Chicago Bears playmaker still drawing fantasy football hype despite red flags

With teams off until training camp, NFL fans have begun plotting their 2025 fantasy football strategy. The Chicago Bears will have plenty of options to help bolster any roster.

Helping their cause is the arrival of head coach Ben Johnson. He helped the Detroit Lions become of the best offensive teams in the league during his time with the franchise. Now finally a head coach with the Bears, Johnson is expected to bring that same level of offensive firepower to the Windy City.

It may take time for the Bears to run his scheme at max capacity, but they have plenty of playmakers ready to make noise. That includes former top 10 pick Rome Odunze. The wide receiver struggled as a rookie, failing to live up to the hype. However, as he prepares for his sophomore campaign, Liz Loza of ESPN argues that Odunze is still worth the gamble in fantasy football despite his red flags.

“Fantasy blinders are a real thing. Like when we’re so enamored by a player’s talent that we struggle to properly analyze his situation. Or when our hometown loyalties cloud our better judgment. Sometimes those two instances converge and cause us to reach for a player. Not this time, though,” Loza wrote. “Odunze is the real deal.”

“With better protection and under the tutelage of new coach Ben Johnson, Williams figures to plant his feet, find his focus and significantly improve his passing efficiency,” she continued. “All of which should benefit Odunze, making for an entirely conceivable Year 2 breakout. Currently being selected 86th overall (behind Calvin Ridley and just ahead of Jerry Jeudy), Odunze is an alpha in the making who has the potential to clear 1,000 receiving yards in 2025. That’s a WR2 ceiling at a WR3 cost. Done.”

Rome Odunze’s rookie season 

Selected with the No. 9 overall pick, Odunze was expected to immediately become a crucial target for quarterback Caleb Williams. But while there were some highs, the duo wasn’t as explosive as Chicago was hoping for.

Appearing in all 17 games, starting 12 of them, Odunze caught 54 passes for 734 yards and three touchdowns. He ranked third on the team in terms of receptions and yardage and fourth in receiving touchdowns. But amongst all rookie receivers, Odunze ranked seventh in receptions and fifth in yardage. Ten different rookie caught more touchdowns than him despite Odunze being the third wide receiver off the board.

Things will look much different for the playmaker in 2025, or at least the Bears are counting on it. Keenan Allen and his team-leading seven touchdown receptions, alongside 70 receptions and 744 yards have left the franchise. While Chicago has added players like Colston Loveland and Luther Burden, Odunze should be the prime recipient of many of those opportunities.

Ultimately, the 23-year-old will need to fully prove why he was a top 10 pick. But one rocky season isn’t going to sour the Bears’ feelings on Odunze.

Chicago Bears build out pass game 

In Johnson’s final year with the Lions, Detroit ranked second in passing, averaging 263.2 yards per game. In turn, the Bears ranked second-to-last, averaging 181.5 YPG. It’ll take time for Johnson to get Chicago to that level, but it’s at least a sign of how strong the Bears could be in the passing game.

In terms of fantasy football success, perhaps the biggest red flag around Odunze is the number of cooks in Chicago’s kitchen. Alongside Loveland and Burden, the Bears also have DJ Moore and Cole Kmet. How will Johnson feed everybody.

During the 2024 campaign, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 115 passes for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns. That was with fellow receiver Jameson Williams adding 58 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns. Tight end Sam LaPorta matched those seven TD grabs, alongside 60 receptions and 726 yards. Players like Jahmyr Gibbs and Tim Patrick were heavily involved as well. The point is, Johnson has proven he can operate a successful offense with numerous different targets.

But for Odunze or any Bears pass catcher, it’ll all come down to Williams. If he takes a step forward, so will the wide receiver room. But if the quarterback struggles, Chicago will be singing an all too common tune.

Odunze will be doing everything in his power to help Williams and anyone who drafts him in fantasy football to succeed.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-bears-playmaker-fantasy-red-flags?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicago-bears-playmaker-fantasy-red-flags