si
The Chicago Bears are set to welcome back quarterback Caleb Williams for Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Williams has been sidelined for the past three games due to a hamstring injury.
Williams suffered what was reported as a Grade 2 hamstring strain in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings. He managed only one limited practice through Week 5, which came on the Friday before that game. However, the quarterback's status took a positive turn this week when he logged a full practice on Wednesday—his first since the injury—and followed it with full sessions on Thursday and Friday.
Despite the upgrade in participation, the Bears listed Williams as questionable on Friday, leaving some uncertainty about his availability. But according to Garafolo, the plan is for Williams to start and make his return after the three-game absence. "The Bears are planning to start QB Caleb Williams on Sunday, sources tell (NFL Network) and (ESPN)," Garafolo said. "Williams got a full week of practice and passed hamstring stress tests." Momentum had been building for Williams to play all week, and head coach Ben Johnson expressed optimism about his chances of returning to the field.
Further confirmation came from Williams himself on Friday when he reposted a hype video on TikTok, a strong hint that he would be back in action.
Fantasy Football Outlook
Williams' fantasy value is somewhat uncertain given his limited action this season. However, he finished as the QB6 overall last season, per Fantasy Pros, making him an every-week starter in 2025. He was electric in Week 1 before struggling in Week 2, but that performance was still good enough to leave him as QB7 overall after two games.
There might be some rust for Williams to shake off after being ruled out the last three games, and it's unclear how he'll look in his first game back since he has never missed a game in the NFL. However, Williams has a positive matchup against a Falcons defense that is allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season, according to CBS Sports. Fantasy managers should feel fairly confident starting Williams in Week 6, as he is likely to deliver a performance that justifies the decision.