Will Rome Odunze play against the Carolina Panthers today? Latest injury update on the Chicago Bears wide receiver

On September 3, Rome Odunze suffered a lower leg/ankle injury in practice. He was listed day-to-day ahead of Chicago’s Week 1 2026 season opener against the Carolina Panthers. As per Draft Sharks, the new foot injury is unrelated to his 2025 foot problems.The Chicago Bears’ smooth wide receiver missed five games in the last portion of the 2025 season due to a stress fracture in his left foot. The injury worsened during pregame warmups for Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns. He was subsequently ruled out.Is Rome Odunze playing in Week 1 game against the Carolina Panthers?Rome Odunze is expected to play against the Carolina Panthers, as reported by NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.The Chicago Bears’ final injury report places reliable wideout Rome Odunze questionable for the Week 1 season opener against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, on Sunday, September 13, 2026.He was a limited participant on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Three other players are also questionable for the Week 1 game: quarterback Tyson Bagent, offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo, and safety Xavier Woods.Odunze is dealing with a calf injury while Bagent is dealing with a back issue.But since Odunze participated this week leading up to the season opener, he expects to play. “I’m feeling ready to go,” Odunze said. “I doubt I’m questionable. I know there’s a way everyone goes about things. But feel pretty good; I was out there today. I plan on playing.”Bears head coach Ben Johnson wants the fluid route runner to be available for the long-term games.He missed those last year, and while they made it to the big games, they lost there and couldn’t go any further than the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, where they lost 20-17 to the Los Angeles Rams. So, when it truly matters, the coach wants his reliable playmaker there.​“Our plan was to get to him to practice, and we’ll assess where he’s at after that,” Johnson said. “He’s looked good from my perspective. But we also got a long season coming up on us, and we want to do what’s right for him, for the long term as well.”If Rome Odunze misses Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, then the Chicago Bears will have to rely on Year 2 WR Luther Burden III, veteran Kalif Raymond, rookie Zavion Thomas, and reserve but on active roster Jahdae Walker.ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports on Rome OdunzeFowler said Saturday morning, Sept. 12, that Odunze plans to play. But it depends on the team clearing him. Ben Johnson will make that call. Johnson hadn’t made it until Saturday morning.“It’s a calf strain, so they just wanna make sure that they don’t re-aggravate it if they get him out there a week early, but he’s hopeful to play at this point,” Fowler said.As per DraftSharks, Odunze has a low injury risk. He has a 36% chance of injury in 2026. His chance of injury per game is 2.6%. He is projected to miss 1.50 games in 2026. His durability score is 5.00 [5 is the maximum].NFL reporter Arye Pulli tweets about Bears WRA few notable players whose Week 1 statuses remain uncertain:Malik Nabers [knee]Rome Odunze [calf]Alvin Kamara [knee]Joey Porter Jr. [back]Ty Johnson [hamstring]No definitive word yet on whether any of them will play Sunday.Rome Odunze 2025 statsTotal games: 12Missed games: 5Receptions: 44 on 90 targetsReceiving yards: 661Receiving touchdowns: 6Yards per reception: 15.0Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers time, where to watch, live streamingDate: Sunday, September 13, 2026Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ETLocation: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NCTV/Broadcast: FOXRadio: ESPN RadioLive Streaming: Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, YouTube TV, or Hulu + Live TV.2025 Season Records: Chicago Bears [11-6], Carolina Panthers [8-9]Panthers vs. Bears betting oddsAccording to FOX Sports’ Sports Betting,Point spread: Panthers +3, Bears -3Moneyline: Panthers +138, Bears -164Over/Under: 47.5 points.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.