Bears' Offensive Scheme Creates Fantasy Football Opportunities

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson's offensive strategy has created a complex landscape for fantasy football managers seeking to exploit the team's high-scoring potential. Understanding the intricacies of the Bears' passing game, particularly how Johnson deploys his receivers across different personnel groupings, is crucial for optimizing weekly lineups and identifying valuable trade targets.

Luther Burden III has emerged as a highly efficient receiver, especially when the Bears operate with 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers). Burden leads the team in routes run from these sets, surpassing Rome Odunze and Kalif Raymond. Since the start of the 2025 season, among wide receivers with at least 300 routes run, Burden ranks fourth in yards per route run and is in the top 20 for targets per route run. His ability to secure targets quickly positions him as a high-floor WR2 option, particularly in games with high pass volumes or against defenses that funnel targets to the interior.

Rome Odunze functions as the team's primary perimeter threat and is a consistent presence across all formations. He leads the team in total routes run, with significant contributions in 11 personnel, 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends), and 13 personnel (one running back, three tight ends). Odunze is Chicago's premier downfield weapon, ranking fourth among qualifying wide receivers in the percentage of targets traveling 15 or more air yards. This makes him a high-upside WR2 option, especially against defenses that employ single coverage, and a strong trade target due to his guaranteed full-field snap share.

Kalif Raymond plays a complementary role, but his fantasy ceiling is constrained by shallower target depths and formation limitations. He is best suited for deep PPR formats or as a bye-week fill-in.

Colston Loveland, the team's tight end, has shown a dramatic increase in his role and production. His expected PPR points have significantly risen over the latter part of the season, indicating increased prioritization in the red zone and a larger share of intermediate targets. Loveland has transitioned from a streaming option to a locked-in TE1, making him an attractive trade target for fantasy managers seeking production at a thin position.

By understanding these deployment tendencies and target profiles within coach Johnson's scheme, fantasy managers can better position themselves to capitalize on the unique strengths of Burden, Odunze, and Loveland, potentially gaining a competitive edge in their leagues.