CalebWilliams

News: 7 days agoWilliams completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and added nine rushes for 70 yards in the Bears' 20-19 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

Spin: The first overall pick appeared more in rhythm in his first game under interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, but the end result was another loss for the reeling Bears. Williams did put his team in position to pull off a win by leading a seven-play, 42-yard drive that started with him taking back-to-back sacks before recording completions of 16 and 21 yards to Rome Odunze and a 12-yard strike to Keenan Allen. However, the march ended with a blocked field goal as time expired. Williams had a compact target pool of six players on the afternoon, and he finished with his highest yardage total since Week 5. Williams' next chance to build on the positives from his performance comes in a Week 12 home divisional clash against the Vikings.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: The Bears selected Williams with the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He was stellar at USC, showcasing his natural playmaking ability both in and out of the pocket, finishing with a single-season school record with 4,919 yards passing. In Chicago, he joins an offense that was second in rushing yards and attempts while also finishing bottom six in passing yards, passing attempts and completions last season. Part of that rushing total came from the departed Justin Fields, and Shane Waldron is now calling plays, so this offense should be more balanced in 2024. Williams will have a strong supporting cast with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze leading the way, but he's best viewed as a mid-tier QB2 with upside in his rookie season.