Chicago Bears DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said that rookie first-round quarterback Caleb Williams and the "starters that are available to us" will play in the second preseason contest this Saturday on the road against the Buffalo Bills. There's a "range" of plays that will be designated for this group, but Eberflus wouldn't give a specific amount. Chicago held Williams and the starters out of the preseason opener last Thursday versus the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame game, but the 22-year-old will get his first preseason action in Buffalo this weekend. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft is unlikely to play more than a few offensive series, but it will give us a chance to see him operate against an opponent for the first time in his young NFL career. The USC alum is the most pro-ready QB of all rookie signal-callers and has an excellent supporting cast, giving him a chance to be a high-end QB2 in fantasy right off the bat.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Collin Johnson caught three of his six targets for 56 yards and two touchdowns in the team's 21-17 shortened win over the Texans. Johnson showed great rapport with quarterback Brett Rypien in this game to help give Chicago a slight edge over Houston. In a receiver room loaded with talent at the top, there isn't much room on the active roster for Johnson. More performances like this throughout camp bolster his case to be on the practice squad at the least. Johnson's next chance to show his ability in a game comes August 10th at Buffalo.

Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson rushed six times for 24 yards and caught his only target for seven yards in the team's 21-17 shortened win over the Texans. Johnson trailed Khalil Herbert in rushing yards on the day with a modest 4.4 yards per carry but led all players in touches. Following the addition of D'Andre Swift in the offseason, Johnson looks to step into a solid supporting role heading into his second season. He appears set to work in a timeshare with Herbert based on the situation. Johnson's next chance to improve his game film and earn a bigger role comes August 10th at Buffalo.

On Tuesday evening, wide receiver DJ Moore and the Chicago Bears agreed to a four-year deal worth $110 million, with $86 million guaranteed, per Adam Schefter. With two years remaining on his previous contract, Moore now joins the ranks of other big-name wide receivers who have signed lucrative extensions this offseason, like Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a host of others. Moore spent the first five seasons of his career in Carolina, but after being traded to the Bears last offseason, he became a true WR1. For the Bears in 2023, Moore set career-highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364), and total touchdowns (nine) en route to his top-10 fantasy season at wide receiver. This extension secures Moore's future in Chicago with rookie signal-caller Caleb Williams, and for fantasy, it places Moore as a rock-solid WR2 in drafts.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus says quarterback Caleb Williams and the rest of the starters will not play in the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans in Canton on Thursday. No surprise here, as the Texans are expected to hold out starting signal-caller C.J. Stroud on their end as well. Fantasy managers should be able to get a look at Williams the next time the new-look Bears offense takes the field for game action on Aug. 10 against the hosting Buffalo Bills. Sporting as good a supporting cast as a No. 1 overall pick in his first NFL season could ask for, the 22-year-old Williams should be able to make an impact in Year 1 with all the weapons surrounding him in the Windy City. He's being drafted on the QB1/2 borderline this summer following a stellar run at USC, and Williams could turn out to be a value at his late-round ADP if acclimates to the next level quickly.