Chicago Bears 2026 Overview

Schedule

Wins

Play Calling

Key Additions

• WR Zavion Thomas
• WR Kalif Raymond
• TE Sam Roush
• C Garrett Bradbury
• C Logan Jones
• OT Jedrick Wills

Key Departures

• WR D.J. Moore
• C Drew Dalman

Notable Coaching Changes

• Press Taylor promoted from passing game coordinator to OC to replace Declan Doyle

Caleb Williams

2025 Role & Results

Williams Lands In QB1 Territory

Williams threw for 3,942 yards and 27 TDs last year. Those marks ranked seventh and sixth league-wide.

He added 383 yards and three scores on the ground. Only 6 QBs ran for more yards.

Williams ranked sixth at his position in total fantasy points and 10th in points per game. 

He flashed plenty of weekly upside, finishing as a top-4 QB four times. Williams had eight total top-12 scoring weeks, although he also finished 20th or worse five times.

A Dual-Threat Role

Williams ranked fifth league-wide with 568 total pass attempts and eighth with 33.4 attempts per game.

The Bears leaned on the run in the red zone, though, finishing bottom-6 in pass rate and pass rate over expected. That left Williams:

• 10th in red-zone pass attempts
• 12th in passes inside the 5-yard line

He did, however, rank fourth in passes into the end zone.

Williams also ranked eighth among QBs with 77 carries.

He finished seventh in expected fantasy points per game.

Year Two Improvement, But Still Plenty To Fix

Williams’ accuracy was a problem last year. Among 42 QBs with 150+ pass attempts, he ranked:

• 38th in completion rate
• 36th in adjusted completion rate
• 41st in completion rate over expected
• 39th in on-target pass percentage

Williams looks a bit better once you account for his 8.9-yard average target depth, which ranked 10th among those 42 QBs. Even so, he finished 22nd in yards per pass attempt and 15th in adjusted yards per attempt.

He ranked 19th in Pro Football Focus pass grade.

Williams also made a big leap in terms of sack avoidance. After taking 68 sacks at a 10.8% sack rate as a rookie in 2024, Williams was sacked just 24 times (4.1% sack rate) last year.

HC Ben Johnson’s scheme and a better offensive line deserve some credit, but Williams improved, too. He cut his pressure-to-sack rate from 28.2% to 10.8%, the third-lowest mark among 42 qualifying QBs last year.

Supporting Cast Was A Mixed Bag

The 2025 Bears finished sixth in total yards and ninth in points. It was a run-leaning offense, ranking:

• 24th in pass rate
• 21st in neutral pass rate
• 20th in pass rate over expected

But the Bears ranked sixth in offensive pace (seconds per play) and second in total plays. That vaulted them to 10th in pass attempts.

Williams played behind an excellent offensive line that finished first in ESPN pass-block win rate and sixth in PFF pass-blocking grade.

The pass-catching corps was less reliable. The Bears ranked 17th in PFF receiving grade and dropped 29 passes, third most league-wide.

Williams Trending Up

Williams finished 24th in fantasy points per game as a rookie in a much worse Bears offense that ranked 28th in points and dead last in total yards.

Williams’ accuracy metrics declined from 2024 to 2025, but he improved everywhere else:

Williams’ rushing production also sank a bit from 28.8 yards per game in 2024 to 22.8 in 2025. His 25.8 yards per game over the last two seasons rank 12th among QBs.

He's Proven Durable

Williams has played all 34 games across his first two NFL seasons. 

He didn’t miss any games with injury in college, either. Williams did suffer a hamstring injury in the 2022 Pac-12 championship but played through it and was ready for USC’s bowl game.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Primed For Better In Year Three

Williams returns as Chicago’s starter in 2026. HC Ben Johnson sounds excited about his trajectory.

“The things that we highlighted for Caleb to start the season, I do think they improved as the season went on,” Johnson said at his end-of-season press conference in January. “We revamped the footwork a little bit last spring. I think the comfort level grew from that. He certainly got more comfortable with the concepts we were running over the course of the season. That’s something that we can build upon. I’m really encouraged about the steps he took this year. I’m Caleb Williams’ #1 believer. I have a lot of faith in him, what he’s capable of doing, and the player that he’s still striving to become.”

Supporting Cast Is Exciting But Thin

The Bears traded last year’s leading WR to Buffalo in March. D.J. Moore led the WR corps with 50 catches and 682 yards.

Rome Odunze and Luther Burden beat Moore in yards per game, though, as well as yards per route and PFF receiving grade.

Odunze and Burden return as Williams’ top two WRs this season. The youngsters are still relatively unproven but have flashed exciting upside. Odunze averaged 74.0 yards and 1.3 TDs over last year’s first four games before a foot injury got in the way. Burden never captured a full-time role as a rookie last season but averaged an elite 2.69 yards per route.

