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NFL - The Athletic fantasy football takes on Caleb Williams
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from NFL - The Athletic about Caleb Williams.
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All NFL - The Athletic insights about Caleb Williams
NegativeRoleAug 4, 2026
Williams shows inconsistency that may be inherent to his off-schedule play style. The source notes: "There are games where you are like, 'Oh my God, that's not good,' and then there is the Rams game in the playoffs last year where it's, 'Jesus, God, he kept them alive.' Then he tries to trademark 'Iceman,' and you're thinking, 'Get outta here.'" Execs generally rated Williams higher than coaches; all eight GMs placed him in Tier 2, while coaches supplied 11 of his 14 Tier 3 votes. A defensive coordinator compared him to Josh Allen at a similar career stage: "He is a high 3 or low 2 with the ability to go either way, kind of like Josh Allen at (the same) point in his career. He is an exciting player, definitely athletic. The good thing for him, just like Lamar (Jackson) and Josh (Allen) at this stage: It doesn't look like the moment is too big for him."PositiveUsageAug 4, 2026
Williams took a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie in 2024 but that total plummeted to 24 last season, despite holding the ball a league-high 3.09 seconds on average before throwing or taking sacks (up from 2.84 seconds as a rookie). An offensive coach explained: "Chicago probably holds the ball longer than most teams just with the stuff they do. Then you add on Caleb's escapability. He gets out of so many that should be sacks for 90 percent of the league." This dramatic sack reduction demonstrates improved protection and Williams' ability to extend plays.PositiveProjectionAug 4, 2026
Williams improved year-over-year standing more than all but Daniel Jones and Maye, overtaking Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix to rank second among 2024 draft class quarterbacks. An exec stated: "I think Caleb's going from a 2 to a possible 1. A couple of plays he made late in the year and then in the playoffs, not many people can make those plays. You saw it get better and better as they progressed." A head coach said: "I've got all these cutups on him, and I'm going, 'This guy is special.' He makes unbelievable throws, and he's fearless." Williams received no Tier 1 votes this year, but some voters believe that will change.PositiveBreakoutAug 4, 2026
Caleb Williams is described as an 'upstart' who has climbed into Tier 2, the largest second tier in the 13-year history of the survey, alongside Lamar Jackson and Drake Maye.PositiveRoleNo date
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams posted with the hashtag #WorthTheCost advocating for natural grass playing surfaces in NFL stadiums, expressing that players deserve the same quality surfaces used for World Cup games.PositiveProjectionNo date
Williams' playoff performance—specifically a 27-yard completion to Rome Odunze on fourth-and-8 against Green Bay in January that helped the Bears secure their first playoff victory in 15 years—was so impressive that EA Sports selected it as the centerpiece of his Madden 27 cover image. The throw required Williams to elude pressure, contort his body midair with both feet off the ground, and deliver a dart into perfect location along the left sideline, drawing comparisons to Michael Jordan's iconic 'Jumpman' pose. Bears head coach Ben Johnson is actively coaching Williams hard on playbook command, ball location, and orchestration of motions and shifts within the offense; Johnson stated that Williams is 'wired the right way' and 'wants to be great,' allowing the coach to push him with critical feedback. The two meet every single day to celebrate progress and identify shortcomings, with Johnson noting 'we're seeing the game through the same lens, which I think is critical for a play caller and a quarterback.' Williams is handling the demands of being a high-profile celebrity quarterback with grace and comfort, having grown up in big markets (Washington D.C. and Los Angeles during college) and now in Chicago. He frames the Madden cover honor as 'another stepping stone' toward his stated goal of redefining the Bears franchise and achieving championships, remaining 'unwavering and unapologetic' about his belief that he is ascending to the level of all-time icons in sports.PositiveProjectionNo date
Chicago is focused on improving Caleb Williams' precision and completion percentage, which ranked 32nd in 2025; Ben Johnson and staff are grading the location of nearly all of Williams' workout throws, indicating targeted offseason development on accuracy as a priority for the 2026 season.