Caleb Williams returns as Bears QB1 after hamstring absence

He needs 300 yards per game over 12 contests to hit 4,000.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 47m2 min read

Caleb Williams returns as Bears QB1 with 407 Pass Yards through 5 weeks He needs to throw 300 Pass Yards per game over Via @PFF on X

What happened: Caleb Williams reclaims the starting quarterback role after the Chicago Bears listed him as a full practice participant Thursday following a late-September hamstring injury that sidelined him for three to four weeks. Per PFF, Williams enters the week with 407 passing yards through the first five weeks of the 2026 NFL regular season.

Why it matters: Averaging 300 passing yards across the next 12 games would make Williams the first quarterback in Chicago Bears history to record a 4,000-yard passing season. Selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams completed 330 of 568 passes for 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions across 17 games with the Bears in 2025, per ESPN as of Sept. 29, 2026. He rejoins a 5-3 Chicago squad listed as a prior to kickoff.

By the numbers: Williams has 407 passing yards through five weeks in 2026 and requires 300 passing yards per game over his next 12 contests to reach 4,000. The 5-3 Chicago Bears average 23.2 points scored and 18.5 points allowed per game entering Sunday's scheduled 0-0 matchup.

What to watch: Sunday's regular-season contest has not started yet, with the score at 0-0 prior to kickoff. Williams' snap count and passing volume in his first start back from the hamstring injury will establish his pace for the remaining 12-game stretch.

Sources

@PFF 2026-10-18T15:32:56.485805+00:00

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