TE Colston Loveland might be Williams’ most exciting weapon after finishing top five among 38 qualifying TEs in yards per route and PFF receiving grade as a rookie. He then closed the season by averaging 7.0 catches, 94.5 yards, and 0.5 TDs over his final four games, including the playoffs.

There’s very little behind that trio (WRs Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, and Zavion Thomas and TEs Cole Kmet and Sam Roush), so this is a thin but high-upside pass-catching corps.

On the offensive line, there are two questions heading into 2026.

The first is at LT, where Ozzy Trapilo went down with a ruptured patellar tendon in the Wild Card win over the Packers. That has him unlikely to be ready for the start of this season and leaves Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills competing for the starting job this summer.

The Bears also lost C Drew Dalman to retirement this offseason. He’s expected to be replaced by Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired from New England via trade in March. Bradbury started all 17 games for the Patriots last year but ranked just 21st among 36 qualifying centers in PFF pass-blocking grade last year.

Chicago returns three 2025 starters in RT Darnell Wright, RG Jonah Jackson, and LG Joe Thuney. But this unit could take at least a slight step back this season.

Johnson Back To Vault The Offense

HC Ben Johnson returns for Year 2 with the Bears. Chicago went from bottom-5 in points and yards in 2024 to top-9 in both categories under Johnson. That followed this three-year run in Detroit for Johnson:

Johnson has been a run-leaning play caller, with all four of his offenses finishing between 20th and 25th in neutral pass rate. 

But Johnson has also landed all four of those offenses inside the top-14 in total plays, including top-2 finishes in 2024 and 2025. That’s helped each of Johnson’s teams rank in the top half of the league in pass attempts.

Paths To Ceiling

Williams finished 10th among QBs in fantasy points per game last year, despite relatively inefficient passing.

If he improves as a passer in Year 3, paired with plus rushing ability and a strong scheme, Williams could vault into the top five at his position this season.

Risk Factors

That inefficient passing adds risk to Williams’ profile, especially since he doesn’t project for huge volume.

The Bears also have a thin pass-catching corps. An injury to Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, or Colston Loveland could sink Williams’ production.

D'Andre Swift

2025 Role & Results

Swift Scores As A Reliable RB2

Swift ran for 1,087 yards and 9 TDs across 16 games last season. He added 34 catches for 299 yards and another score.

Swift finished 15th among RBs in PPR points per game; 14th in half-PPR. He scored as a top-12 PPR RB five times and fell outside the top 36 just twice.

Swift Stayed Ahead Of Monangai

Swift worked as Chicago’s lead back ahead of rookie Kyle Monangai throughout the season. Across his 16 games, Swift:

• played 57.8% of the offensive snaps
• ran a route on 43.3% of pass plays
• and averaged 13.9 carries and 3.0 targets per game.

Swift ranked 18th among RBs in expected PPR points per game on the season.

The gap between him and Monangai shrank a bit over their final 11 games together. Here’s how it shook out:

Swift also out-carried Monangai 12-8 inside the 5-yard line over that span.

His 12.9 expected PPR points per game ranked 17th among RBs.

He Was Chicago's Best RB

Swift beat Monangai in every relevant rushing-efficiency metric last year.

Swift ranked top-20 among 51 RBs with 90+ carries in yards per carry, rush yards over expected per attempt, and PFF grade.

He also easily beat Monangai in yards per route and PFF receiving grade, although he ranked just 26th and 27th in those metrics among 40 RBs league-wide with 40+ targets.

The Offense And O-Line Were Strong

The 2025 Bears finished sixth in total yards and ninth in points. It was a run-leaning offense, ranking:

• 24th in pass rate
• 21st in neutral pass rate
• 20th in pass rate over expected

The Bears also ranked sixth in offensive pace (seconds per play) and second in total plays. That propelled them to a fifth-place finish in total rushing attempts.

Swift ran behind an excellent offensive line that ranked:

• third in PFF run-blocking grade
• fifth in ESPN run-block win rate
• third in adjusted line yards

Swift's Consistency Is Underrated

Swift’s 14.5 PPR points per game last year were his most since 2021. But he’s lived inside RB2 territory throughout his career. Here are his finishes among RBs in PPR points per game by season:

• 2020: 18th
• 2021: 10th
• 2022: 17th
• 2023: 24th
• 2024: 24th
• 2025: 15th

Swift earned a personal-best PFF rushing grade last year, while his yards per carry and yards after contact per attempt were the second-best marks of his career.

His 1.02 yards per route, though, was the second-worst mark of his career.

He's Been Healthy Lately

Swift’s Week 9 absence last year with a groin injury was his first missed game due to injury since 2022.

