ideal? Of course not, but the drafting public will react, and that could shift his ADP to a spot where the risk is built in and some of his ceiling is overlooked.
MORE: Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: How to Win Your League After Selecting Bijan Robinson First Overall
Burden’s Dynasty Fantasy Football Value
I think you’re buying just about everything tied to Chicago in dynasty leagues right now. Caleb Williams’ best ball is still ahead of him, Johnson is only going to get more comfortable running this offense, and Burden is positioned to earn the unquestioned WR1 role with time.
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Your competition knows all of this too, so you’re not fooling anyone by targeting him. I’m fine paying face value here, but I’d caution against getting overly aggressive in the trade market. Trading for a name this red hot is a tough ask entering a season where this much growth is already expected.
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This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.