Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams began his rookie season with unreasonable expectations. Dubbed a generational prospect before the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams was compared to the game’s elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes.

Yeah, no pressure.

Williams finished the 2024 season with an admirable stat line. Over 17 games, he completed 62.5% of his passes, totaling 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions. He re-wrote the Bears’ rookie passing records along the way: most completions (351), passing attempts (562), passing yards (3,541), and passing touchdowns (20).

It wasn’t all positive for Williams, however. He was sacked a league-leading 68 times, which oftentimes were the result of him trying to play hero ball and waiting too long to deliver a pass.

Williams’ occasional mental lapses, combined with the incredible success of fellow rookies Jayden Daniels, who won the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and Bo Nix, who led the Denver Broncos on an unfathomable end-of-season dash toward the playoffs, created a narrative that Williams somehow failed to meet expectations.

In fact, most 2024 NFL redrafts have the Chicago Bears taking Daniels first overall instead of Williams, despite how high most of those redraft authors were on Williams less than one year ago.

It’s safe to say Williams’ critics were (and still are) out in full force.

It’s one thing for the talking heads on mainstream sports media programs to yell into the clouds about Williams not delivering on his scouting report. It’s another for fantasy football experts to have virtually no confidence in Williams’ ability to deliver a high-level stat line in 2025, even armed with new head coach Ben Johnson.

Take Pro Football Focus’ early 2025 dynasty rankings, for example. Williams is ranked as QB12, behind the likes of Brock Purdy (49ers), Nix, and even Drake Maye (Patriots).