He missed 10 games across his first three NFL seasons with groin, shoulder, and ankle injuries, plus a concussion.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Back In The Same Spot

The Bears are set to deploy the same committee backfield with Swift and Monangai this season after making no significant RB additions.

It’s possible that Monangai commands more work in his second NFL season. But, considering Swift outplayed him by most metrics last year, we’re expecting a similar work split in 2026.

Questions On The O-Line

The Bears return QB Caleb Williams and six of last year’s top eight target getters. 

Chicago traded WR D.J. Moore, who finished second on the team with 85 targets a year ago, to Buffalo in March. WR Olamide Zaccheaus, fourth on the 2025 Bears in targets, left for Atlanta in free agency.

The team still boasts a strong trio of pass catchers in WR Rome Odunze, WR Luther Burden, and TE Colston Loveland. But Swift could pick up a few extra targets with Moore and Zaccheaus gone.

There are bigger questions on the offensive line.

LT Ozzy Trapilo went down with a ruptured patellar tendon in last year’s Wild Card win over the Packers. That has him unlikely to be ready for the start of this season and leaves Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills competing for the starting job this summer.

The Bears also lost C Drew Dalman to retirement this offseason. He’s expected to be replaced by Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired from New England via trade in March. Bradbury started all 17 games for the Patriots last year but ranked just 35th among 41 qualifying centers in Pro Football Focus’ 2025 run-blocking grades. Dalman, by comparison, finished seventh.

Chicago returns three 2025 starters in RT Darnell Wright, RG Jonah Jackson, and LG Joe Thuney. But this unit could take at least a slight step back this season.

RB-Friendly Coach Returns

HC Ben Johnson returns for Year 2 with the Bears. Chicago went from bottom-5 in points and yards in 2024 to top-9 in both categories under Johnson. That followed this three-year run in Detroit for Johnson:

Johnson has been a run-leaning play caller, with all four of his offenses finishing between 20th and 25th in neutral pass rate. Here’s where his offenses have ranked in rushing stats:

Johnson’s offense has been friendly to RB production. All three of his Lions teams ranked top-3 in total RB PPR points, and last year’s Bears finished 14th.

Paths To Ceiling

Swift is the favorite for lead duties in what could be a top-5 offense and top-5 running game in Chicago.

If Swift plays a bigger passing-game role sans Moore and runs hot in the TD department, he could flirt with RB1 production.

Risk Factors

Kyle Monangai played well as a rookie. If he improves in Year 2, he could earn more work. There’s even a chance that Monangai ends up out-carrying Swift this season.

If that happens, Swift could sink to RB3 territory.

Kyle Monangai

2025 Role & Results

More Handcuff Than Standalone Fantasy Starter

Monangai posted a 169-783-5 rushing line and 18-164-0 receiving line across 17 games last year, finishing 45th among RBs in PPR points per game and 42nd in half-PPR.

Monangai had a huge Week 9 with D’Andre Swift out, racking up 198 total yards against a bad Bengals defense. He finished RB3 across scoring formats that week.

Outside of that spike week, Monangai ranked 50th among RBs in PPR points. He had just one other top-12 PPR finish and cracked the top 24 in only six of his other 16 games.

Chicago's No. 2 RB, But The Role Grew

Monangai worked behind Swift for most of 2025. In 16 games with Swift, Monangai:

• Played 38.9% of the offensive snaps
• Ran a route on 26.9% of pass plays
• Averaged 8.9 carries and 1.4 targets per game

Monangai ranked 47th among RBs in expected points per game with Swift.

We did see the gap between Swift and Monangai shrink a bit over their final 11 games together. Here’s how it shook out:

Monangai was RB35 in expected PPR points per game over those 11 outings.

The Advanced Metrics Lagged

Monangai’s 4.6 yards per carry ranked 15th among 51 RBs with 90+ carries last year. He was much less impressive in advanced metrics, though, finishing:

• 33rd in yards after contact per attempt
• 40th in missed tackles forced per attempt
• 30th in rush yards over expected per attempt
• 26th in Pro Football Focus rushing grade

Swift beat Monangai across the board:

Monangai was even worse in the passing game, ranking 43rd in yards per route and 46th in PFF receiving grade among 48 RBs with 25+ targets.

The Offense And O-Line Were Excellent

The 2025 Bears finished sixth in total yards and ninth in points. It was a run-leaning offense, ranking:

• 24th in pass rate
• 21st in neutral pass rate
• 20th in pass rate over expected

The Bears also ranked sixth in offensive pace (seconds per play) and second in total plays. That propelled them to a fifth-place finish in total rushing attempts.

