Williams isn't scheduled to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Dolphins, per CHGO Sports.

EDGE Analysis

This likely means most of Chicago's projected starters will be held out, although we figure to see them at least once this preseason as they continue learning coach Ben Johnson's playbook. With Williams held out, Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum figures to get the start Sunday.

Bears coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday it's still "to be determined" whether Williams and the rest of the starting unit will suit up for Sunday's preseason opener against the Dolphins, Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson said any playing time for Williams and the starting offense won't be determined until he's had a chance to discuss plans with Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, so it sounds like Chicago's first-team units won't risk much action unless getting a chance to hone their skills against the Dolphins' starters. As Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic notes, Williams has had an up-and-down training camp to date, with Johnson saying that the first-team offense was "sloppier than we were hoping we would be at this point" during Sunday's open practice scrimmage. It's worth noting, though, that Williams is going through a particularly challenging offseason, which has included rehab from January wrist surgery, learning a new offensive system, and building chemistry with both a revamped offensive line and a pair of significant rookie pass-catchers in TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden. Growing pains are to be expected, but it will inspire confidence in fantasy managers anticipating a Year 2 breakout if Williams manages to look comfortable whenever he does take the field for preseason action.

Williams (wrist) has been participating in the Bears' ongoing organized team activities, Alyssa Barbieri of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Back in January, Courtney Cronin of ESPN reported that Williams was spotted with a cast on his right wrist while attending a USC-Wisconsin men's basketball game after undergoing a minor offseason elective procedure to remove a cyst. Since then, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has moved past the issue and appears to be practicing without limitations. As a rookie, Williams threw for 3,541 yards, with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in 17 games to go along with 81 carries for 489 yards. In his second season as a pro, it's reasonable to expect improvements from the USC product, with a new offensive-minded head coach at the helm (Ben Johnson), a re-tooled offensive line on hand and a pair of promising young playmakers (TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden) having been added to the mix via the draft.

Williams, who was spotted Saturday with a cast on his right wrist while attending a USC-Wisconsin men's basketball game, underwent a minor offseason elective procedure to remove a cyst, Courtney Cronin of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Per Cronin, the procedure was deemed not serious and is not expected to impact Williams as the offseason progresses. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is coming off a rookie campaign in which he started all 17 of Chicago's regular season games en route to completing 351 of his 562 passing attempts for 3,541 yards with 20 TDs and six interceptions while rushing 81 times for 489 yards. Of the team's top-tier skill players, only veteran wideout Keenan Allen is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. Meanwhile, the Bears are currently in the process of interviewing candidates to fill the their head coach vacancy.

Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 148 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and rushed three times for 10 yards in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday. He also fumbled once but recovered.

EDGE Analysis

Williams' numbers were underwhelming in a vacuum, but the embattled No. 1 overall pick was still able to do just enough to put the Bears in position for a game-winning field goal by Cairo Santos. The rookie signal-caller had a narrow target pool that consisted of just five players, and he hit DJ Moore for a 32-yard touchdown reception on which the veteran wideout did the majority of the work with yards after the catch. Williams finished his first season by throwing for under 200 yards in four of his last five games, but he also tossed just one interception over the last 11 contests of the campaign.

Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown said Monday that Williams will play in Sunday's Week 18 game against Green Bay, Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Brown also stated that all of Chicago's healthy players will suit up for the team's season finale. There had been some speculation that Williams could be held out of action given that the Bears have nothing to play for in terms of playoff contention and because the rookie QB has taken frequent hits this season -- Chicago has given up an NFL-high 67 sacks on the campaign. It remains to be seen how the Packers will handle their starters Week 18 with the team having clinched a playoff berth and being unable to rise above the No. 6 seed in the NFC.

Williams completed 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and rushed five times for 37 yards in the Bears' 6-3 loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night. He also fumbled once but recovered and pounced on a second loose ball.

EDGE Analysis

Four days after throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions, Williams, along with the entire Bears offense, regressed significantly. The rookie first overall pick's yardage total was the second lowest of his young career, and until Chicago's final possession, Williams had only been able to lead the Bears on one drive of longer than 16 yards, although he did have a 17-yard second-quarter touchdown pass to Rome Odunze nullified by penalty. That final march, which spanned 13 plays and 49 yards, also ended with a Williams interception (his first pick since Week 6) on fourth down following three consecutive incompletions. The loss was the Bears' 10th consecutive, leaving a Week 18 road matchup against the Packers as their only remaining chance to taste victory again in the 2024 regular season.

Williams completed 26 of 40 passes for 334 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and rushed six times for 34 yards in the Bears' 34-17 loss to the Lions on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

The end result was another ugly loss for the Bears that dropped them to 4-11, but Williams' play was encouraging from a statistical perspective. The rookie first overall pick's yardage total was the third highest of his career, and the performance was his fourth 300-yard effort overall. Williams authored his fourth multi-touchdown tally of the last five contests by connecting with Cole Kmet (one yard) and Keenan Allen (45 yards) for his pair of scoring passes, both of which came in the second quarter. He also hasn't thrown an interception in nine straight games. Williams will look to continue honing his craft while seeking to snap what is now a nine-game losing streak for Chicago when the Seahawks come to town for a Week 17 matchup Thursday night.

Williams completed 18 of 31 pass attempts for 191 yards and a touchdown while rushing four times for three yards with a lost fumble in Monday's 30-12 loss to the Vikings.

EDGE Analysis

Williams kept his touchdown streak alive at four games, but it came in a futile effort against a division foe. The rookie signal-caller also coughed up his second fumble in as many games, bringing him up to four fumbles lost and five interceptions through 14 games. It's been a rocky road for Williams in his first season with Chicago, and he will have to take on a hungry Lions squad on Sunday that was just shown up at home by the Bills in Week 15. Hopefully there are more reliable fantasy options for fantasy managers whose playoff hopes are still alive.

Williams completed 17 of 23 pass attempts for 134 yards and two touchdowns while rushing four times for 27 yards with a fumble in Sunday's 38-13 defeat to San Francisco.

EDGE Analysis

Williams and Chicago's offense were nearly invisible Sunday, netting just four yards over five drives (all of which ended in a punt) in the first half. The first-overall pick from this year's draft was able to pad his stats out of the break with a pair of touchdown throws that never threatened the 49ers' lead. On the bright side, Williams has now thrown seven touchdowns over his last three contests after failing to generate one over his previous four appearances. Things won't get any easier for the Bears as they prepare to visit the Vikings next Monday.