CalebWilliams

News: 5 days agoBears interim head coach Thomas Brown said Monday that Williams will play in Sunday's Week 18 game against Green Bay, Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Spin: Brown also stated that all of Chicago's healthy players will suit up for the team's season finale. There had been some speculation that Williams could be held out of action given that the Bears have nothing to play for in terms of playoff contention and because the rookie QB has taken frequent hits this season -- Chicago has given up an NFL-high 67 sacks on the campaign. It remains to be seen how the Packers will handle their starters Week 18 with the team having clinched a playoff berth and being unable to rise above the No. 6 seed in the NFC.

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.