Bears WR Luther Burden’s groin injury timeline stretched today, with the WR now expected to miss the entire preseason, about a month, after initial estimates suggested only “a little bit of time.” The good news is that ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Bears still expect him back for the regular season.
What They're Saying: Bears Still Expect Week 1
Adam Schefter, ESPN: “Chicago WR Luther Burden III is expected to miss the preseason due to the strained groin injury he suffered Saturday, but the Bears believe he should be back for the team’s regular-season opener vs. the Panthers, per sources”
Matt Zenitz, CBS Sports: “Bears wide receiver Luther Burden, who suffered a groin injury Saturday, is currently expected to miss about a month, sources tell CBS
The hope is that he’ll be back and available for Chicago’s season opener vs. the Panthers, per sources.”
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: The Floor Takes a Slight The Hit
The injury forcing Burden to miss the rest of camp and preseason is slightly concerning, though it sounds like he's unlikely to miss any fantasy games because of it. There could of course be some rust to shake off at the start of the season.
We are still drafting Burden with confidence. His role as the slot WR for HC Ben Johnson gives him plenty of appeal. With no missed time, Burden could become a value if his ADP falls by a round or more.
But we still have some caution, especially with a groin injury that can linger.
We lowered the floor on Burden in case the injury hampers him or flares up at practice or during a game. That moves him from WR21 down to WR23 in our PPR WR Rankings. Not a big jump, but enough to raise a few red flags.
Other Winners & Losers: Odunze Gets A Tiny Bump
Rome Odunze gets a bit more intriguing if Burden does end up missing time or has a slow start. He could absorb an extra target or two if Burden needs plays off early in the season.
We raised Odunze’s ceiling after this news, bumping him up from WR28 to WR27 in our PPR WR Rankings.
