DeVonta Smith or Luther Burden III: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Smith's bankable WR1 role beats Burden's intriguing but unproven promotion
DeVonta Smith is the safer start because Philadelphia's WR1 role, strong volume and favorable scoring setup are already bankable. Burden's upside is real: Chicago lists him as a starting receiver, while PFF says his prior production came as a rotational player (Sports Illustrated 2026-08-31 | Yahoo Sports 2026-08-30; PFF 2026-08-27). That makes his old usage less predictive, but Smith still has the clearer weekly floor and Burden carries the added availability concern. The call's risk is Burden immediately converting his expanded role into the volume his past profile never showed.
What flips it: Burden is cleared and immediately handles a full-time target load in Chicago.
Sources: PFF · Aug 27, 2026
AI editor
DeVonta Smith
9.512.114.8 Projected Points
Luther Burden III
7.69.812.0 Projected Points
Why DeVonta Smith
StartWR1-caliber outside receiver. Elite route technician with reliable hands and high target volume.
Start — every-week WR start at consensus WR12: WSH is the 10th-softest matchup vs WRs, 26.0 implied team total.
- Smith's established WR1 usage makes Philadelphia's strong scoring environment more actionable than Burden's projected promotion.
- The matchup and role align for Smith, giving him both a sturdier floor and more room for a ceiling game.
Why Luther Burden III
Toss-UpWR2 and outside starter opposite Rome Odunze. Explosive yards-after-catch threat with manufactured-touch usage.
Toss-up — WR28 by consensus and projection: CAR is the 7th-toughest matchup vs WRs, 13% target share in 2025.
- Chicago's new depth chart creates legitimate breakout upside beyond Burden's rotational 2025 sample.
- His explosive after-catch profile can turn limited chances into a spike week if the questionable tag clears.
Latest on Burden
Chicago's updated post-roster-cuts depth chart lists Luther Burden III as a starting wide receiver alongside Rome Odunze, with Kalif Raymond and other veterans behind them as backups/role players.
Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports · Aug 31, 2026Burden's 402 offensive snaps last season ranked only fourth among Bears receivers behind Rome Odunze, DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus, and he is now projected to lead Chicago's wide receivers on an expanded role, meaning his prior per-game averages were compiled as a rotational player.
PFF · Aug 27, 2026Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | DeVonta Smith | Luther Burden III |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 9.512.114.8 | 7.69.812.0 |
| Consensus rank | WR12 | WR28 |
| Opponent vs position | WSH · 23 of 320-game sample | CAR · 7 of 320-game sample |
| Receptions | 25 of 32 | 8 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 27 of 32 | 8 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 22 of 32 | 5 of 32 |
| Targets | 23 of 32 | 8 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 18 of 32 | 7 of 32 |
| Target share | 24%(2025) | 13%(2025) |
| Reception share | 24%(2025) | 16%(2025) |
| Implied total · spread | 26.0-5.5 | 23.5-2.5 |
| Depth chart | WR1 | WR2 |
| Snap share | 84%(2025) | 40%(2025) |
| Injury designation | — | Questionable |
Signal breakdown
- 14.8 vs 12.0 projected PPR pointsDeVonta Smith +
- Rank 12 vs 28DeVonta Smith +
- Opponent DvP rank 23 vs 7 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 26.0 vs 23.5 team pointsDeVonta Smith +
- no designation vs QuestionableDeVonta Smith +
- 84% vs 40% snap shareDeVonta Smith +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Smith comparisons
More Burden comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs SF
C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs DAL
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs DALJ. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs NE
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs NED. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs BUF
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs BUFM. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs MIN
- M. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs MINJ. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs ATL
- J. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs ATLB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CLE
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs TB
J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NO
- J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NOD. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs HOU
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs HOUC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs MIN
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs MINP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CLE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CLEM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs MIN
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs MINQ. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs ARI
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NO
D. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSH
- D. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSHK. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs PIT
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs PITT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs DEN
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs DENM. AndrewsMark AndrewsTEBALvs IND
- M. AndrewsMark AndrewsTEBALvs INDJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs NYG
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs NYGI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs DAL
- J. DanielsJayden DanielsQBWSHvs PHI
M. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs SF
- M. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs SFD. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs NYG
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs NYGT. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CLE
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CLEC. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs CAR
- C. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs CARD. MayeDrake MayeQBNEvs SEA
- D. MayeDrake MayeQBNEvs SEAK. MurrayKyler MurrayQBMINvs GB
- C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs ARI
E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs LAR
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs LARE. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs TB
- E. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs TBT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs IND
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs INDW. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs GB
- W. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs GBH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs DEN
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs DENC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs CIN
- Jaguars D/STJaguars D/STDSTJAXvs CLE
Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs ARI
- Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs ARITitans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYJ
- Titans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYJJets D/STJets D/STDSTNYJvs TEN
- Jets D/STJets D/STDSTNYJvs TENEagles D/STEagles D/STDSTPHIvs WSH
- Eagles D/STEagles D/STDSTPHIvs WSHBears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs CAR
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs CARPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs MIN
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs NET. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs TB
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs TBB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CLE
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CIN
J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NO - D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs HOUT. PollardTony PollardRBTENvs NYJ
- T. PollardTony PollardRBTENvs NYJS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NO
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NOC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs MIN
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs MIND. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSH
- D. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSHK. GainwellKenny GainwellRBTBvs CIN
Want full matchup analysis & AI picks? →
Save your roster and get a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up call on every player, every week — plus prop pages, matchup data, and AI-powered NFL analysis.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.