Caleb Williams Injury Causes Massive Shift to 2026 NFL MVP Odds

UPDATE: The Bears released that Caleb Williams has a hamstring injury, though the severity of the injury is currently unknown.

Bears say Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 20, 2026

Chicago Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams left Sunday's Week 2 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings after suffering an apparent leg injury on a scramble.

Status alert: Caleb Williams (leg) helped off field with trainers Sunday.pic.twitter.com/MA7M0BLVMT
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 20, 2026

Williams was taken the locker room, and it's hard to see him being able to return to this game after he had to be helped off the field. It's a massive blow to the Bears, who were trailing 6-3 as 4.5-point favorites in that matchup.

After Week 1, Williams became a trendy pick to win the NFL's MVP award, jumping up into the top five in the odds. Sports Illustrated spoke to several oddsmakers ahead of Week 2, and they all mentioned that Williams received the most bets to win MVP after Week 1, pushing him way up the oddsboard.

Now, DraftKings Sportsbook has completely removed Williams' MVP odds after the injury, a sign that he could be looking at a long-term injury. It's possible Williams' odds will remain off the board until the extent of his leg injury is known.

I certainly don't want to speculate, but any time a player goes down with a leg issue that was a non-contact injury, it's a major concern. If Williams has a season-ending injury, it would crush the Bears' odds to win the Super Bowl, NFC North and to make the playoffs.

The MVP market now has Josh Allen (+340), Lamar Jackson (+600), Joe Burrow (+850), Brock Purdy (+1200) and Trevor Lawrence (+1300) in the top five. Williams had gotten as high as +700 after his dazzling Week 1 showing.

Prior to exiting in Week 2, Williams had thrown for 138 yards and a pick while rushing five times for 42 yards. The Bears offense was struggling in the rain after dropping 59 points in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.

Tyson Bagent replaced Williams on Sunday and would be the Bears' starting quarterback moving forward if the former No. 1 overall pick misses additional time.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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