Who Should I Start? Curtis Samuel or Luther Burden III

Saturday, January 17, 1:25 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (elbow), who was officially activated from Injured Reserve on Friday, will be active for the Divisional Round on Saturday against the hosting Denver Broncos, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. Samuel was listed as questionable on the final injury report on Thursday. The 29-year-old will be active for the first time since Week 11 due to an elbow injury. Even without Gabe Davis (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (knee), though, Samuel will probably be limited in what he can do after such a long layoff, making him avoidable in fantasy football playoff leagues. During the regular season in just six games played for Buffalo, Samuel caught just seven of his nine targets for 81 yards and one touchdown. He never played more than 50% of the offensive snaps in a single game.

Monday, February 16, 6:11 AM

Across 15 games as a rookie in 2025, Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III recorded 47 receptions for 652 yards and two touchdowns on 60 targets. It took a while for the 22-year-old to earn consistent playing time, which held down his season-long numbers. However, Burden III finished the season on a bit of a tear. Over his last five regular-season contests, Burden III hauled in 25 catches for 357 yards and a touchdown on 30 targets. It's worth noting that Bears wideout Rome Odunze missed four of those five games due to a foot injury, which helped direct more targets towards Burden III. Beyond Burden III and Odunze, the Bears also have additional capable pass-catchers in veteran wideout D.J. Moore and tight end Colston Loveland, so the competition for target share in Chicago is fierce. Still, Burden III flashed explosive upside when given the opportunity in his first NFL campaign, and he projects as a key piece in Chicago's long-term offensive plans. In dynasty formats, Burden III's fantasy stock is trending upward based on his strong close to the 2025 season.