In reality, the 2024 Chicago Bears were a nightmare to watch, but in fantasy, quarterback Caleb Williams showcased his skills late in the season, making it easy to draft him ahead of the 2025 season.
Bleacher Report writer Gary Davenport took a look at which 10 players going into the new NFL year would be must-haves in fantasy. Davenport saw how Williams closed out the season and has high expectations for him to perform better in his second season.
"After being drafted first overall last year, Caleb Williams' rookie season in Chicago was...uneven. He threw for just over 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, finishing 16th at the position in fantasy points.
However, the Bears' primary focus in the offseason was getting better around the quarterback, whether it was adding passing-game weapons, bolstering the offensive line or hiring one of the NFL's best offensive minds in Ben Johnson.
Last year, the 23-year-old eclipsed 300 passing yards four times. Eleven of his 20 touchdown passes came over the final seven games of the season—a timeframe over which he threw just one interception.
From Week 11 on last year, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick was a top-10 fantasy quarterback. Now, with a year of experience under his belt, better weapons with the addition of tight end Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III, a better offensive line and Johnson's play-calling, all the ingredients are there for a Year 2 breakout.
If you believe in Williams' talent, he could be a massive bargain for fantasy managers at quarterback."
Williams' fantasy value in 2025
Williams is a safer choice in 2025 than he was last year, mainly due to the support around him. He can throw it to D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, rookie second-round pick Luther Burden III, Cole Kmet, and rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland. This is one of the most solid pass-catching groups in the NFL.
His offensive line is also in a much better position this year after allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024. The Bears brought in Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson to protect the interior of the line.
Read more: Bears' cornerback tandem finally gets respect in latest rankings
Even if it wasn't a great year for Williams, one thing he at least did well was protect the football. Well, when it was in the air as he only threw six interceptions. He did have 10 fumbles, but at least with a better offensive line it should decrease that number.
Last year, Williams was the 16th-best quarterback in fantasy, scoring an average of 15 fantasy points per game based on standard scoring. He's got better talent around him in 2025 so those numbers should go up and become a safer pick to start once he gets the hang of Johnson's offense.