Is Caleb Williams Playing Today? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Bears vs. Falcons in NFL Week 6)

Chicago Bears starting quarterback Caleb Williams is set to make his return to the lineup on Sunday, Oct. 18 against the Atlanta Falcons after missing three games with a hamstring injury.

The former No. 1 overall pick went down in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, and he has not played since. Williams appeared to be trending in the right direction ahead of Week 5, practicing on Friday before the team's game against the Green Bay Packers.

He was listed as questionable before that game but ultimately ended up sitting things out. This week, Williams practiced in full all week long, and he's officially questionable again to face the Falcons.

However, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the Bears are planning to have their star quarterback back in the lineup.

He’s back: The Bears are planning to start Caleb Williams after he missed the past three games due to a torn hamstring but went through a full week of practice this week without any setbacks, per NFLN and ESPN. pic.twitter.com/zLxQ7Mbvsq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2026

"Williams took starter reps at practice, according to sources, another indication that he's set to return," Schefter, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo wrote. "After the Wednesday walk-through, sources said he looked like himself during the Thursday and Friday practice with no issues."

The Bears went 2-1 in the three games that Williams missed with Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent both making starts. Chicago had an awful showing in Week 5, scoring just seven points in a rivalry matchup with the Packers to fall to 3-2 in the 2026 season.

Oddsmakers have taken notice of Williams' return, as the Bears opened the week as favorites and remain 1.5-point favorites on the road against a Falcons team that is 2-1 since Michael Penix Jr. returned from a knee injury.

DraftKings Sportsbook currently has Chicago at +2000 to win the Super Bowl and -130 to make the playoffs this season. There's no doubt that the team's offensive ceiling is higher with Williams, especially since both Bagent and Keenum struggled with turnovers in Week 5.

Prior to his injury, Williams was one of the leading candidates to win MVP after he helped the Bears score 59 points in a Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. In his two appearances in 2026, Williams has throw for 407 yards, two scores and one pick while also adding a pair of touchdowns on the ground for Chicago.

The odds for this game haven't changed much since Williams was on track to play all week, but Schefter's report is confirmation that the Bears will be closer to full strength on offense than they've been in quite some time on Sunday.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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