Interesting Caleb Williams Injury Update Boosts Bears' Super Bowl, Playoff Odds in 2026

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to miss multiple weeks with the hamstring injruy that he suffered in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, but there was a positive update on the former No. 1 overall pick on Monday.

Bears reporter Adam Hoge pointed out that the team would've needed to put Williams on injured reserve on Monday afternoon if they wanted their Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles to count toward the four games he would have to miss.

Chicago opted to keep Williams off injured reserve, which could be a sign that the team believes he can return in less than four weeks.

The clearest indicator of the severity of Caleb Williams’ hamstring injury and how he progressed over the past week will be whether he’s put on IR and misses at least four games, allowing the #Bears to use his roster spot.

The deadline to make a corresponding roster move ahead…
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 27, 2026

That's certainly a positive update for the Bears, who were able to upset the Philadelphia Eagles with veteran Case Keenum under center in Week 3. The win moved the Bears to 2-1 this season. That victory and Williams' status have boosted the Bears' odds in the futures market.

Chicago has jumped from +3000 to +2400 to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings Sportsbook while the team moved all the way up from +154 to -108 to make the playoffs. That's a huge step forward for Chicago, especially since the NFC North still features a 3-0 team (Minnesota) and a 2-1 team (Detroit) in addition to the 2-1 Bears.

Based on the initial timeline for Williams' return (3-4 weeks), it would be surprising if he was able to suit up in Week 4 against the New York Jets. Still, oddsmakers have set the Bears as three-point favorites at home in that matchup.

The Bears won the NFC North last season, and they may still be in play to repeat as division champs if Williams only misses a couple of games. Barring a setback for the former top pick, it seems very unlikely that he'll go on IR with this injury. Prior to going down in Week 2, Williams had thrown for 407 yards, two scores and one pick while also adding a pair of touchdowns on the ground in less than two games.

It'll be interesting to see if Williams returns to practice in any fashion this week ahead of the Bears' clash with the Jets. If he's unable to go, either Keenum or Tyson Bagent will get the start for Chicago in Week 4.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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