Odunze (foot) returned to practice Friday as a limited participant and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions, Chris Emma of 670TheScore.com reports.
The practice was Odunze's first since Dec. 12, which seemingly makes him a long shot to actually play this weekend. The Bears and Lions are scheduled for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Another DNP on Thursday
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Odunze (foot) didn't practice Thursday.
Odunze's next on-field work will be his first since Dec. 12 as he tends to a stress fracture in his foot. With Thursday's absence, he thus appears destined to miss a fifth game in a row to end the regular season. As long as Odunze is sidelined, the Bears will rely on DJ Moore, Luther Burden, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jahdae Walker and Devin Duvernay at wide receiver.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Still not practicing
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Odunze (foot) was a non-participant in practice Wednesday.
Odunze thus hasn't practiced since Dec. 12 due to a stress fracture in his foot and appears poised to end the regular season with five consecutive absences. The Bears can make a ruling on his availability for Sunday's game against the Lions as soon as they post Friday's injury report, and if he's ruled out, Chicago again may be short-handed in the receiving corps, as Luther Burden (quadriceps) was limited Wednesday after getting injured on the final play of this past Sunday's loss at San Francisco. Meanwhile, WR Olamide Zaccheaus, who sat out Week 17 due to illness, was a full practice participant Wednesday, joining DJ Moore, Jahdae Walker and Devin Duvernay as the healthy options at the position on the active roster.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Out for Week 17
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Odunze (foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's game at San Francisco.
Odunze thus will miss a fourth consecutive contest due to a stress fracture in his foot. With Odunze sidelined again, the Bears will be rolling with DJ Moore, Luther Burden, Olamide Zaccheaus, Devin Duvernay and Jahdae Walker at wide receiver Sunday. Odunze's next chance for regular-season game action is a Week 18 home matchup with the Lions.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Another DNP on Thursday
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Odunze (foot) was listed as a non-participant on Thursday's estimated injury report.
Odunze last took part in practice Dec. 12 due to a stress fracture in his foot that has bothered him for a good portion of the season. Because the Bears didn't hold a session Thursday, he'll have only one more opportunity for on-field work this week before the team potentially makes a ruling on his status ahead of Sunday's game at San Francisco. Fellow WR Luther Burden (ankle) was listed as limited for a second day in a row, so Chicago may be getting some reinforcements in the passing game if the rookie second-round pick is able to put an end to a one-game absence.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Expected to play again this season
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Coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday that Odunze (foot) is "right on track" in his recovery and is fully expected to play again this season, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
"He's in a good spot," Johnson said of Odunze. "He's going to be able to help us this year." Odunze hasn't played since Week 13 due to a stress fracture in his foot and appeared to suffer a setback ahead of the Bears' Week 15 win over the Browns when he was announced as active but ruled out minutes before kickoff. The 11-4 Bears have already clinched a playoff spot but still have a chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It's unclear if Chicago will push Odunze over the final two weeks of the regular season or let him rest his foot until the postseason.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Not expected to play Saturday
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Odunze (foot) is not expected to suit up for Saturday's game against the Packers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Odunze was initially listed as active for Chicago's win over the Browns, but he aggravated the stress fracture in his foot during pregame warmups and was made a late scratch. The 2024 first-round pick has not practiced since, and head coach Ben Johnson said Monday that "all options are on the table" for Odunze's recovery, including resting him ahead of the playoffs. With Luther Burden (ankle) also looking uncertain for Saturday's divisional matchup, Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay could be tasked with handling starting roles in three-wide sets behind DJ Moore.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: All options on table
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Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Monday that "all options are on the table" regarding the recovery of Odunze (foot), Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Johnson indicated that Chicago could consider shutting Odunze down for the time being in order for him to rest up in time for the playoffs, saying it may be necessary "to protect him from himself a little bit so he can help us down the road." Odunze had appeared primed to retake the field Week 15 against Cleveland, but he was made a late scratch after aggravating the stress fracture in his foot during pregame warmups. With Luther Burden (ankle) now considered day-to-day ahead of Saturday's divisional matchup against the Packers, it's possible Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay could be tasked with expanded roles in the receiving game behind DJ Moore and tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Out Sunday after late setback
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Odunze aggravated the stress fracture in his foot during pregame warmups and has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Browns, Chris Emma of 670TheScore.com reports.
After sitting out the Bears' Week 14 loss to the Packers, Odunze had been listed as questionable heading into Sunday following a trio of limited practices. The Bears felt comfortable making Odunze active for the contest, but they'll ultimately have to play a man down as a result of his late setback. With Odunze unavailable, Chicago will be left with receivers DJ Moore, Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus and tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet as its main pass-catching options.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Optimism for Week 15
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There is optimism in the Bears organization that Odunze (foot) will be available to play against the Browns on Sunday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Odunze did not play against the Packers in Week 14 due to a foot injury. He earned the questionable tag for Sunday's game after failing to log a full practice during Week 15 prep, but it appears the second-year wideout is on track to return against Cleveland. Odunze's official status may not be known until the Bears announce their list approximately 90 minutes before the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, which would give fantasy managers time to explore their options in case the 2024 first-rounder is not cleared to suit up. DJ Moore, rookie second-rounder Luther Burden, Olamide Zaccheaus and tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet would all be slated for more targets from quarterback Caleb Williams in the event that Odunze doesn't play.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Puts in limited practice
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Odunze (foot) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
Chicago had estimated Odunze as a limited participant for Wednesday's walk-through session, but Thursday marked the first time the second-year wideout had actually taken the field for a practice in more than two weeks. Odunze, who is working his way back from a stress fracture in his foot, is a candidate to play Sunday versus the Browns, but he may have to upgrade to full participation in Friday's practice to avoid taking a designation into the weekend. The potential return of Odunze this Sunday would leave fewer reps to go around for rookie Luther Burden, who drew six targets and played a career-high 71 percent of the offensive snaps in a Week 14 loss to the Packers.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Listed as limited Wednesday
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Odunze (foot) was listed as limited on Wednesday's estimated injury report, Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune reports.