Monangai ran behind an excellent offensive line that ranked:

• third in PFF run-blocking grade
• fifth in ESPN run-block win rate
• third in adjusted line yards

Monangai Was An Underwhelming Prospect

The Bears took Monangai in Round 7 of the 2025 draft. He workhorse usage over his final two seasons at Rutgers, topping 1,200 rushing yards both years.

Monangai averaged just 4.8 yards per carry for his college career, though, and underwhelmed in advanced metrics such as yards after contact and missed tackles forced per attempt. He also totaled just 38 catches in college and ran a 4.60-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

He's Been Healthy

Monangai played all 17 games last year and did not have any significant injuries at Rutgers.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Back In The Same Situation

The Bears are set to deploy the same committee backfield with Swift and Monangai this season after making no significant RB additions.

That makes Monangai a safe bet for at least the No. 2 job. But he’ll need to improve if he wants to steal more work from Swift.

O-Line Concerns Add Risk

The Bears return QB Caleb Williams and six of last year’s top eight target getters. 

Chicago traded WR D.J. Moore, who finished second on the team with 85 targets a year ago, to Buffalo in March. WR Olamide Zaccheaus, fourth on the 2025 Bears in targets, left for Atlanta in free agency.

But the team still boasts a strong trio of pass catchers in WR Rome Odunze, WR Luther Burden, and TE Colston Loveland. 

There are bigger questions on the offensive line.

LT Ozzy Trapilo went down with a ruptured patellar tendon in last year’s Wild Card win over the Packers. That has him unlikely to be ready for the start of this season and leaves Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills competing for the starting job this summer.

The Bears also lost C Drew Dalman to retirement this offseason. He’s expected to be replaced by Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired from New England via trade in March. Bradbury started all 17 games for the Patriots last year but ranked just 35th among 41 qualifying centers in Pro Football Focus’ 2025 run-blocking grades. Dalman, by comparison, finished seventh.

Chicago returns three 2025 starters in RT Darnell Wright, RG Jonah Jackson, and LG Joe Thuney. But this unit could take at least a slight step back this season.

Johnson Back To Bolster The Run Game

HC Ben Johnson returns for Year 2 with the Bears. Chicago went from bottom-5 in points and yards in 2024 to top-9 in both categories under Johnson. That followed this three-year run in Detroit for Johnson:

Johnson has been a run-leaning play caller, with all four of his offenses finishing between 20th and 25th in neutral pass rate. Here’s where his offenses have ranked in rushing stats:

Not surprisingly, Johnson’s offense has been friendly to RB production. All three of his Lions teams ranked top-3 in total RB PPR points. Last year’s Bears finished 14th.

Paths to Ceiling

Monangai has a clear role for a Bears team that could be a top-5 offense and top-5 running game this season. High-end efficiency and a strong TD rate could make him a weekly RB3 for fantasy teams.

And, as we saw last year, a Swift absence would give Monangai RB1 upside.

Risk Factors

Monangai wasn’t particularly impressive last year in advanced rushing metrics and has a poor pass-catching resume dating back to college.

If he doesn’t improve this year, Swift could handle a bigger share of the backfield work and render Monangai just a fantasy bench stash.

Luther Burden

2025 Role & Results

A Quiet Rookie Season Finishes With A Bang

Burden caught 47 balls for 652 yards and 2 TDs across 15 games last year, finishing 57th among WRs in PPR points per game.

He cracked the top-25 WRs just four times, although three of those came over Burden’s final four games. That included a WR1 overall finish on an 8-138-1 line in Week 17.

Burden ranked 10th among WRs in PPR points per game from Week 14 through Week 18.

The Role Limited His Production

Burden never captured a full-time role last year, finishing with a 41.0% route rate.

He opened the season as Chicago’s No. 4 WR behind Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore, and Olamide Zaccheaus. Burden didn’t reach a 40% route rate until Week 10. He hovered between 47.5% and 65.7% over the final seven regular-season games. Burden ran routes on 63.6% and 63.8% of Chicago’s pass plays in two playoff games.

Although he primarily played in 3-WR sets, Burden lined up both out wide (53.4% of snaps) and in the slot (38.4%). He also got nine total snaps in the backfield.

He was typically used near the line of scrimmage, finishing with a 7.5-yard average target depth that ranked 69th among 76 qualifying WRs. Burden led the Bears and ranked 11th among all WRs with 17 screen targets.

But The Efficiency Was Elite

The lack of a full-time role for Burden masked some elite per-target and per-route efficiency metrics.

He hauled in 78.3% of his targets and averaged 13.9 yards per catch. Burden’s 10.9 yards per target led the Bears and ranked fifth among 76 qualifying WRs league-wide. He was especially lethal after the catch, averaging 7.3 yards per reception. That ranked 3rd among those qualifying WRs.

