Here's a full breakdown of what's changing for the Bears' offense in 2026:
🏈 Ben Johnson's Year-Two Scheme Evolution
Johnson's offense was top-10 in efficiency in year one, but it was already materially different from his Detroit system — he tailored it to Caleb Williams' mobility and decision-making rather than treating him like pocket-passer Jared Goff (from the Bears team page). In 2026, that tailoring goes deeper now that Johnson has a full season of film and familiarity.
For the first time in Williams' NFL career, he'll have the same head coach and offensive system for back-to-back years — no new terminology to learn, which should unlock more ownership and pre-snap adjustments (from the Caleb Williams page).
🔄 The Big Receiving Corps Reshuffle
DJ Moore was traded to Buffalo, which clears a massive target share. The new pass-catching core:
- Colston Loveland – Rookie TE who led the team with 58 catches in 2025
- Luther Burden III – Caught 47 passes as a rookie and is moving up the depth chart
- Rome Odunze – 54 catches in 2024 but battled foot injuries in 2025; now the most veteran WR in the room
- Cole Kmet – Still in the mix but dropped in fantasy rank
On Fantasy Football Today, they noted Johnson's track record of high play volume — the Bears are projected to be "amongst the league leaders" in plays run.
🛑 Offensive Coordinator Departure
Notable: Declan Doyle, the Bears' OC in 2025 who helped develop Loveland and Burden, has left for the Ravens' OC job. The Bears' OC position is listed as unfilled in the current wiki — so who calls plays and how the staff reshuffles is still an open question to track.
🏃 Run Game & Tempo
D'Andre Swift remains the centerpiece of the ground game, and the running scheme stays elite. A FantasyPros analyst raised a good question: "When the Bears go heavy tight ends, is Luther Burden even on the field?" — the target hierarchy behind Loveland is still being sorted out.
⚠️ The Catch
The Bears face the 6th-hardest schedule in 2026 (first-place schedule with road games at Buffalo, Seattle, and all NFC North foes), and historical precedent says teams making an 11-win jump almost always regress. Year-two offensive refinement might be real, but fantasy managers should temper expectations for weekly explosion.