Chicago Bears’ 2025 Week 9 statistical leaders, predicted— Caleb Willians and Joe Burrow melt the scoreboard

Which means that many points shall be scored on the Bengals’ side of the field.

Which means that many points will need to be scored on the Bears’ side of the field.

Which means Ben Johnson will have to get into beast mode.

Which means Chicago’s skill player will thrive.

But who will thrive the most?

Running Back

Say what you will about D’Andre Swift—and I’ve said plenty—but the guy is solid in the pass game.

Last season, the Bears' RB1 finished tenth among running backs in receiving yards (368), more than Saquon Barkley, Joe Mixon, and David Montgomery.

Assuming that Johnson is, as we expect, in beast mode, quarterback Caleb Williams will be a busy man. Eventually, the Bengals’ defensive staff will get their blitz on, thus the dump-off portion of Cincy’s program will kick in around the third quarter.

Look for Swift to rack up more receiving yards than rushing yards, and don’t be surprised if he takes a 50-plus-yard screen to the house.

Wide Receiver

The Bears are hopeful that by the halfway point of the season, Rome Odunze will be consistently performing at a WR1 level. And if their hopes do, indeed, come to fruition, this could be The Rome Game.

The 2024 Bengals allowed an average of 25.5 points per contest, the fifth-most in the league, with a pass defense that ranked 12th from the bottom.

Johnson and Williams will spread the wealth, and this could be Odunze’s 2025 coming out party. Let’s give him 125-plus yards and two-plus touchdowns.

Tight End

It’s always a dicey proposition to throw fantasy football stats into a reality football analysis, but sometimes, it makes perfect sense.

Like now.

Last season, the Bengals defense allowed 15.18 fantasy points to opposing tight ends, the second-most in the NFL.

Since Caleb will be flinging the ball all over the field—and since Cole Kmet isn’t super-great at football—rookie Colston Loveland will feast on what could be Chicago’s first legitimately wintry-cold game of the year.

Could the Bears walk out of Soldier Field with not, but two 100-plus yard pass catchers? If, as expected, this Windy City/Queen City rumble evolves into a scoreboard-melting track meet, Loveland and Odunze will answer that one with a resounding yes.