Burden was also excellent on a per-route basis, posting 0.26 targets per route and 2.69 yards per route. Those marks ranked 11th and third, respectively, among those 76 qualifying WRs. Both marks led all rookies. And the 2.69 yards per route was the highest by a rookie WR with 50+ targets since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014.

Here’s the full list of rookie WRs to average 2.6+ yards per route on 50+ targets over the last 20 seasons:

• Odell Beckham (2.75)
• Luther Burden (2.69)
• A.J. Brown (2.67)
• Justin Jefferson (2.66)

Burden’s efficiency came on a smaller sample. He ran 242 routes as a rookie. The other three all topped 390.

If we look just at Burden’s final nine games, when his playing time grew, he averaged 2.20 yards per route. That’s quite a bit lower than his season-long average but still would have ranked 14th among those 76 qualifying WRs.

Burden also fared well in film-based metrics. Among those 76 WRs, he ranked:

• 11th in Fantasy Points separation score
• 30th in ESPN receiver score
• 19th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade

Offense Broke Out, Despite QB's Issues

The 2025 Bears finished sixth in total yards and ninth in points. It was a run-leaning offense, ranking:

• 24th in pass rate
• 21st in neutral pass rate
• 20th in pass rate over expected

But the Bears ranked sixth in offensive pace (seconds per play) and second in total plays. That vaulted them to 10th in pass attempts.

QB Caleb Williams had an uneven sophomore season. He flashed his ceiling on plenty of occasions but also ranked 36th or worse among 42 qualifying QBs in:

• Completion rate
• Adjusted completion rate
• Completion rate over expected
• On-target pass percentage

Williams’ inaccuracy didn’t hurt Burden much, at least in part because of his low average target depth. Burden’s 87% catchable-target rate ranked third among 76 qualifying WRs.

Burden Was A Boom/Bust Prospect

Burden was the 39th overall pick in 2025 after an uneven college career at Missouri.

He flashed as a freshman, leading the team with six receiving scores and ranking second with 45 catches. Then he broke out for a huge sophomore season: 86 catches, 1,212 yards, and 9 TDs. Burden ranked top-20 nationally in catches and yards. His 3.29 yards per route was good for seventh among 287 WRs with 50+ targets.

But Burden took a big step back in 2024, finishing with 61 catches for just 676 yards and 6 TDs. Missouri fell from 262.3 passing yards per game in 2023 to 225.1 in 2024. But Burden was out-produced in receiving yards and yards per route by WR Theo Wease, who went undrafted last year.

Burden showed well at the Combine, clocking a 4.41-second 40 time at 6’0 and 206 pounds.

A Trio of 2025 Injuries Followed Healthy College Career

Burden was sidelined for much of last spring and the beginning of training camp with a hamstring injury. He was ready for the start of the season but missed two games later on: 

• Week 9 with a concussion
• Week 16 with an ankle injury

Burden did not suffer any significant injuries at Missouri.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Runway Clear For Breakout

Burden finds additional opportunity in 2026 with the offseason departure of WR D.J. Moore to Buffalo. Moore ranked second among Bears last year with 85 targets (14.8% share). More importantly for Burden, Moore led the team’s WRs in snaps (84.8%) and routes (81.2%).

The Bears also lost WR Olamide Zaccheaus, who drew an 11.3% target share last year, in free agency.

Chicago made no significant offseason additions to the pass-catching corps, only drafting WR Zavion Thomas and TE Sam Roush in Round 3. 

Burden is a lock for more playing time this season and should find himself in a full-time role.

WR Rome Odunze and TE Colston Loveland will be Burden’s primary target competition. Both guys out-produced Burden on a per-game basis last year. But Burden beat them in per-route efficiency.

Burden will be a top-3 target in what should be a concentrated passing game this season. And he has the potential to lead the Bears in targets.

QB And O-Line Concerns Add Risk

QB Caleb Williams is back for his third NFL campaign. He improved from Year 1 to Year 2 and flashed an exciting ceiling at times last season. But he’ll need to improve further to fully unlock Burden’s upside.

The Bears also have a couple of questions on the offensive line. 

LT Ozzy Trapilo went down with a ruptured patellar tendon in last year’s Wild Card win over the Packers. That has him unlikely to be ready for the start of this season and leaves Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills competing for the starting job this summer.

The Bears also lost C Drew Dalman to retirement this offseason. He’s expected to be replaced by Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired from New England via trade in March. Bradbury started all 17 games for the Patriots last year but ranked just 21st among 36 qualifying centers in Pro Football Focus’ 2025 pass-blocking grades.

Chicago returns three 2025 starters in RT Darnell Wright, RG Jonah Jackson, and LG Joe Thuney. But this unit could take at least a slight step back this season.

