Caleb Williams Predicted to be Best QB in the NFC North in 2026

At this time last year, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was still firmly in 'potential bust' territory. But after a breakout season in his first year with head coach Ben Johnson, the NFL world seems convinced that he's on the cusp of superstardom. From making franchise history on the cover of Madden 27 to earning the No. 51 spot in the player-voted NFL Top 100 list, everything's been coming up roses for Williams.

Now, with the regular season opener just days away, we have another vote of confidence in Williams' future. As he does every year, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated asked NFL coaches, general managers, and executives to vote on who will be the best quarterback by the end of 2026, and Caleb Williams finally made the cut, landing at No. 9.

"This pick isn’t just about what he did with Ben Johnson last year," Breer writes, "but the direction the Bears were headed as the year ended." He goes on to quote one AFC offensive coordinator, who said, "In a year or two, if he stays the course with Ben Johnson, he will be top three. His physical talent is freakish."

Caleb Williams beats his rivals to claim the top spot in the division

What's more interesting to me than Williams' precise spot on this list (I thought he should have been higher) is where his NFC North rivals landed. Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers both tied for the No. 11 spot, while Kyler Murray was nowhere to be found. Remember, Goff is a five-time Pro Bowler and Love has been among NFL MVP front-runners in each of the last two years.

It's difficult to overstate what an accomplishment that is for Williams. After all, Breer didn't just poll a handful of position coaches or draft analysts. He sent nearly 200 ballots out to actual NFL decisionmakers and received 104 of them back. What's more, he received at least one ballot from all 32 teams, and only two teams returned just one, making this exercise highly representative of the league as a whole.

What that means is that the NFL world at large thinks that Williams, who just a year ago seemed headed for the Bears' infamous quarterback graveyard, will be the best quarterback in the NFC North by the end of the season. Not the quarterback with the most potential, or with the coolest highlight reel, but the quarterback who is undeniably the best in the division.

Where is Caleb Williams' ceiling?

At this point, it feels like Caleb Williams is out of the woods, at least in terms of not being another draft bust. He seems to be, at worst, a QB the Bears can win with. But he still has miles of untouched ceiling above him, which should be exciting for Bears fans. As good as Williams was last year, he can still be even better.

Consistency is the next step for Williams to take in his development. The big time throws, the furious fourth quarter comebacks are pure cinema in their quality, and his highlight reel can go toe-to-toe with anyone's. But consistency eluded him in 2025, leading to some lingering questions about how far he can take the Bears.

If Williams has truly taken full command of Ben Johnson's offense this year, and if he masters the art of down-to-down consistency, Williams won't just be the best quarterback in the NFC North or a Top 10 guy in the NFL. He'll be the NFC version of Patrick Mahomes.

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