Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams went down with a non-contact injury late in his team's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Williams, who made some huge strides last season and was one of the primary reasons Ben Johnson chose to become the Bears head coach in the first place, entered the season as a dark horse NFL MVP candidate.
Caleb Williams is down and in obvious pain pic.twitter.com/LbNQSILRFD
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 20, 2026
Williams was carted off the field in pain.
Caleb Williams injury update against the Vikings
Williams was carted off the field, which is never a good sign for a Bears team that relies so heavily on their quarterback. If Williams missed time, the Bears be stuck with backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who is one of the best backups in the NFL. Chicago started the season 1-0 thanks to a 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers.
CALEB WILLIAMS WAS YELLING LOUDER THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE EVER HEARD THROUGH THE TV IN PAIN.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) September 20, 2026
😳😳😳
SHRIEKING IN PAIN: https://t.co/nO4mL8bBOa pic.twitter.com/fBtzQX8ROC
Caleb Williams -
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) September 20, 2026
Took a long stride to avoid the tackle and went down non-contact.
Not seeing too much at the knee.
This one could just be a hamstring injury but I’ll keep analyzing it. pic.twitter.com/rGwh2a1xmD
The update isn't pretty. Williams was carted off the field, and we are waiting for test results. Perhaps there is a chance the Bears get lucky — they have probably earned that, after all — but should Williams be out long term, Johnson's leadership and play-calling will be tested.
Bears QB depth chart without Caleb Williams
If the Bears are without Williams for some time, then they should consider trading for depth at the position. Bagent will get the first chance to replace Williams, as he should given his years of experience. But the Bears are also lacking depth behind Bagent, and should not rely on Case Keenum, who was listed as OUT for Sunday's game against the Vikings.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
QB1 | Caleb Williams |
QB2 | Tyson Bagent |
QB3 | Case Keenum |
What Caleb Williams injury could mean to fantasy football managers
Williams was a solid mid-round quarterback in most PPR leagues. That means if you reached for the likes of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow, he shouldn't be your starter. However, some of the smartest fantasy football managers I know tend to wait on QB, at least in PPR leagues. There are so many solid QBs available in the middle-to-late rounds if you're confident in a sleeper.
Thus, if Williams was your sleeper, I can only hope you selected a decent backup. If not, there are still some decent quarterbacks available, including Malik Willis, CJ Stroud, Cam Ward and more. I'd personally recommend Willis or Ward, as they have more run-game potential. If someone is dumb enough to punt on Jalen Hurts after a bad week, he could also be a popular trade candidate.
Add us as a preferred source on Google