Johnson Back To Boost The Offense

HC Ben Johnson returns for Year 2 with the Bears. Chicago went from bottom-5 in points and yards in 2024 to top-9 in both categories under Johnson. That followed this three-year run in Detroit for Johnson:

Johnson has been a run-leaning play caller, with all four of his offenses finishing between 20th and 25th in neutral pass rate. 

But he’s also landed all four of those offenses inside the top-14 in total plays, including top-2 finishes in 2024 and 2025. That’s helped each of Johnson’s teams rank in the top half of the league in pass attempts.

Here’s where his four offenses have finished in total WR PPR points:

• 2022: ninth
• 2023: sixth
• 2024: fourth
• 2025: 14th

Paths to Ceiling

Burden was elite on a per-route basis last year. He’s a virtual lock for more playing time this season and also has a chance to earn more volume with Moore gone. 

If Burden can pair increased volume with high-end efficiency, he could score as a WR1 for fantasy squads.

Risk Factors

We never saw Burden in a full-time role last year. And much of his production came on designed screens, which could be taken away by the coaching staff.

QB Caleb Williams’ erratic play also adds downside.

Burden could finish third on the 2026 Bears in targets and be a frustrating WR3 in fantasy.

Rome Odunze

2025 Role & Results

Hot Start Quickly Cools

Odunze caught 44 balls for 661 yards and 6 TDs across 12 games last year. He finished 27th among WRs in both PPR and half-PPR points per game.

Odunze’s 2025 got off to a hot start: 20 catches, 296 yards, and 5 TDs over his first four games. Only two WRs scored more fantasy points over that stretch.

But Odunze went cold the rest of the way, due at least in part to a lingering foot injury. He ranked 55th among WRs in PPR points per game from Week 5 on.

He Played A Fantasy-Friendly Role

Odunze operated as Chicago’s top WR when he was on the field last year. Across his 12 games, he led the team with a:

• 79.7% route rate
• 0.24 targets per route
• 21.9% target share

That target share ranked 21st among WRs league-wide.

Odunze was used primarily downfield, rocking a 14.3-yard average target depth. His 1,257 air yards in 12 games ranked fourth among all WRs.

Odunze was also featured near the end zone. Through Week 13, he ranked:

• 14th among WRs in red-zone targets (11)
• 16th in targets inside the 10-yard line (5)
• fifth in end-zone targets (11)

It was a valuable fantasy role that landed Odunze 12th among WRs in expected PPR points per game.

The Production Lagged Behind The Usage

Odunze ranked 12th in expected PPR points per game but just 27th in actual points per game. He was the eighth-biggest underachiever at the position.

QB Caleb Williams deserves plenty of blame. He ranked 39th among 42 qualifying QBs in on-target pass percentage. Odunze’s 59% catchable target rate ranked 72nd among 76 WRs with 50+ targets.

But Odunze also dropped four passes (8.3% drop rate) and came down with just seven of 18 contested targets (38.9%).

He finished 38th among 76 qualifying WRs in yards per route and 36th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade.

The Offense Broke Out

The 2025 Bears finished sixth in total yards and ninth in points. It was a run-leaning offense, ranking:

• 24th in pass rate
• 21st in neutral pass rate
• 20th in pass rate over expected

But the Bears ranked sixth in offensive pace (seconds per play) and second in total plays. That vaulted them to 10th in pass attempts.

First-Round Pick Makes Year-Two Leap

Odunze climbed from 8.6 PPR points per game as a 2024 rookie to 12.2 last year. 

Some of that jump came from a big improvement in Chicago’s offense (28th to ninth in points). But Odunze’s individual metrics also improved:

Odunze was the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft after racking up 2,785 yards and 20 TDs over his final two seasons at Washington.

How Big A Concern Is The Foot Injury?

Odunze missed the final five games of the regular season with what was reported as a stress fracture in his left foot. It’s unclear exactly when the injury occurred, but he appeared on the injury report with a heel as early as Week 9.

Odunze returned for Chicago’s two playoff games and did not need offseason surgery. But he admitted in early June that the foot still doesn’t feel back to normal.

“It’s not from a standpoint that I’m always in pain, but the way my foot broke there’s callouses in there that, like, creates a different type of foot structure with those bones. Different types of things that kind of shift things around,” Odunze said. 

That will be a situation to monitor this summer.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Is Odunze The No. 1 WR?

Odunze finds additional target opportunity in 2026 with the offseason departure of WR D.J. Moore to Buffalo. Moore ranked second among Bears last year with 85 targets (14.8% share). The team also lost WR Olamide Zaccheaus, who drew an 11.3% target share last year, in free agency.

Chicago made no significant offseason additions to the pass-catching corps, only drafting WR Zavion Thomas and TE Sam Roush in Round 3. That leaves WR Luther Burden and TE Colston Loveland as Odunze’s primary target competition.

