NFL injury updates on Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and more starting QBs

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Sep 21, 2026

Published in Football

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NEW YORK — Week 2 took a toll on two of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks, as Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels on Sunday became the latest starters to suffer injuries.

Williams is considered week-to-week after leaving his Chicago Bears’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings with a non-contact hamstring injury, head coach Ben Johnson said in an update Monday.

The timeline is more uncertain for Daniels, who is set to consult with specialists this week after sustaining his second gruesome left elbow dislocation in as many seasons during his Washington Commanders’ 37-20 loss in Dallas, head coach Dan Quinn said Monday.

Williams and Daniels joined Seattle’s Sam Darnold (glute), Minnesota’s Kyler Murray (concussion) and Atlanta’s Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) as QBs to suffer injuries already this season.

Here are the latest updates:

Caleb Williams

The prospects appeared bleak as Williams went down during a scramble with 7:27 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss in Chicago. The scene didn’t look any better as an emotional Williams was carted to the locker room.

But the updates since then have been encouraging.

While Johnson said he doesn’t expect Williams to practice this week, he didn’t rule the third-year QB out for the Bears’ Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, either.

Through two games, Williams, 24, has completed 65.5% of his passes for 407 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, and he’s rushed for 107 yards and two TDs as well.

Any missed game action would be a blow to a Bears team (1-1) that aims to repeat as NFC North champions. Before Williams’ injury, Johnson shared his desire for Chicago — which erupted for 59 points in Week 1 — to set the NFL scoring record.

Jayden Daniels

X-rays determined on Sunday that the right-handed Daniels’ left arm wasn’t fractured, and the third-year quarterback underwent more medical imaging on Monday.

The Commanders (0-2) have not released the results of those latest scans, but Quinn said Daniels will miss Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, with Marcus Mariota set to start.

“He’ll see specialists early this week — Tuesday and Wednesday — and then we’ll go through the process from there,” Quinn said of Daniels. “I know you’ll have some questions regarding timelines, but until we go through that process, I’d be guessing to give you any.”

Daniels’ injury occurred on the final snap before halftime when left guard Chris Paul appeared to step on the QB’s feet as he took a snap under center. That caused Daniels to stumble and brace himself with his left arm, which buckled under the pressure.

The 25-year-old Daniels initially missed three games last season after dislocating the elbow in his non-throwing arm, then reaggravated the injury upon returning and missed four more.

The 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has thrown three touchdown passes without an interception this season but attempted only two rushes for 12 yards before the injury.

Kyler Murray

Murray has cleared concussion protocol and is set to start in Week 3 for the Vikings (2-0) in Tampa Bay.

After signing a one-year deal in the offseason, Murray won the Vikings’ starting job in training camp.

He played only 11 snaps in Week 1, however, before suffering the head injury. Carson Wentz filled in admirably in Murray’s absence, throwing three TD passes without an interception, but head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Monday his plan to go back to a healthy Murray.

Michael Penix Jr.

Penix, 26, is set to make his return from last November’s ACL surgery and start at QB for the Falcons on Thursday night in Green Bay.

With Penix and Tagovailoa sidelined, the Falcons offense struggled under veteran Cooper Rush en route to an 0-2 start.

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