Week 16 could be an audition of sorts for Chicago Bears wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.
Following a costly 31-3 win on Sunday over the Cleveland Browns (3-11), the seven-year veteran wideout could be thrust into a larger role against the Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) with two key Bears receivers hampered by injury.
Rome Odunze (foot) was inactive in Week 15, while rookie Luther Burden III (ankle) left the win versus the Browns in the second half, leaving their status for this Sunday's game uncertain.
Olamide Zaccheaus Could Secure Future With Bears As WR Injuries Mount
Odunze first appeared on the Bears' injury report in early December and suffered a setback during pregame warmups on Sunday. Burden's ankle injury came following a big first half against Cleveland. The 2025 second-rounder had a career-high six receptions for 84 yards before exiting with the game well out of reach. He ended up playing just 26 snaps, his fewest since Week 8, via Pro Football Reference.
The mounting injuries leave the Bears (10-4) thin at wide receiver. D.J. Moore can be an excellent option as he showed against Cleveland, but Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay are the only other healthy receivers on the active roster to record a catch this season.
Duvernay primarily plays special teams, leaving Zaccheaus as the likely WR2 in Week 16, should Odunze and Burden sit. This season, the 2019 undrafted free agent has 37 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns. According to NFL Pro data, Zaccheaus has been one of the league's worst players at producing yards after the catch, gaining 20 yards less than expected, the eighth-lowest mark among qualifying receivers. He also has the third-worst catch rate over expected, 11.6 percentage points worse than anticipated. The Bears have lost 0.11 expected points when targeting Zaccheaus.
The journeyman receiver — on his fourth team in four seasons — will need to be much better down the stretch to be part of the Bears' long-term plans. He signed a low-risk one-year, $1.5 million contract in free agency, and Chicago should have no problem finding an upgrade if Zaccheaus fails to take advantage of a potential uptick in snaps this coming weekend.
First place in the NFC North is on the line. With a home win over the Packers, the Bears would need to split their past two games (at San Francisco 49ers, versus Detroit Lions) to guarantee their first division title since 2018.
Zaccheaus could play a larger role in the team's final playoff push than expected. It might be his final chance to carve out a future in Chicago beyond 2025.