Odunze out-produced both guys on a per-game basis last year. But he trailed them in per-route efficiency.

Odunze could lead the 2026 Bears in targets. He could also finish third.

The good news is that this passing game should concentrate on those three guys.

QB And O-Line Questions

QB Caleb Williams is back for his third NFL campaign. He improved from Year 1 to Year 2 and flashed an exciting ceiling at times last season. But he’ll need to improve further to unlock Odunze’s upside.

The Bears also have a couple of questions on the offensive line. 

LT Ozzy Trapilo went down with a ruptured patellar tendon in last year’s Wild Card win over the Packers. That has him unlikely to be ready for the start of this season and leaves Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills competing for the starting job this summer.

The Bears also lost C Drew Dalman to retirement. He’s expected to be replaced by Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired from New England via trade in March. Bradbury started all 17 games for the Patriots last year but ranked just 21st among 36 qualifying centers in Pro Football Focus’ 2025 pass-blocking grades.

Chicago returns three 2025 starters in RT Darnell Wright, RG Jonah Jackson, and LG Joe Thuney. But this unit could take at least a slight step back this season.

The Offense Will Stay Strong Under Johnson

HC Ben Johnson returns for Year 2 with the Bears. Chicago went from bottom-5 in points and yards in 2024 to top-9 in both categories under Johnson. That followed this three-year run in Detroit for Johnson:

Johnson has been a run-leaning play caller, with all four of his offenses finishing between 20th and 25th in neutral pass rate. 

But he’s also landed all four of those offenses inside the top-14 in total plays, including top-2 finishes in 2024 and 2025. That’s helped each of Johnson’s teams rank in the top half of the league in pass attempts.

Here’s where his four offenses have finished in total WR PPR points:

• 2022: ninth
• 2023: sixth
• 2024: fourth
• 2025: 14th

Paths to Ceiling

Odunze played a fantasy-friendly role last season, with a high average target depth and strong red-zone usage. We saw the ceiling through the first four games, when he ranked third among WRs in fantasy points.

WR D.J. Moore’s departure frees up additional opportunity this season. Odunze could lead the 2026 Bears in targets and flirt with WR1-level fantasy production.

Risk Factors

The Williams-to-Odunze connection struggled for much of 2025. Odunze’s downfield role and Williams’ inconsistent accuracy could keep the production erratic this season.

Odunze will also need to fend off a pair of rising sophomores in Luther Burden and Colston Loveland. He could finish third on this team in targets and be a tough-to-trust WR3 in fantasy.

Lingering effects of last year’s broken foot also add risk.

Colston Loveland

2025 Role & Results

He Ascended Throughout Rookie Season

Loveland reeled in 58 balls for 713 yards and 6 TDs across 16 games last year, finishing 16th among TEs in PPR points per game and 15th in half-PPR.

Loveland’s production trended up throughout his rookie season. He ranked just 48th at his position in PPR points per game through Week 8. But from Week 9 through 18, Loveland scored as the TE5. 

And he closed the season strong. Over his final four games, including the playoffs, Loveland averaged:

• 7.0 catches
• 94.5 yards
• 0.5 TDs

Full-Time Role Came Late

Loveland opened the season behind TE Cole Kmet, running fewer routes than the veteran in each of Chicago’s first three games.

Loveland edged Kmet in routes (39% to 30%) coming off the Week 5 bye and then topped a 51% route rate in each of his final 12 games.

Loveland didn’t truly capture a full-time role until Week 16, though. Over his final five games, including the playoffs, he:

• Ran a route on 80% of pass plays
• Drew a 25.1% target share
• Averaged 19.1 expected PPR points per game

For perspective, Trey McBride led all TEs last year with a 25.4% target share and 18.6 expected PPR points per game. 

Two more notes on Loveland’s usage last year:

1. He tied for second among 38 qualifying TEs with a 9.5-yard average target depth.
2. His 13 red-zone targets led the Bears and tied for 13th among all TEs.

Strong Efficiency Points To More Potential

Loveland caught 70.7% of his targets and averaged 12.3 yards per catch last year. His 8.7 yards per target ranked 10th among 39 TEs with 30+ targets.

He was just as efficient on a per-route basis. Among those 39 TEs, Loveland ranked:

• 10th in targets per route (0.22)
• fifth in yards per route (2.00)

Even more exciting is that Loveland’s per-route efficiency improved when his role expanded late in the season. Over his final five games, including playoffs, he averaged:

• 0.31 targets per route
• 2.49 yards per route

Loveland also popped in film-based metrics. Among those 39 TEs, he ranked:

• seventh in Fantasy Points separation score
• 21st in ESPN receiver score
• third in Pro Football Focus receiving grade

Offense Broke Out, Despite QB's Issues

The 2025 Bears finished sixth in total yards and ninth in points. It was a run-leaning offense, ranking:

• 24th in pass rate
• 21st in neutral pass rate
• 20th in pass rate over expected

But the Bears ranked sixth in offensive pace (seconds per play) and second in total plays. That vaulted them to 10th in pass attempts.

