Luther Burden III is quickly becoming one of the most popular breakout candidates entering the 2026 NFL season. The Chicago Bears wide receiver showed flashes throughout his rookie season, and many expect him to take a major step forward in year two. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report recently pointed to Burden as one of the league’s most likely second-year breakout players.
The Chicago Bears can get more out of Luther Burden in 2026
The biggest point Sobleski highlighted was Burden’s expected increase in slot usage. Under head coach Ben Johnson, slot receivers have traditionally played a major role in the offense. During Johnson’s time with the Detroit Lions, Amon-Ra St. Brown consistently thrived from the slot. Last season with Chicago, D. J. Moore also led the team in slot snaps.
Interestingly, Burden already lined up in the slot at a higher rate than Moore did last season. Burden ran 47% of his routes from the slot, while Moore lined up there on 32% of his routes. However, Moore still finished with more total slot snaps because he was on the field much more often overall. Moore logged 219 slot snaps compared to 159 for Burden.
That is why there is so much optimism about Burden’s role increasing this year. The expectation is that many of the slot opportunities previously occupied by Moore could now shift toward Burden. If his snap count climbs closer to 400 slot snaps and around 60% of his routes come from inside, the production could rise significantly as well.
What makes Burden’s rookie season even more interesting is that he was actually more productive on the outside than he was in the slot. He recorded 22 catches for 273 yards from the slot, but totaled 31 catches for 445 yards while lined up outside.
A lot of that likely had to do with how the offense was structured last season. When Moore moved inside, Burden often shifted outside, and many of his best stretches came while playing alongside Moore. Now, with an entire offseason to build around Burden’s strengths, the Bears can design more ways to get him involved from the slot while still moving him around the formation.
That flexibility is a major reason expectations are rising. Burden is not only expected to receive more snaps overall, but he is also expected to see increased work in a role that has historically produced strong numbers in Johnson’s offense.
When combining Burden’s late-season growth from his rookie year with the expected increase in usage, it is easy to see why many believe he is positioned for a major jump in production during the 2026 season.
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