Rome Odunze

Ryan Poles is buildin sumpin. The Chicago Bears GM may have just yanked the franchise out of the NFL’s cellar with some savvy team management. Staring down the barrel at an overhyped and outclassed QB in Justin Fields, Poles traded the Georgia product to Pittsburgh and, through pick trading with Carolina and some unfortunate play on the field, went into the 2024 Draft with the 1st and 9th picks. Poles then walked out of the first round with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze.

Adding Odunze, aka “Romo Doomsday”, to the receiving corps that includes DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, D’Andre Swift, and Roschon Johnson, Poles seems to have built an offensive juggernaut. Odunze may be the jewel in the crown, though.

Odunze is what’s known in the biz as a “stud.” The problematic allusion to equine husbandry aside, Odunze is the Alpha WR1 one would create in Madden. At 6’3″ and 212lbs, Odunze has the length and physicality to compete against smaller DBs and speed to burn. He’s an excellent ball-tracker and is hard to handle at the catch point, making him a downfield threat. Odunze is very savvy in every aspect of the wide receiver game showing elite skills as a route-runner, knows how to use his body for positioning and leverage, and baits DBs with smooth changes of pace. Working in the Huskies prolific offense, Odunze finished 2023 with 1640 receiving yards.

Odunze has generally been considered to be the WR3 of the 2024 rookie class. It may be more accurate to group the top 3 of Odunze, Malik Nabers, and Marvin Harrison Jr. as 1a, 1b, and 1c. Odunze, like his classmates, will demand immediate production. He enters the Bears WR room as the most talented of them all, if the least experienced. In 1QB dynasty leagues, there’s no reason for him to last beyond the 1.05 of rookie drafts. If any owner prefers him to MHJ or Nabers, I wouldn’t argue with them. In superflex, he’s still a top 10 pick. He will be a great value in redraft and best ball leagues, as well, even if he’s targeted in the WR10-20 range.