QB Caleb Williams had an uneven sophomore season. He flashed his ceiling on plenty of occasions but also ranked 36th or worse among 42 qualifying QBs in:

• Completion rate
• Adjusted completion rate
• Completion rate over expected
• On-target pass percentage

Loveland’s 75% catchable-target rate ranked 36th among 39 qualifying TEs.

He Was An Elite Prospect

Loveland was the 10th pick of the 2025 draft, four spots ahead of TE Tyler Warren.

Loveland never matched Warren in raw college production because he played on super run-heavy Michigan teams. Even so, he finished second among Wolverines in receiving yards (649) and TDs (4) as a true sophomore before leading the team in both categories as a junior (582 yards, 5 TDs).

Loveland’s career 49.6% college dominator (share of team’s receiving yards and TDs) was a 100th-percentile mark at his position, according to Player Profiler.

Durability Still A Question Mark

Loveland played most of his final college season with a dislocated AC joint in his right shoulder and had surgery in January 2025. That prevented him from working out prior to the NFL Draft and sidelined him last spring. Loveland was ready for training camp, though, and had no shoulder issues as a rookie.

He missed Week 4 with a hip injury and sustained a concussion in Chicago’s playoff loss to the Rams. That was Loveland’s second documented concussion, with the first coming in November 2024.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Moore's Departure Creates More Opportunity

The Bears return TE Cole Kmet and added TE Sam Roush in Round 3 of this spring’s draft. It’s a crowded TE room, but we have no doubt that Loveland will be the leader and a full-time player in 2026.

In fact, he finds added target opportunity with the offseason trade of WR D.J. Moore to Buffalo. Moore ranked second among Bears last year with 85 targets. His departure leaves Chicago’s WR corps promising but thin, with Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, and rookie Zavion Thomas behind youngsters Luther Burden and Rome Odunze.

This should be a concentrated passing game, with Loveland, Burden, and Odunze controlling targets. 

QB And O-Line Add Risk

QB Caleb Williams is back for his third NFL campaign. He improved from Year 1 to Year 2 and flashed an exciting ceiling at times last season. But he’ll need to improve further to fully unlock Loveland’s upside.

The Bears also have a couple of questions on the offensive line. 

LT Ozzy Trapilo went down with a ruptured patellar tendon in last year’s Wild Card win over the Packers. That has him unlikely to be ready for the start of this season and leaves Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills competing for the starting job this summer.

The Bears also lost C Drew Dalman to retirement this offseason. He’s expected to be replaced by Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired from New England via trade in March. Bradbury started all 17 games for the Patriots last year but ranked just 21st among 36 qualifying centers in Pro Football Focus’ 2025 pass-blocking grades.

Chicago returns three 2025 starters in RT Darnell Wright, RG Jonah Jackson, and LG Joe Thuney. But this unit could take at least a slight step back this season.

Johnson Back To Boost The Offense

HC Ben Johnson returns for Year 2 with the Bears. Chicago went from bottom-5 in points and yards in 2024 to top-9 in both categories under Johnson. That followed this three-year run in Detroit for Johnson:

Johnson has been a run-leaning play caller, with all four of his offenses finishing between 20th and 25th in neutral pass rate. 

But he’s also landed all four of those offenses inside the top-14 in total plays, including top-2 finishes in 2024 and 2025. That’s helped each of Johnson’s teams rank in the top half of the league in pass attempts.

Johnson has also been friendly to TEs. Last year’s Bears ranked ninth in total TE PPR points, Sam LaPorta finished TE3 and TE9 under Johnson in 2023 and 2024, and T.J. Hockenson was TE4 through Week 8 of the 2022 season before being traded to Minnesota.

Paths to Ceiling

We saw the ceiling last year, albeit in a small sample, when Loveland averaged 16.8 PPR points over his final five games.

He has the potential to combine high-end efficiency with strong volume for the 2026 Bears. If Williams improves in his third season, Loveland could compete with Brock Bowers and Trey McBride for overall TE1 honors.

Risk Factors

There’s some small-sample risk here considering we saw Loveland in a full-time role for only five games last season. Williams’ inconsistent accuracy also adds volatility to the entire passing game.

If things go sideways for the offense, Loveland could be just a middling TE1 who doesn’t separate from the rest of the pack at the position. His (fairly high) TE3 ADP increases the negative impact of that potential outcome.