The New England Patriots are set to take on a Chicago Bears team with talent on both sides of the ball on Sunday. Rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze would be my selection for this week’s Gimme Him.
Odunze was drafted out of Washington with the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. He has recorded 25 catches for 391 yards and a touchdown on the season. He is coming off his best game so far after racking up five receptions for 104 yards against the Arizona Cardinals.
His track record speaks for itself as a former top option at Washington and one of the best receivers in college football. He recorded over 3,000 yards while with the Huskies, including 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023.
The Patriots have tried to improve their receiving group, with Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker being part of their rookie class. However, the returns have not been good so far.
Polk has struggled with drops this season, while Baker has seen the field in limited action. Meanwhile, Odunze ranks seventh amongst all NFL rookies in receiving yards.
The Patriots have second-year standouts in Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, but there needs to be more depth in the wide receivers room. Odunze is a player capable of providing that as a reliable target for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
We’ll see how he fares against the Patriots’ secondary on Sunday with star cornerback Christian Gonzalez on the other side.
