WR CHI
College: Washington | Rookie
Height: 6'3" | Weight: 215 lbs
Birth Date: 2002-06-03
2025 Bye Week: 5
Total Pts: 154.9
Avg Pts: 9.11
Rank: 47 WR
Free Agent
Odunze had a solid first season in the NFL, making a lot of big plays. He had 54 receptions for 734 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 13.6 yards per reception. He wasn't super consistent but had five games with double-digit fantasy points, including two 20-plus point performances. The issue was he had 40 or fewer yards 11 of 17 games. Odunze will continue to be a big part of the offense, starting opposite D.J. Moore in the Bears up and coming offense. And new head coach Ben Johnson should be a big plus for the entire offense, including Odunze. Odunze is a big, strong receiver that does well on the contested catch. He is a top playmaker at the position. His route running could sharpen some, though, and he dropped six passes last year.
FANTASY OUTLOOK: Odunze can take a bit step forward this year in the Bears new offense. You have to like his potential, making him worth a shot as a low-end No. 2 fantasy receiver. He can get 80 receptions for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns.
After being drafted ninth overall by the Chicago Bears in 2024, expectations were quite high for wide receiver Rome Odunze. With fellow rookie Caleb Williams throwing him the ball, Odunze was able to post decent numbers in his first season. He hauled in 54 catches for 734 yards and three scores over 17 games. Inconsistent play by Williams, exacerbated by a horrendous offensive line, was not the ideal position for a rookie receiver, as Odunze ranked 2nd in unrealized air yards (917) with an atrocious catchable target rate of 64%. Consistent volume was also hard to come by, with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and sometimes even Cole Kmet above Odunze in the pecking order. Things are looking up for the second-year wideout with the Bears' moves this offseason. Allen became a free agent, and Chicago brought in offensive-minded Ben Johnson as the Bears' head coach. Johnson has already been very vocal about how impressed he is with the sophomore wideout. It's worth noting that the Bears just used their first two picks in the 2025 NFL draft to grab pass catchers. The Bears selected tight end Colston Loveland 10th overall and wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second round. However, that shouldn't detract too much from Odunze's opportunities this coming season. Burden III is primarily a slot receiver while Odunze aligns outside, and Loveland will share reps with Cole Kmet. There are a lot of mouths to feed in this Chicago offense, but with what should be a drastically improved offensive line and another year to grow with Williams, Odunze is expected to take a big leap in his second season into the WR2 range as the clear No. 2 target in this offense. RotoBaller is on board with Odunze making the second-year leap and has the 23-year-old ranked as WR33 heading into upcoming fantasy drafts.
Fantasy Week | Pts | Scoring |
---|---|---|
Week 1 | 2.10 | Rome Odunze 1 reception (1.00 pts) Rome Odunze 11 receiving yds (1.10 pts) |
Week 2 | 6.30 | Rome Odunze 2 receptions (2.00 pts) Rome Odunze 1 tackle (1.00 pts) Rome Odunze 33 receiving yds (3.30 pts) |
Week 3 | 28.40 | Rome Odunze 1 receiving TD (6.00 pts) . . . Rome Odunze 1 yd TD pass from Caleb Williams Rome Odunze 6 receptions (6.00 pts) Rome Odunze 112 receiving yds (11.20 pts) Rome Odunze 112 receiving yds (2.00 pts) Rome Odunze 112 receiving yds (3.00 pts) Rome Odunze 2 rushing yds (0.20 pts) |
Week 4 | 2.00 | Rome Odunze 1 reception (1.00 pts) Rome Odunze 10 receiving yds (1.00 pts) |
Week 5 | 9.00 | Rome Odunze 5 receptions (5.00 pts) Rome Odunze 40 receiving yds (4.00 pts) |
Week 6 | 6.00 | Rome Odunze 2 receptions (2.00 pts) Rome Odunze 40 receiving yds (4.00 pts) |
Week 7 | 0.00 | |
Week 8 | 8.40 | Rome Odunze 3 receptions (3.00 pts) Rome Odunze 41 receiving yds (4.10 pts) Rome Odunze 13 rushing yds (1.30 pts) |
Week 9 | 19.40 | Rome Odunze 5 receptions (5.00 pts) Rome Odunze 104 receiving yds (10.40 pts) Rome Odunze 104 receiving yds (1.00 pts) Rome Odunze 104 receiving yds (3.00 pts) |
Week 10 | 5.30 | Rome Odunze 3 receptions (3.00 pts) Rome Odunze 23 receiving yds (2.30 pts) |
Week 11 | 12.50 | Rome Odunze 6 receptions (6.00 pts) Rome Odunze 65 receiving yds (6.50 pts) |
Week 12 | 8.90 | Rome Odunze 5 receptions (5.00 pts) Rome Odunze 39 receiving yds (3.90 pts) |
Week 13 | 4.50 | Rome Odunze 2 receptions (2.00 pts) Rome Odunze 25 receiving yds (2.50 pts) |
Week 14 | 20.20 | Rome Odunze 2 receiving TDs (12.00 pts) . . . Rome Odunze 4 yd TD pass from Caleb Williams . . . Rome Odunze 14 yd TD pass from Caleb Williams Rome Odunze 4 receptions (4.00 pts) Rome Odunze 42 receiving yds (4.20 pts) |
Playoff Week 1 | 5.90 | Rome Odunze 2 receptions (2.00 pts) Rome Odunze 39 receiving yds (3.90 pts) |
Playoff Week 2 | 9.70 | Rome Odunze 1 fumble lost (-2.00 pts) Rome Odunze 4 receptions (4.00 pts) Rome Odunze 77 receiving yds (7.70 pts) |
Playoff Week 3 | 2.50 | Rome Odunze 1 reception (1.00 pts) Rome Odunze 15 receiving yds (1.50 pts) |
