There are hot streaks, and there there is the kind of run that Luther Burden III is on right now.
Since Caleb Williams returned to the active roster, Burden hasn't dropped a single target, and it's helped the Chicago Bears to win their last two games. In total across the last two games, Burden has 12 receptions on 12 targets, amassing 225 yards and a touchdown. Both of the last two games, Burden led the Bears in receiving yards.
Burden spent the early stages of the season looking like a talented player still waiting for the offense to consistently find him. Williams' return to the field immediately changed the picture, because the last two games have shown both sides of what Burden can be for the offense. Even more, he did it on only 12 targets.
Atlanta showed Williams where the layups were
Going back to the Week 6 game against Atlanta, Williams had only just returned to the lineup, and the Bears were in need of a win. On the opening drive, Williams found Odunze and Burden alike to consistently move the chains with the help of D'Andre Swift before Colston Loveland walked away with the touchdown.
What Burden was able to do in that game was consistently offer Williams a reliable target across the entire match, and his efforts were rewarded. He finished the game as the Bears leading receiver with 95 yards.
New England showed everyone the ceiling
Only four days later, Burden was the spark that kept New England from really getting any sort of footing. Burden caught four passes for 130 yards, and that was all before halftime. He averaged 32.5 yards per catch, an excellent stat that any receiver would be happy with for a days work on short rest.
But the really impressive play came with only 14 seconds left before halftime, when the Bears were on a third and 17. A quick screen pass to Burden allowed him to find a lane and put a 24 yard touchdown on the board, only his second of the season.
There's good reason to believe that Burden deserves a much bigger workload when he's displayed hands like his. But it's difficult to favor one receiver when there's so much talent across the depth chart. From Loveland to Odunze, with even more impressive names like Kalif Raymond on the team, there's simply a lot of mouths to feed.
Chicago has time to rest now, with the Thursday game allowing for a mini-bye. But then it's a trip to Seattle to take on the defending Super Bowl champions who are trying to gain footing in their division against a talented, but beat-up 49ers team.
Luther Burden has already proven he can be an easy throw, and be the explosive one at the same time. Now the Bears need to find out what happens when Burden gets the ball in his hands more often.
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