Odunze caught both his targets for 18 yards in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday. Even though Chicago selected Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft, he was the clear third receiver for the team behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Still, the rookie hauled in 54 of 101 targets for 734 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games. Allen is headed for free agency, so Odunze could move into a larger role in the offense in 2025. With better coaching to help Caleb Williams improve as well, Odunze is a strong candidate for a second-year breakout.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Rome Odunze news
Other Bears Players
Team
Chicago Bears
Birthdate
6/3/2002 (22)
Status
Active
HT/WT
6'3", 215 lbs
Draft Info
2024: Rd 1; Pk (CHI)
Birthplace
Orem, UT, USA
Position
WR
College
Washington
Career History
Chicago Bears
2024-Present
(1 season)
Odunze caught both his targets for 18 yards in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday. Even though Chicago selected Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft, he was the clear third receiver for the team behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Still, the rookie hauled in 54 of 101 targets for 734 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games. Allen is headed for free agency, so Odunze could move into a larger role in the offense in 2025. With better coaching to help Caleb Williams improve as well, Odunze is a strong candidate for a second-year breakout.
Odunze (illness) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Packers. Odunze returned to full practice participation Friday after an illness kept him out the previous two days. He had one of his better games of the year the last time he faced Green Bay, catching six of 10 targets for 65 yards in a 20-19 loss in Week 11.
Odunze (illness) didn't practice Thursday. With no activity to speak of yet during Week 18 prep due to an illness, Odunze has only one more opportunity Friday to mix into drills before the Bears potentially tag him with a designation ahead of Sunday's contest at Green Bay. In his first matchup with the Packers back in Week 11, Odunze gathered in six of 10 targets for 65 yards, which is his fourth-highest yardage total of his rookie campaign.
Odunze was held out of Wednesday's walkthrough due to an illness. Fortunately for the rookie first-round pick, Odunze's status for Week 18 isn't in peril, as interim coach Thomas Brown told Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network. Odunze will have two more chances this week to get on the practice field before the Bears potentially give him a designation ahead of Sunday's game at Green Bay.
Odunze brought in one of four targets for 15 yards in the Bears' 6-3 loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night. Odunze and Caleb Williams had trouble connecting for the most part, although the rookie receiver did have a 17-yard touchdown catch late in the second quarter nullified by an offensive holding penalty. Odunze's reception and yardage totals were his lowest since Week 4, but he'll have an opportunity to head into his first NFL offseason with some momentum when he faces the Packers secondary in a Week 18 road matchup.
Odunze brought in four of seven targets for 77 yards in the Bears' 34-17 loss to the Lions on Sunday. Odunze was second in receiving yards on the afternoon for the Bears while checking in third in both receptions and targets. Caleb Williams threw for over 300 yards and completed a solid 65.0 percent of his throws, so it wasn't surprising to see Odunze put up a more efficient catch rate than usual as well. The rookie wideout's yardage total was his highest since Week 9, affording him some solid momentum heading into a Week 17 home matchup against the Seahawks on Thursday night.
Odunze finished with two receptions on seven targets for 39 yards in Monday's 30-12 loss to the Vikings. Odunze was unable to replicate his two-score game from a week prior, instead providing fantasy managers with just two receptions in Monday's lopsided loss. The Bears' first-round rookies struggled to get on the same page after Caleb Williams connected with Odunze on just 29 percent of his throws against Minnesota. Odunze has potential to go off on a given week, but his floor is too low to rely on against the Lions on Sunday for managers making critical lineup decisions in the fantasy playoffs.
Odunze caught four of five targets for 42 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 38-13 loss to the 49ers. Odunze cashed in a pair of garbage-time touchdowns in Sunday's blowout loss for the first multi-score game of his young career. When the rookie scored during the contest shouldn't matter to fantasy managers, who had witnessed just one trip to the end zone over the wideout's previous 12 contests. Odunze's inconsistency in Chicago's flailing offense keeps him from relevance in shallower formats ahead of next Monday's tilt against Minnesota.
Odunze caught two passes for 25 yards on six targets in Thursday's 23-20 loss to the Lions. Odunze has mostly been promising during his rookie season, but this game was one of his most forgettable. It's possible that most of Odunze's struggles Thursday were outside his control -- DJ Moore (16 targets) and Keenan Allen (eight targets) seemed to be earlier than Odunze in most read progressions, and with the Detroit pass rush in play it would have been difficult for Caleb Williams to regularly get to his third read. Odunze remains capable but probably less than reliable as a fantasy asset with a road game against the 49ers up next.