Odunze secured one of three targets for 10 yards in the Bears' 24-18 win over the Rams on Sunday.
The rookie shifted back to a No. 3 role with Keenan Allen returning from a two-game absence due to a heel injury, and he saw a major downturn in production as a result. Odunze's target and yardage totals were his lowest yet through four games, so he'll have plenty of room for improvement in a Week 5 home matchup against the Panthers.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Cleared to face Rams
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Odunze (hip) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Rams.
Odunze was a full practice participant Friday, after the Bears added him to their injury report Thursday as a limited participant. He's emerged as the top downfield target in Chicago -- coming off a 6-112-1 receiving line and league-high 235 air yards Week 3 against the Colts -- but Odunze's volume projection will get a modest bump downward if Keenan Allen (questionable, hip) ends up playing Sunday after progressing to full practice participation Friday.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Tending to hip issue
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Odunze practiced in a limited capacity Thursday due to a hip injury.
Odunze is a midweek addition to the Bears' Week 4 practice report, but the current issue differs from the MCL sprain that he suffered in the season opener and impacted his practice reps during Weeks 2 and 3. He was able to tough out the injury the last two games while Keenan Allen (heel) was sidelined, combining for eight catches (on 16 targets) for 145 yards and one touchdown during that span. Allen has cobbled together back-to-back capped sessions this week, so their respective listings on Friday's report will be something to monitor in advance of Sunday's contest against the Rams.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Week 4 Adds (WR Preview)
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Like Jennings, I'm not sure Odunze can keep this up when Keenan Allen returns, but unlike Jennings, we fully anticipated this type of upside from the rookie. Odunze should not be on the waiver wire, and he shouldn't be on the waiver wire if he's bad in Week 4 and Week 5, either. First-round rookies need to be rostered for as long as possible because if they hit, they have league-winning upside, which Odunze just showed.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Week 4 Waiver Priority List
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Odunze had his first big game in Week 3 at the Colts with six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. Keenan Allen (heel) was out again for the Bears, so keep that in mind, but hopefully this is a sign of things to come for Odunze in his rookie campaign. He's worth adding in all leagues for 10-15 percent of your FAB heading into another favorable matchup with the Rams in Week 4.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Leading receiver in loss
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Odunze caught six of 11 targets for 112 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 21-16 loss to the Colts.
He added two rushing yards on one carry. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw his first two career TDs, and his fellow 2024 draftee Odunze was on the other end of the first one, a one-yard strike in the fourth quarter. With Keenan Allen (heel) out, the wideout's 11 targets were more than he saw in the first two games combined, and Odunze's role in the Chicago offense -- and his chemistry with Williams -- continues to grow ahead of a Week 4 clash with the Rams.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Stays limited Thursday
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Odunze (knee) was limited in practice Thursday.
Odunze now has a pair of capped sessions under his belt this week, which is one more than he managed during Week 2 prep before he was able to suit up this past Sunday in Houston. With Keenan Allen (heel) sidelined for that contest, Odunze earned 66 of 70 offensive snaps, but the huge workload didn't amount to much for him in the box score (two catches for 33 yards on five targets). Allen hasn't practiced this week and thus seems to be trending toward another absence Sunday at Indianapolis, so Odunze would be in line for another key spot in the Bears' receiving corp this weekend, assuming he's active.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Limited in practice Wednesday
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Odunze (knee) practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday.
Odunze was capped to one limited session last week before the Bears deemed him questionable for this past Sunday's game at Houston. He ended up suiting up while fellow wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) did not, but despite playing 66 of 70 offensive snaps, Odunze had just two catches (on five targets) for 33 yards. Odunze's limited session Wednesday indicates he's still dealing with the MCL sprain that he picked up Week 1, but he at least was able to mix into drills unlike Allen, who once again didn't practice.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Nabs two receptions in loss
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Odunze (knee) had two receptions off of five targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 19-13 loss to Houston.
Chicago's QB/WR rookie starting duo continue to struggle two weeks into the season following synchronized duds on Sunday Night Football. Odunze had an opportunity late to make a leaping touchdown grab in the red zone, but the wideout from Washington dropped a high-point pass from Caleb Williams in the first half that hit him in the hands. There will be better days ahead for the Bears' offense as a whole, but it's tough to trust a player in fantasy that has provided just three receptions (on nine targets) and no scores through two games. Odunze's next opportunity to break out will come against Indianapolis on Sunday.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Suiting up in Week 2
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Odunze (knee) is active for Sunday's game in Houston.
Odunze came out of the Bears' season-opening win against the Titans with an MCL sprain, and while he sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday, he returned in a limited capacity to cap Week 2 prep and went into the weekend listed as questionable. Earlier Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Odunze was trending toward being available, which now has come to pass. With fellow WR Keenan Allen (heel) unavailable, Odunze will be among the Bears at the position available to QB Caleb Williams along with DJ Moore, DeAndre Carter, Tyler Scott and Collin Johnson.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Looks likely to play Sunday
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Odunze (knee), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Texans, is tracking toward playing, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.
