On Saturday, the Buffalo Bills will kick off their three-game preseason slate on the road against the Chicago Bears, who are coming off of a 21-17 win over the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game. All eyes will be on No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams as he makes his NFL debut, and Buffalo is playing some of their starters as well (including Josh Allen).
Here’s everything you need to know about this Week 1 preseason matchup between the Bears and Bills, including how to watch, how to listen, the start time, and more.
Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills
- Start time: Saturday, August 10, 2024, 1 p.m. ET
- Channel: NFL Network
- Live stream options: NFL App, NFL+, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV
- Radio stations:
- Starting QBs: Caleb Williams, Josh Allen
- Betting lines:
- Spread: CHI -1
- Total: 38
- Moneyline: CHI -130, BUF +110
The Chicago Bears won their first preseason game, even if it was just three quarters. Backup QB Tyson Bagent only got one series, but Brett Rypien made the most of his moment, going 11/15 for 166 yards and three touchdowns. RB Khalil Herbert also looked good, proving the ankle was still solid after spraining it last season.
However, the moment everyone will be waiting for, especially Bears fans, will be when rookie No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams takes the field and makes his NFL debut. The new and hopeful cornerstone of the franchise faces lofty expectations. While Williams is just a rookie, his talent and ability have been discussed in the college and NFL sphere for a few years. Will he live up to the hype?
It’s nice to know he isn’t getting dropped into a Chicago roster from a few years ago. Fellow top-10 2024 draft pick Rome Odunze should also make his NFL debut. He sits third on the WR depth chart behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
Herbert and Roschon Johnson looked good last week and will get more reps this week, but the Bears also added D’Andre Swift to the fold after an impressive season in Philadelphia.
Williams has the weapons. Chicago will be anxious to see how quickly he can adjust to the pace of the NFL. On the other side of the football, the Bears front office has pieced together a solid defensive unit. Highlighted by the LB Tremaine Edmunds signing in 2023, Chicago brought in safety Kevin Byard to start opposite Jaquan Brisker. They also brought in safety Jonathan Owens and resigned CB Jaylon Johnson to a four-year, $76 million extension.
With Williams and Odunze on rookie deals, the Super Bowl chase is coming. It’s not fair to expect immediate success from the pair; however, the Bears have built the roster to compete in the coming seasons. The 2024 season will tell if it’s possible.
Meanwhile, the Bills enter the 2024 season hoping to stay atop the AFC East, with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets vying for the top spot. According to head coach Sean McDermott, quarterback Josh Allen will play for about a quarter against the Bears.
He won’t be the only starter, and it will be interesting to see what the passing game looks like after WR Stefon Diggs was traded and Gabe Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Third-year WR Khalil Shakir takes over as WR1, and while he had a vast improvement from his rookie to sophomore season, 39 rec for 611 yards and two TDs is just average.
Shakir, rookie Keon Coleman, and Curtis Samuel have much to prove as the presumed top three targets for Allen. While Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox will add to the party, having established weapons outside will help stretch the defense and take some pressure off of Allen. Hopefully, Buffalo has done enough that he does not have to be the savior once again this season.
While the passing game is a bit uncertain, Buffalo hopes to see another promising season from RB James Cook. The Bills had not had a 1,000-yard rusher in Allen’s six-year career, but Cook surpassed that in his first season as the premier back and was a big part of Buffalo’s late-season surge.
While the Bills’ front seven looks strong, the secondary, which lost a lot of talent in the offseason, could be of some concern. CB Tre White signed with the Los Angeles Rams, Jordan Poyer went to the Miami Dolphins, and Dane Jackson joined the Carolina Panthers. Will they hold up against some explosive offenses in the AFC?
Bears vs. Bills Betting Preview
The Chicago Bears offense was fun under Brett Rypien’s guidance in the Hall of Fame Game, and it seems like there is quite a battle for Caleb Williams’ backup spot. We will not see much of the Bears’ starting unit, but that will be the same for the Bills. This should be a fairly even game, and the spread here is pretty much spot on. However, the Bears seem to have more depth competition, and that showed in the way they played last week.
For more betting analysis, make sure to check out PFN’s Week 1 preseason picks and predictions.
Fantasy Players to Watch
Bills WR Keon Coleman
Wether Coleman can get open and make plays is something fantasy managers want to pay attention to. This team has no clear WR1 at the moment. Coleman will compete with Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir for targets at the wide receiver position. The rookie is already a solid late-round dart throw due to the ambiguity. If that ambiguity gets cleared up at all in the preseason, it could make Coleman even more of a value … or too expensive to draft.
Bears QB Caleb Williams
It remains to be seen if veterans like DJ Moore or Keenan Allen see any preseason action. The Bears have a lot of fantasy weapons. In addition to Moore and Allen, they have Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift, and Cole Kmet. If there is any hope for all of them to be impactful fantasy assets, Caleb Williams has to be as good as advertised. Of course, a quality preseason showing doesn’t automatically mean Williams will pan out. But we’d much rather see him play well than play poorly. Williams is undoubtedly the one to watch on the Bears this preseason.
For more fantasy analysis, make sure to check out PFN’s fantasy players to watch during the NFL preseason.
