Caleb Williams Soars to Top of Bears Players Power Rankings After Week 1

This pivotal 2026 NFL season could not have gotten off to a much better start for the Chicago Bears. Facing questions about whether their awakening on offense in 2025 was a fluke or a harbinger of greater things to come, the Bears dominated in a Week 1 thriller that saw the offense overcome a poor opening drive to eventually drop 59 points on the Carolina Panthers.

With a 1-0 start in their back pocket, the Bears can now begin to plan for their Week 2 opponent, the wily, blitz-happy Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Sunday, pulling off the kind of miraculous fourth-quarter comeback against the Packers that the Bears did in their Wild Card win last January.

But before we get to the Vikings, let's conduct our Bears players power rankings. We'll do this every week after the Bears play, ranking the 10 best players according to how they've played over the course of the season. For now, however, we only have one game to go off of, and so this is more about setting a baseline.

1. Caleb Williams

As I've said many times since the 2024 NFL draft, as Caleb Williams goes, so go the Bears, and right now the sky's the limit. It's therefore only fitting for Williams to start at the top of these player power rankings for what could be a historic 2026 season. He played a nearly flawless game on Sunday, earning a 94.8 QBR, 124.1 passer rating, and an 87.7 impact grade from Pro Football Network (here we'll ignore Williams' baffling Week 1 grade from Pro Football Focus).

If all goes according to plan for the rest of the season, Williams will never relinquish the number one spot except in the rarest of games.

2. D'Andre Swift

Fresh from signing a three-year extension with the Bears, Swift had arguably the best game of his career on Sunday, racking up 124 rushing yards and a whopping three touchdowns on 18 carries. He's proven to be an invaluable asset to Ben Johnson's offense, and he proved me to be dead wrong when I said that he was a bad free agency addition for the Bears back in 2024.

Garrett Bradbury and D'Andre Swif — Chicago Bears C Garrett Bradbury congratulates RB D'Andre Swift after a touchdown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

3. Darnell Wright

Like Swift, Wright played his first game since signing a record-setting contract extension with the Bears, but he's still playing like he's got something to prove. Wright allowed just two pressures on Sunday but did not give up a single sack or QB hit, nor did he get called for any penalties, according to Pro Football Focus, and he earned an 88.0 Impact Grade from Pro Football Network.

4. Kalif Raymond

I don't think anyone had Kalif Raymond leading the Bears in targets, receptions, and receiving yards on their NFL Week 1 bingo cards, but that's exactly what happened against the Panthers. I wouldn't expect Raymond to suddenly become the Bears' WR1 on the depth chart, but at least Bears fans know now that their likely WR3 is a considerable upgrade from last year.

5. Kyle Monangai

Monangai was a hard player to rank. On the one hand, he averaged just 4.3 yards per carry through his first nine attempts. Not bad by any means, but just fine. But his 61-yard touchdown run in the third quarter broke the Panthers' back and essentially sealed the win for Chicago, so I had to put him in the Top 5.

6. Dillon Thieneman

The first-round rookie shined in his NFL debut. Thieneman led the Bears in tackles (10) and even received a game ball from head coach Ben Johnson after the game. He also helped force a key fumble in the second half that the Bears recovered.

Dillon Thieneman and Chuba Hubbar — Chicago Bears S Dillon Thieneman prepares to tackle Carolina Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

7. Malik Muhammad

With Xavier Woods hitting the Bears' inactives list for Week 1, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had to move some pieces around, and Muhammad ended up starting at the nickelback position in his NFL debut. The fourth-round rookie rose to the occasion and played a fantastic game, earning an 81.3 impact grade from Pro Football Network. He also nabbed the first of what will hopefully be many interceptions right before halftime.

8. Jonah Jackson

Chicago's staright right guard has quietly been one of general manager Ryan Poles' best trades. Acquired from the Rams for only a sixth-round pick, he teamed up with right tackle Darnell Wright last year to form an impenetrable wall of protection, and so far that has continued in 2026. His 81.4 impact grade from Pro Football Network trailed only Wright at the offensive line position.

9. Kentavius Street

Is Kentavius Street the 2026 version of Andrew Billings in 2023? Street impressed Dennis Allen more than any of the other defensive tackles in training camp, and he already made his mark in the regular season with two tackles and a sack on Sunday, earning a solid 79.9 impact grade from Pro Football Network. If he keeps this up, Street could earn a mid-season contract extension like Billings did three years ago.

10. Montez Sweat

Sweat is the final of four defensive players who did not completely embarrass themselves against the Panthers. He pulled Bryce Young down in the first half, losing his helmet in the process and registering the Bears' first sack of the season. Sweat is looking to log double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career, which would certainly give him some leverage in contract talks next offseason.

Montez Sweat and Bryce Youn — Chicago Bears DE Montez Sweat pressures Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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