After he was revealed to have sustained an MCL sprain to his left knee coming out of last Sunday's season-opening win over the Titans, Odunze looked as though he would face an uphill battle to play Week 2. Odunze didn't alleviate any concerns by failing to practice Wednesday or Thursday, but he upgraded to limited activity Friday and is apparently making good progress in his recovery from the injury. Along with Odunze, fellow wideout Keenan Allen (heel) is listed as questionable for Sunday, but Allen is being treated as a game-time decision and appears to be a less safe bet than Odunze to suit up against the Texans. Clarity on the statuses of both players won't be available until the Bears release their inactive list 90 minutes prior to the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, but if Odunze is active, he could be in line for an expanded role in the passing game even if Allen is also cleared to suit up. Schefter suggests that Allen "could be used more sparingly than usual" if he's available to play.
Odunze (knee) returned to practice Friday as a limited participant and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Houston.
In addition to Odunze, fellow wideout Keenan Allen (heel) is also listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff. Allen didn't practice at all this week after aggravating his heel injury from August during a season-opening win over the Titans, while Odunze returned to practice Friday after suffering an MCL sprain this past Sunday. Both wide receivers should be treated as game-time decisions, although hints about their respective chances of playing may be provided well before kickoff.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Labeled day-to-day
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Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said that Odunze (knee) will not practice Wednesday and is considered day-to-day, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Monday that Odunze was viewed as week-to-week after suffering an MCL sprain in Chicago's season-opening win over the Titans, but Eberflus offered a more encouraging label with regard to the rookie's recovery timeframe. Meanwhile, veteran wideout Keenan Allen (heel) is receiving a rest day Wednesday and will be evaluated further Thursday. Allen dealt with a heel injury in August and briefly entered the medical tent Week 1, but he was able to return the field. If either or both of Odunze and Allen are sidelined or in any way limited this Sunday versus the Texans, DeAndre Carter, Tyler Scott and Velus Jones could be asked to step into larger roles behind No. 1 receiver DJ Moore.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Has MCL sprain, deemed week-to-week
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Odunze sustained an MCL sprain during Sunday's 24-17 win against the Titans and will be considered week-to-week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Odunze emerged from his NFL debut with a knee injury, and after undergoing an MRI, he seems poised to miss some time. The rookie first-round pick didn't do much Week 1, hauling in only one of four targets for 11 yards while playing 43 of 56 offensive snaps. Assuming Odunze is sidelined this coming Sunday at Houston, DeAndre Carter and Velus Jones would be in line for additional reps behind starting wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Comes on strong in second quarter
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Odunze caught one of two targets for 45 yards and took a carry for 16 yards in Saturday's preseason game against the Bengals.
Odunze and Caleb Williams played the entire first half, while DJ Moore and Keenan Allen were removed after three drives (all three-and-outs). After a slow start, Odunze took a jet sweep for 16 yards on the fourth drive to help set up a field goal, then made a 45-yard catch on the fifth drive on a play where Williams scrambled around before throwing a dart on the run. Shortly thereafter, Williams had another incredible pass on the run to Odunze in the back of the end zone, but the wideout seemed to lose track of where he was and had his feet on the wrong side of the chalk when he caught the ball. Williams ran it in himself a few plays later, finishing strong against a Bengals defense comprised of second- and third-stringers. Odunze likely will enter Week 1 as Chicago's No. 3 receiver in terms of playing time, but there's a good chance the ninth overall pick is more involved (and more productive) than most of the other WR3s around the league.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Returns to practice
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Odunze (hamstring) returned to practice Thursday, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Odunze was featured in a video from practice catching a contested pass from rookie QB Caleb Williams. With the hamstring tightness behind him, the No. 9 overall pick will continue to build chemistry with Williams while working as the No. 3 receiver for now behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Almost over hamstring issue
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Odunze (hamstring) is expected to resume practicing next week, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Odunze participated in Chicago's first practice during the team's rookie minicamp earlier this month, but subsequently encountered hamstring tightness, as Dan Weiderer of the Chicago Tribune reports. The Bears seem to have been taking a cautious approach to the recovery of the rookie No. 9 overall pick, but it doesn't look like there's any real concern about his injury. Odunze will have plenty more time this offseason to build chemistry with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and to find his footing in what figures to be a starting role alongside DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Paired with Williams in Windy City
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The Bears selected Odunze in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, ninth overall.
Chicago has changed the outlook of its entire offense in the first 10 picks of the draft by scooping quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick and pairing him with a top-flight receiver in Odunze. The Washington product, and top target of Michael Penix, sports a great combination of on-field production and athletic measurables. Odunze racked up 24 touchdowns in the last three seasons along with two 1,000-yard seasons. At the combine, he checked in at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds with 4.45 speed. He has the long speed to win downfield, the size to make contested catches, and the route-running ability to be deployed at any level of the field. For fantasy, he joins a crowded receiver group that already features DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. However, there's still room for Odunze to produce as a rookie thanks to his talent and versatility.
