Caleb Williams lands surprisingly high in PFF's latest NFL quarterback rankings

Most Bears fans would agree Williams should be ahead of Stroud, but we get it. Iceman has to get back on the field first.

Williams ranks ahead of Sam Darnold (No. 16), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 19), Jalen Hurts (No. 20), and Justin Herbert (No. 30).

Why PFF remains high on Caleb Williams

Unlike PFF's weekly player grades, its quarterback rankings incorporate previous performance and expectations alongside current-season results.

And Williams' ability to avoid negatively graded plays is a big factor in his analytics profile.

Through 70 dropbacks, Williams has produced a 14.4% positively graded play rate and a 5.8% negatively graded play rate. That 5.8% figure is tied for the third-best mark among quarterbacks with at least 60 dropbacks, according to PFF.

Still, the relatively small sample size makes it difficult to draw massive conclusions about Williams' 2026 performance so far.

Jordan Love moves closer to the top 10

Wanna really get frustrated?

Packers quarterback Jordan Love climbed one spot to No. 11 after his outstanding performance against the Bears.

Love earned a 95.1 PFF grade in Week 5, the highest among all quarterbacks. He produced six big-time throws against Chicago.

Patrick Mahomes remained No. 1, followed by Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Brock Purdy.

Williams' return can't come soon enough

The Bears are 3-2 entering Sunday's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, and Williams' potential return remains one of the week's biggest storylines.

Coach Ben Johnson said this week that Williams is progressing well but stopped short of naming him the starter.

Until Williams officially returns, PFF's ranking reinforces an important point: He remains one of the NFL's best quarterbacks even after an extended absence.

Now the Bears need him back on the field.