After sitting out last Thursday night's win over the Texans in the Hall of Fame Game, healthy Bears starters will play Saturday afternoon against the Bills in Buffalo. Here are six players to watch in the contest:

Offense

The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft makes his much-anticipated debut, operating a newly installed offense under first-year coordinator Shane Waldron.

Asked what he'd like to see from Williams in Buffalo, coach Matt Eberflus said: "Just more of what we see now, where he is, in terms of the progress."

"This is his first time in live action," Eberflus added. "He's been getting a lot of good reps with our [number] one defense, so I think it will feel similar to him … When it's live there in the pocket, to be able to move, maneuver in the pocket, ride the pocket, escape on the outside, B gaps, all those things. Be able to deliver the ball, keep your eyes downfield and really just the operation of it – get in and out of the huddle, no pre-snap penalties, clean operation."

It's unclear how many snaps Williams and the No. 1 offense will play Saturday, though Eberflus has said he hopes to get the starters 45-55 reps in the preseason.

Passing game coordinator Thomas Brown wants Williams "to relax and play ball."

"It's the same game you've been playing your entire life," Brown said. "The stakes are higher, there are more eyes watching, but it's still ball. He's still one of the best players on the football field. I think being able to understand how to operate, communicate well and see what happens. If adversity happens at times, just be able to bounce back and continue to be a good communicator with his teammates."

One of the top performers in training camp, Odunze will try to transfer what he's done on the practice field at Halas Hall into his first NFL preseason game.

"I'm just looking forward to him getting out and playing and then building a rapport with the quarterback," said receivers coach Chris Beatty. "He and Caleb, they've already got it off the field, but we want to make sure we build it up. The games are different. The speed is different. He needs that maybe more than [veteran receivers] DJ [Moore] and Keenan [Allen] need it."

Chosen by the Bears with the No. 9 pick in the draft, Odunze appeared in 40 games with 30 starts the past four seasons at Washington, catching 214 passes for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns. Last season he was named AP First-Team All-American and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which honors the nation's top receiver, after establishing career highs with 92 receptions, 1,640 yards and 13 TDs. His 1,640 yards led all FBS receivers and were the most in Washington history.

"He's polished," Allen said. "You don't have to teach him how to play receiver. He came in and he knows how to play the game; was well-coached in college obviously, knowing how to play. Now all he has to do is learn the offense, versus he's got to learn how to get lined up and release and do this. He already knows how to do that. Give him the play and watch him work, so he's good."

The Bears moved the third-year pro from receiver to running back on Monday and will reassess where he fits best after he gets reps in the backfield against the Bills.

"I love having him back there," said running backs coach Chad Morton. "What a great kid, man. I just appreciate his hard work in the room, too. He's diligent about his work and he studies hard and he's trying to make it work. It's tough switching to a new position, let alone just learning the plays. But just learning how to run, reading the right hole and leverage and getting your pads down, all that stuff is still new for him. He's doing a fantastic job, and I can't wait to see what happens."

Selected by the Bears in the third round of the 2022 draft out of Tennessee, Jones has appeared in 26 games with two starts in two seasons, catching 11 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown, rushing for 154 yards and one TD on 17 carries and averaging 27.4 yards on 38 kickoff returns.

Eberflus liked what he saw from Jones in the backfield this week in practice.

"He's done well back there," Eberflus said. "He's certainly got speed, we know that. He's very durable. He's got some good lean mass to him, so he can knock it forward pretty good. He's got some good acceleration. He's going to be a threat out of the backfield in terms of the passing game, so I'm excited for him."

Defense

The 2023 second-round pick from Florida has flashed throughout training camp and appears to be primed to have a breakout season. The 6-6, 312-pounder boasts a leaner and stronger physique after reshaping his body during the offseason and also possesses a much better understanding of the defense than he had as a rookie.

"If you look at him, man, he's in a different type of shape," said linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. "He's running fast, coming out of the stack, getting to the ball. To be as big as he is, he's moving at a good pace. Just seeing that from him, I'm excited. He's making a lot of plays on the ball. He has a big frame, so just being around the ball, batting them down and everything like that, it's going to help the team out because those are big plays."

Dexter has batted down passes consistently throughout training camp, focusing on that aspect of the game more as a pro than he did in college.

"No. 1, obviously he's got great size," said defensive line coach Travis Smith. "He and Zacch [Pickens] have changed their bodies a lot where they are much stronger, they've got a little bit more twitch, they're in better shape. Two, we've really made an awareness with where the league is going. Our job is to affect the quarterback. But in today's league, the ball comes out so quick … so another way for us to affect the passing game is hands up."

The fifth-round draft pick from Kansas, who possesses intriguing pass-rush traits, played 24 snaps in the Hall of Fame Game, registering one tackle. The 6-6, 245-pounder no doubt will get plenty of opportunities to impress against the Bills.

"Where he is, No. 1, is he's had no hesitation in buying into playing the 'HITS' principle," Smith said. "So his hustle, his effort, he starts it out at the foundation. Where our growth is coming from is execution of what the assignment is. I think his system at Kansas, he was an outside 'backer. He was either rushing or dropping. There's more detail, there's a little bit more to the package of what we're doing here with him as to whether he's playing left end or right end, movements, blitzes, stunts, third-down package, how the rush works together with our four-man rush.

"So now we've just got to transfer that energy and that intensity that he can play with, and we've got to be able to be able to execute the details of the call. So is he growing? Yeah. He's growing. We're loving what we're seeing out there. We can't see repeat mistakes. We've got to see him move on to the next thing so we can keep growing."

The Bears are looking for pass rushers to step up and Kareem has flashed that ability at times in practice. He was productive in the Hall of Fame Game, compiling three tackles and one tackle-for-loss while playing 29 snaps. He no doubt will get more chances to try to earn a spot in the defensive line rotation Saturday in Buffalo.

Kareem was selected by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2020 draft out of Notre Dame. He spent two seasons with Cincinnati before joining the Colts in 2022. He was waived by Indianapolis last Aug. 29 as part of final cuts and claimed by the Bears. Kareem appeared in one game in 2023, recording one tackle and one pass breakup Oct. 29 in a loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles.