Bears’ Williams Week-to-Week; Status Uncertain for Washington’s Daniels

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders both suffered injuries in Week 2, with Williams facing a hamstring issue and Daniels dealing with a left elbow dislocation. Their uncertain recovery timelines threaten to impact their teams’ offensive stability as injuries continue to affect multiple starting quarterbacks early in the 2026 NFL season.

Two of the NFL’s promising young quarterbacks sustained injuries during Week 2, adding to a growing list of quarterback concerns early in the season.

Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears suffered a non-contact hamstring injury late in Sunday’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The third-year quarterback exited the game after a scramble with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and was visibly emotional as he was carted off the field. Head coach Ben Johnson described Williams’ status as week-to-week on Monday, noting the quarterback is unlikely to practice this week but has not been ruled out for the Bears’ upcoming Week 3 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Through two games, Williams has completed 65.5% of his passes for 407 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while also rushing for 107 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears, currently 1-1, are aiming to defend their NFC North title and had hoped to sustain a high-scoring offense after a strong 59-point opening game.

Meanwhile, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels faces a more uncertain recovery timeline following a left elbow dislocation sustained during Sunday’s 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. X-rays taken on Sunday ruled out a fracture, but Daniels is scheduled to see specialists this week for further evaluation. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Daniels will miss the Week 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks, with Marcus Mariota named the starter in his place. The injury occurred in the final snap before halftime when left guard Chris Paul stepped on Daniels’ feet as he took a snap under center, causing him to fall and dislocate his elbow. Daniels, who originally dislocated the same elbow last season and missed seven games due to the injury, has shown strong performance early in 2026 with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. However, his rushing attempts have been limited, tallying just 12 yards on two carries before the injury.

Other quarterbacks facing injury issues include Minnesota Vikings’ Kyler Murray, Seattle’s Sam Darnold, and Atlanta Falcons’ Tua Tagovailoa. Murray, who missed much of Week 1 with a concussion, has cleared concussion protocol and is expected to start in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Having secured the Vikings’ starting spot after signing a one-year deal, Murray’s return provides a boost to a team currently undefeated at 2-0.

The Falcons have struggled offensively in the absence of both Michael Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa. Penix, who underwent ACL surgery last November, is slated to return to the lineup Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. In his absence, veteran Cooper Rush has started but the team remains winless after starting the season 0-2.

As teams navigate these early-season injuries, the durability and availability of their key quarterbacks will play a critical role in shaping their trajectories for the 2026 NFL campaign.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.