DeVonta Smith vs Luther Burden: Who Should You Start?
DeVonta Smith and Luther Burden are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. DeVonta Smith averaged 9.6 PPG across 17 games with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Luther Burden posted 7.0 PPG in 15 appearances for the Chicago Bears.
A 2.6-PPG gap gives DeVonta Smith the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Target volume is the story here. DeVonta Smith saw 113 targets in 2025, while Luther Burden drew 60. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for DeVonta Smith, even in weeks where Luther Burden posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: DeVonta Smith sits Week 5 while Luther Burden is off Week 7. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