After missing all three Week 14 practices and being ruled out for this past Sunday's game at Green Bay, Odunze was revealed to be dealing with a stress fracture in his foot that left him week-to-week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Such a prognosis, even from an NFL insider, typically results in a multi-game absence, but Odunze's listing to start Week 15 prep indicates he has a chance to return Sunday against the Browns. How he fares in practice Thursday and Friday likely will be key in that regard.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Considered week-to-week
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Odunze, who was ruled out for Sunday's game against Green Bay, has been playing with a stress fracture in his foot and is considered week-to-week, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
The report suggests Odunze should return at some point in December, with the expectation being that rest will help (he didn't practice at all this week) .The stress fracture helps explain his drastic downturn in production after a fast start to the season, though other factors contributed there as well. In Odunze's absence, the Bears figure to deploy DJ Moore, Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus as their top three WRs against the Packers.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Ruled out for Sunday
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Odunze (foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Green Bay.
There was no clear sign of trouble during last week's 24-15 win over the Eagles, in which Odunze handled an 80 percent snap share and 87 percent route share but finished with just two catches for eight yards on six targets. He likely was injured at some point during that game, as he hasn't practiced since and will now miss a contest for the first time in his NFL career. Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus figure to get more playing time in Odunze's absence, with DJ Moore, Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet also among the potential beneficiaries in terms of target volume.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Odunze is struggling heading into Week 14 at Green Bay, and he's only worth starting in three-receiver leagues. He has scored 8.3 PPR points or less in four of his past five games, including three in a row, and it's not for a lack of targets. Odunze has at least six targets in each of his past three games, but he's just not connecting with Caleb Williams. The run game has also been dominant for the Bears, and Odunze has a difficult matchup against the Packers, who have allowed just five touchdowns to receivers in their past six games. And only seven receivers have scored more than 12 PPR points against Green Bay this season. I still consider Odunze a low-end starter in two-receiver leagues, but it's hard to expect a dominant outing from him given his recent level of play.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Does little with six targets
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Odunze brought in two of six targets for eight yards during the Bears' 24-15 win over the Eagles on Friday.
Odunze tied Luther Burden and Colston Loveland for the most targets on the Bears on Friday, but Odunze was unable to do much with his limited touches on a day in which Caleb Williams completed just 17 of 36 passes (47.2 percent). Odunze has cooled off from his hot start to the regular season, when he logged a 20-296-5 line on 35 targets through the first four games. In the eight games since Chicago's Week 5 bye, the second-year wideout has caught just 24 passes (on 55 targets) for 365 yards and a score. Odunze will look to get on track Week 14 during the Bears' NFC North clash against the Packers on Sunday, Dec. 7.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Good to go
Rotowire
Odunze (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Vikings.
Odunze and DJ Moore (shoulder) both have been cleared to play after logging full practices Friday. They should fill their usual roles, with Olamide Zacheeaus working as the No. 3 receiver while Luther Burden subs in for Odunze/Moore at times.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Misses practice Wednesday
Rotowire
Odunze (ankle) did not practice Wednesday.
Odunze has regularly had his reps managed by Chicago to begin practice weeks, so as long as he's able to resume handling at least limited activity during Thursday's session, it will bode well for his odds of gaining clearance for Sunday's road matchup against the Vikings. The second-year pro bounced back with six grabs for 86 yards and a touchdown (on 10 targets) during the Bears' win over the Giants in Week 10, proving that he retains a valuable fantasy ceiling despite the unpredictable nature of Chicago's passing attack. He had previously been held without a catch Week 9.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Rebounds in Week 10 win
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Odunze caught six of 10 targets for 86 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Giants.
Odunze bounced back from a Week 9 goose egg against the Bengals, leading the Bears in targets, catches and receiving yards Sunday. He accounted for Chicago's lone aerial score with a two-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Odunze could stand to improve his game-to-game consistency, but the 2024 first-round pick leads the Bears across the board with 37 catches, 559 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns on 69 targets heading into a Week 11 road game against the Vikings.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: WRs to Start
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Odunze had no Fantasy points in Week 9 at Cincinnati on just three targets, and he comes into Week 10 against the Giants having scored 5.2 PPR points or less in three of his past four games. But he should snap out of his slump against the Giants, who are No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. For the season, 12 receivers have scored at least 14 PPR points against the Giants, with eight touchdowns. Caleb Williams should lean on Odunze in this matchup, and he's worth starting in all leagues despite last week's disappointing performance.
