Ben Johnson Expected To Empower Caleb Williams In Year 2
The Athletic's Dan Pompei believes that new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson will likely empower quarterback Caleb Williams heading into his second year in the NFL after an up-and-down rookie campaign. Johnson gave QB Jared Goff authority with protection adjustments that not all signal-callers have while serving as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, in addition to eliminating plays that Goff didn't like. Johnson was also a big proponent of going for it on fourth down, so the Bears offense should be much more aggressive under Williams in 2025. It's the main reason why Johnson was Chicago's top pick to be their next head coach. Despite plenty of weapons on offense in 2024, Williams was one of the worst downfield passers in his rookie season and had a 62.5% completion percentage to finish as the QB16 in fantasy. The addition of Johnson will surely make Williams a popular breakout candidate in 2025.
Caleb Williams Has Cyst Removed In Minor Operation
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had a cyst removed from his right hand/wrist area, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Last year's No. 1 pick was seen in public wearing a cast, but Rapoport notes that Williams' operation was minor and he is okay. Presumably, he'll have a short recovery team and will be healthy for offseason workouts in a few months. Williams played all 17 games in his rookie campaign, completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. As he continues to develop and get more comfortable in the NFL, he should rank as a high-end QB2 with additional upside for the 2025 fantasy football season.
Caleb Williams Throws A 32-Yard TD Pass In Sunday's Win Over Green Bay
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had a mediocre showing in Week 18's 24-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers. The rookie QB completed 21 of his 29 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown while adding 10 yards on the ground. He did connect with DJ Moore for a 32-yard touchdown strike in the fourth quarter to give the Bears the lead. Williams had an inconsistent first season with the Bears and ended his campaign with more games passing for 150 yards or less than he had with over 250 yards. Overall, Williams threw for 3,541 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions while rushing for 489 on 81 attempts over 17 games. The former USC Trojan could have plenty of room to grow in 2025, depending on who the Bears bring on to be their head coach. Williams will likely enter next season as a mid-to-low-tier QB2 option heading to upcoming 2025 fantasy football drafts.
Caleb Williams Not Recommended In Difficult Matchup
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams won't be a viable fantasy option in Week 18's divisional clash against the Green Bay Packers on the road. The rookie put together his worst performance since Week 10 in last weekend's loss to the Seahawks. Williams tossed his first interception in ten outings and broke a streak of five straight games with at least one touchdown pass, totaling 122 passing yards -- his third-fewest of the year. This Sunday, he'll get a slightly stiffer test against a Packers squad, allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks (16.3) and the sixth-fewest points per game in the NFL (19.6). While the experience will benefit the 23-year-old, he won't be on the fantasy radar in the season's final week. The USC product ranks as RotoBaller's QB16 ahead of this weekend's slate.
Caleb Williams Expected To Play In Regular-Season Finale
Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown said on Monday that there has been no thought or talk of sitting rookie quarterback Caleb Williams for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Brown expects all the team's healthy veteran players to suit up as well. Williams, the first overall pick back in April, has had a tough rookie season in the NFL, but it hasn't all been his fault -- the Bears fired their head coach and offensive coordinator midseason. The 23-year-old from USC has taken a league-high 67 sacks and has looked like a rookie for most of the year. There's no denying his playmaking abilities and elite arm strength, but it hasn't been the year many expect for Williams, who has thrown for 3,393 yards, 19 TDs and six picks in 16 starts. If the Packers rest some of their starters, Williams could end up having a decent final game in 2024.
Caleb Williams Disappoints In Week 17 Loss To Seattle
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams put up a dud in Thursday night's 6-3 loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. The rookie quarterback completed 16 of his 28 passes for 122 yards and an interception, adding 37 yards rushing on his five carries. Williams has had a roller coaster of a first season in the NFL and has struggled to consistently produce, as Week 17 marked his seventh game with zero touchdowns. The former USC Trojan hopes to end his rookie campaign on a high note in Week 18 as his Bears will travel to play the Green Bay Packers.
Caleb Williams Looks To Build Off High-Scoring Performance
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is coming off a high-scoring fantasy performance and will look to remain a fringe QB1 option heading into Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. Williams benefitted from some garbage-time production on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, finishing Week 16 with 334 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one turnover, as well as 34 rushing yards. The No. 1 overall pick has boasted impressive decision-making without a single interception since Week 6, but his ball security has started to come into question as he has a lost fumble in each of his last three games. Nevertheless, Williams ranks just outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks this season, and he could be due for another strong showing in this week's potential shootout against a mid-tier Seahawks defense. Seattle has allowed the 11th-most passing touchdowns and 14th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, but the sixth-fewest rushing yards.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 18-of-31 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown in Monday night's 30-12 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He added three yards on four carries and coughed up a fumble. The rookie QB looked like he was turning a corner for a few weeks but had another tough go against a stout Vikings defense. He failed to reach 200 passing yards for the second straight contest and couldn't get anything going in Week 15 despite a strong outing (340/2) in his last meeting with Minnesota. On the bright side, Williams has not tossed an interception since returning from the team's bye in Week 7 and recorded at least one touchdown for the fourth-straight game. The 23-year-old will get a Detroit Lions defense in Week 16 that is severely depleted due to injury, making it less scary of a test than it might have been earlier in the season. Additionally, he had one of his better performances against them back in Week 13.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been a frustrating player to roster this season, but he appears to be turning a corner. Over his last three games, Williams has seven touchdowns without any interceptions. The includes a 340-yard performance against the same Minnesota Vikings that he's playing in Week 15. The rookie signal-caller is finally settling in and should be fine option for fantasy managers this weekend. The Bears have been playing from behind quite often lately, which has forced Williams to pass more frequently. Fantasy managers should consider Williams a low-end QB1 for Week 15.
Caleb Williams Struggles But Shows Some Promise In Week 14 Loss
This Sunday, Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams faced a tough challenge against the formidable San Francisco 49ers in Week 14. Despite the problematic matchup, Williams showed resilience despite his uneven performance. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, with his second-half play improving after a rough start. While he struggled early, Williams found his rhythm, leading the Bears' offense to a couple of touchdown drives during the game's later stretches. He added 27 rushing yards on the ground, finishing as the second-leading rusher for the Bears. His touchdown passes were both to fellow rookie Rome Odunze, signaling a growing connection between the two. Williams and the Bears will look to bounce back next Monday night when they face the Minnesota Vikings in a crucial rematch.
Caleb Williams
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Bears
