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🏆 The Bears just cleared the path for their most efficient WR. Most drafters haven't noticed yet.

He ranked third in the NFL in yards per route run while getting under 30% of snaps. Now he has a starting job and nobody's adjusted his ADP yet. JOIN PFF+ ANALYSIS FANTASY MDS RANKINGS

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July 28, 2026 3:30pm EDT

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Why Luther Burden III Is My Favorite Breakout Candidate Right Now

Football is back! I just returned from the Fantasy Football Expo, training camp has started for all 32 teams, and we are nine days away from the Hall of Fame Game.

There are several breakout candidates this season, some that I am buying and others that I’m not. One player I drafted this weekend at the expo and hope to draft a lot more of is Luther Burden III.

Burden flashed as a rookie despite never earning a full-time role, leading all Bears wide receivers with a 77.7 PFF receiving grade while finishing third among NFL wide receivers in yards per route run (2.69) behind only Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. His snap share, below 30% in the first half of the season, regularly exceeded 50% by year's end, and Chicago cleared his path to a starting job by trading DJ Moore and letting Olamide Zaccheaus walk, replacing them with only Kalif Raymond and a third-round rookie.

Burden was especially dangerous in 12 personnel, generating 6.51 yards per route run, the best mark by any wide receiver in any personnel grouping with at least 40 routes, and the addition of rookie tight end Sam Roush could push the Bears further in that direction. The expanded role makes him a prime breakout candidate, particularly as a value in casual leagues.

Check out my top five breakout candidates here.

Nathan Jahnke

Lead Fantasy Football Analyst

SEE MY FULL BREAKOUT CANDIDATE LIST

The Early-Round WRs Nathan Is Taking Off His Board

Tee Higgins tied for second in the NFL in touchdowns last season — but Nathan says the production is unlikely to hold at his WR15 ADP. Most of those scores came on long plays that rarely repeat, and his injury history adds another layer of risk.

Nathan also has a second list of five WRs worth thinking twice about before your draft.

SEE THE EARLY-ROUND WRs TO FADE

Three Bounce-Back Candidates Worth Targeting Before Their ADPs Catch Up

Ladd McConkey stayed elite on intermediate routes even when his volume dipped last season — the underlying numbers never wavered. With new coordinator Mike McDaniel running the offense, improved health, and less target competition, Nathan sees a career year coming. He also has two more bounce-back candidates worth adding to your board before their ADPs reflect it.

SEE ALL THREE BOUNCE-BACK CANDIDATES

Every Format. Every Position. One Rankings Page.

The PFF fantasy rankings tool covers every format you draft in — PPR, Half-PPR, Standard, Dynasty and Best Ball. Back this season: IDP rankings, now built by Nathan, who has finished top-10 in FantasyPros' in-season accuracy competition for IDP in six consecutive years. Whether you're in a traditional redraft league or a long-running dynasty league, the rankings you need are all in one place and updated throughout the offseason.

VIEW THE RANKINGS

Editor's Picks

Nathan's updated PPR top 250 rankings 📊

Ja'Marr Chase hit a career-high 90.1 PFF grade in 2025. So who tops the PPR rankings ahead of him?

The perfect Zero RB draft for 2026 🏆

An elite tight end anchors the perfect Zero RB build in 2026. Who else should you target round by round?

Tight end sleepers for 2026 😴

Mark Andrews slipped to TE24 last season. His competition is gone now, and there's top-five upside at a late-round price.

Draft better. Manage smarter. Win more.

PFF+ gives you Nathan Jahnke's rankings and analysis all season long, plus the tools to win your league: Fantasy Mock Draft Simulator, Player Comparison Tool, Live Draft Assistant, League Sync with start/sit advice, and premium stats that go deeper than anywhere else.

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🏆 The Bears just cleared the path for their most efficient WR. Most drafters haven't noticed yet.

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