The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain writes that Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze should be much better in 2025 with a better offensive scheme and improved quarterback play out of Caleb Williams. Fantasy managers were disappointed with Odunze last season after he was taken ninth overall by the Bears out of Washington. However, Fishbain points out that the 23-year-old pass-catcher was fifth among all rookies in receiving yards (734) while catching 53.5% of his targets. He was most definitely inconsistent and scored only three times in 17 games (12 starts), but there remains plenty of upside, and he should be better in new head coach Ben Johnson's offense with Keenan Allen gone. Odunze's after-the-catch abilities and physical prowess make him a nice WR3/flex with upside to target in fantasy drafts.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze believes he's going to take a major step forward in his second professional season. Odunze had high expectations after being drafted as the No. 9 overall pick during last year's draft. He finished with 54 receptions, 734 yards, and three touchdowns across 17 games last season. To be fair, nothing seemed to go right for the Bears offense last season. They tried to get Odunze involved with over 100 targets, but the poor play of the offensive line made it difficult for them. Despite that, the Bears believe Odunze is a special player that can take a big leap this next season. Odunze said his goal is to get at least 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns. The Bears have added talent on offense, so we'll see if that goal is achievable, but regardless fantasy managers should probably hold Odunze and see what happens.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears Team Preview and Fantasy Football Outlook for 2025 Ian Hartitz provides a thorough breakdown of the Chicago Bears heading into the 2025 fantasy football season. [Read More]
From FantasyLife
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is "extremely impressed" with wide receiver Rome Odunze this offseason. The Washington product had a decent rookie season considering the immense target competition from Keenan Allen and DJ Moore in 2024, especially while catching passes from a rookie quarterback. However, he was not a consistent fantasy football producer. With Johnson in Chicago and Allen out of the way, Odunze could be headed toward a Year-2 leap. "To be a second-year guy, you would expect a little bit more inconsistency," Johnson said. "And yet, the way he approaches the meeting room, the walk-throughs, the on-field, the drill work, it's very much like a seasoned pro, some of the best that I've been around." This is encouraging for Odunze's fantasy prospects, but the team added former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland and former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first two rounds of last month's draft, so target competition will remain a factor. The jury is also still out on Caleb Williams, and Odunze has a wide range of outcomes in 2025. His low-end WR3 cost in fantasy football drafts makes him an intriguing dart throw in redraft and best ball leagues.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze didn't have the ideal rookie season. The Bears used the 9th overall pick from last year's draft on Odunze, which came with high expectations. The 22-year-old finished with 54 receptions, 734 receiving yards, and three touchdowns in 17 games (12 starts) with Chicago. It sounds like the Bears believe Odunze can take a big step forward in his second season. Bears assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El is a big believer in Odunze. He recently said he wants to get Odunze the ball in a bunch of different ways. New head coach Ben Johnson is going to bring in a new scheme that should hopefully open up Odunze to do more work than just catching screens. It sounds like the Bears have big plans for Odunze, so dynasty managers should dump him yet.
From RotoBaller
NFL Week | Opp | Pts | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs | Rec Tgt | 100 Yds | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs | Fum Lost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 Season | 154.90 | 54 | 734 | 3 | |||||||
Week 1 | TEN | 2.10 | 1 | 11 | 0 | ||||||
Week 2 | @HOU | 6.30 | 2 | 33 | 0 | ||||||
Week 3 | @IND | 28.40 | 6 | 112 | 1 | ||||||
Week 4 | LAR | 2.00 | 1 | 10 | 0 | ||||||
Week 5 | CAR | 9.00 | 5 | 40 | 0 | ||||||
Week 6 | JAX | 6.00 | 2 | 40 | 0 | ||||||
Week 7 | bye | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Week 8 | @WAS | 8.40 | 3 | 41 | 0 | ||||||
Week 9 | @ARI | 19.40 | 5 | 104 | 0 | ||||||
Week 10 | NE | 5.30 | 3 | 23 | 0 | ||||||
Week 11 | GB | 12.50 | 6 | 65 | 0 | ||||||
Week 12 | MIN | 8.90 | 5 | 39 | 0 | ||||||
Week 13 | @DET | 4.50 | 2 | 25 | 0 | ||||||
Week 14 | @SF | 20.20 | 4 | 42 | 2 | ||||||
Week 15 | @MIN | 5.90 | 2 | 39 | 0 | ||||||
Week 16 | DET | 9.70 | 4 | 77 | 0 | ||||||
Week 17 | SEA | 2.50 | 1 | 15 | 0 | ||||||
Week 18 | @GB | 3.80 | 2 | 18 | 0 |