Can Chicago’s Franchise Quarterback Live up to His Fantasy Football Hype?

Chicago’s offense has historically been one that has not been kind to fantasy football. Many of those poor years are attributed to the team's lack of weapons. However, the team does not have a great history at the quarterback position either. On the bright side, this year has the potential to break those standards. This is due to the improved weapons room, new head coach Ben Johnson, and the hope for franchise quarterback Caleb Williams. The hype leads to larger expectations, and in terms of fantasy football, the expectations are there that Williams will have a breakout season. 

Part of this is due to Williams' preseason performance. He looked sharp and accurate as he completed 17 of his 25 passes. In addition to this, the biggest upside was the time he was given to throw, which was a major struggle this past season. His limited appearances still gave flashes of the potential he and this offense could have. He was able to show a connection with his weapons, like Rome Odunze, who recorded three catches on five targets for 45 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs. Unfortunately, that did come against backups as the team struggled against the Chiefs' starters, which shows the growing pains the team may have. The team now hopes these positive efforts will carry over to the regular season.

While this past fantasy season was not a total failure, as Williams finished around the 16th-ranked quarterback, it was not enough to give him much fantasy relevance. The major platforms, such as Yahoo, ESPN, and Fantasy Pros, are on the hype train. Across those three sites, he has an average ranking of the 13th-best quarterback. This would slot him in as a borderline starter/ strong backup option for redraft and keeper leagues. For dynasty leagues, Williams may be an even more attractive option given his age and potential. 

Speaking of potential, Williams definitely has the tools to meet his high expectations. The wide receiver, tight end, and offensive line positions all saw a massive upgrade this past offseason, and all are critical for Williams' development. Detroit constantly featured a top offense under Johnson's leadership and playcalling, which is something the Bears definitely struggled with last year. Even with all of the downs of last year, Williams still had a solid rookie year. He recorded 20 touchdowns, six interceptions, and 2,541 yards with a 62.5% completion rate. While a slow start may happen, he should be in a solid spot to exceed these numbers. With all of the upgrades on the team, all signs point to Williams being a candidate to be a fantasy football breakout star.