Caleb Williams diagnosed with hamstring injury

Tyson Bagent has not been cleared to practice while he works his way through the league’s concussion protocol. Caleb Williams (hamstring) is unlikely to practice this week, let alone play. That leaves just Keenum at quarterback on the active roster. The Bears have an extra day to get healthy because they play on Monday night, but all signs point to Keenum drawing the start. It will be hard to get any Chicago pass-catcher in fantasy lineups with Keenum under center.

While he doesn’t expect Williams to practice this week, Johnson did not rule out the possibility of him playing next Monday night against the Eagles. Williams received positive news on the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2’s loss to the Vikings, but the Bears’ QB1 is still at risk of missing at least one game after Johnson called him “week-to-week” earlier on Monday. It wouldn’t be surprising if Johnson delayed naming a starting QB as long as he can to give himself a “competitive advantage” heading into Week 3. Fantasy managers rostering Williams will want a contingency plan in place heading into the week and should consider sitting Williams if Johnson doesn’t commit to starting him before Sunday’s games kick off.

It was reported earlier that Williams appears to have avoided serious injury after undergoing an MRI on Monday. The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero also said that he could have a chance to play in Week 3’s game against the Eagles, but it’s worth noting that Johnson also said Williams “will likely miss some time.” This is already setting up to be an annoying injury for fantasy managers to navigate, with the Bears set to play on Monday night. We’ll see where things stand when the team releases its first injury report of the week on Thursday, but if he can’t play, Tyson Bagent would get the nod against a stout Eagles defense.

This is as good of news as Bears fans could have hoped for after their QB1 was carted from the field with a towel over his head less than 24 hours ago. It was reported after the game that Williams was in good spirits and walking around the locker room after the team’s Week 2 loss to the Bears, and the early belief was that he had avoided any severe injury. It’s safe to say that this certainly sounds like a minor ordeal at worst, based on the latest report, after the initial fear was that Williams could be looking at an extended absence. With an extra day of rest before Week 3’s Monday night game against the Eagles, Williams could have a legitimate chance to suit up without missing a game. His name will be one to monitor on the injury report, but fantasy managers could be forced into deciding whether or not to risk playing him if he ends up receiving a questionable designation tag come Saturday. If Williams is unable to play, Tyson Bagent would draw the start.

According to Florio, it “could be as slight as a Grade 1" strain. Williams will undergo further testing tomorrow to determine the severity, at which point we should get an update about an expected return timeline. Williams is reportedly in good spirits and is ready to attack his rehab program. Williams injured his right hamstring today, and Florio notes that Williams injured his left hamstring in college. The Bears host the Eagles in Week 3’s Monday Night Football game. Backup QB Tyson Bagent would start in Williams’ stead if Williams is unable to play, though the extra day of rest could pay off.

Williams exited the Bears’ 13-9, Week 2 loss to the Vikings after suffering a hamstring injury that initially had him rolling on the ground, shouting in pain. Shortly after the game, multiple Chicago beat reporters took to social media to tell fans Williams was able to walk around the locker room without crutches, though at least two reporters noted that he appears to have a slight limp. Overall, this is an encouraging first update. Williams will undergo thorough testing in the coming hours and days to determine the injury’s severity and his potential return timeline. Stay tuned.

Tyson Bagent is now in the game at quarterback. Rolled out and scrambling for the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, Williams was trying to evade a tackle when he slipped and went down. He was not touched. He tried to get up but immediately went down writhing in pain. Williams was distraught as he was helped off the field by the Bears’ staff. He has since been carted to the locker room. Just awful. Williams was just 15-of-26 for 138 scoreless yards and an interception before departing. It has been a slugfest in Chicago.

Williams was unstoppable in this one. His two rushing scores come after he had just four rushing touchdowns in 2025. Williams showed off his underrated speed time and again, including on an untouched 29-yard rushing score in the second half. Williams carved up the Carolina secondary, hitting the sort of intermediate passes that gave him trouble in 2025. He was 15 percent over his expected completion rate. To the surprise of folks who drafted Luther Burden and Colston Loveland, Williams targeted Kalif Raymond a team-leading nine times against the Panthers. That probably won’t hold up going forward. Williams should remain in all lineups next week against the Vikings.

“I want more than (the Super Bowl),” Johnson told The Athletic. “I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored (37.9), and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts.” It’s enough to make a fantasy manager hyperventilate. The Caleb Williams-led Bears would have a long way to go if they are to eclipse the legendary 2013 Denver offense led by Peyton Manning — an offense that supported a range of viable to high-end fantasy options. Chicago last season ranked ninth in points per game (25.9), just behind the Colts. The Bears ranked tenth in points per offensive snap and 14th in red zone touchdown rate. If the Bears are to somehow challenge the 2013 Broncos, Johnson would likely need to call a far more pass-heavy game than he did in 2025, when the Bears were among the run-heaviest offenses in the NFL. If Johnson is indeed intent on maximizing points, everyone from Williams to Colston Loveland to D’Andre Swift to Rome Odunze to the injured Luther Burden could be major fantasy factors in 2026.

Despite some discomfort during his first season in coach Ben Johnson’s offense last year, Williams increased his yards per passing attempt from 6.3 in 2024 to 6.9 in 2025. He is expected to take another step this season. Part of Williams’ increased comfort comes from knowing exactly what’s expected of him in the Bears’ offense, and “what to expect when the team returns for training camp in six weeks.” Williams admits to feeling like he was “drowning” while trying to learn the playcalls and verbiage last summer. That’s all in the past now. Johnson’s run-heavy tactics may lead to a few subpar box scores for Williams, but he remains firmly in the QB1 tier and possesses high-end upside.