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After sitting behind Andy Dalton for two weeks, Justin Fields will make his debut as the Bears' starting quarterback on Sunday. Coach Matt Nagy told reporters this week that Dalton will return as Chicago's starter when healthy, but it's unclear when he'll be cleared to suit up following a knee injury ... and if Nagy will change his tune once Fields showcases his own abilities. Bears fans are undoubtedly excited to get an extended look at the Windy City's first-round pick, but Fields won't necessarily have an easy road to victory in Week 3, with the Browns set to play host to his first career start.

Then there's the track record of rookie QBs making their first starts. Here's a look at how each first-round QB of the last five years, plus Fields' first-round companions of 2021, fared in their first official action with QB1 duties:

SeasonQBFirst startStatsResult
2021Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)Week 1

28-51, 332 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, 70.1 rating

L, 37-21

2021Zach Wilson (Jets)Week 1

20-37, 258 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 82.9 rating

L, 19-14

2021Mac Jones (Patriots)Week 129-39, 281 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 102.6 ratingL, 17-16
2020Joe Burrow (Bengals)Week 123-36, 193 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 66.1 ratingL, 16-13
2020Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)
Week 712-22, 93 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 80.3 rating
W, 28-17
2020Justin Herbert (Chargers)Week 222-33, 311 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 94.4 ratingL, 23-20
2019Kyler Murray (Cardinals)Week 129-54, 308 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 75.2 ratingT, 27-27
2019Daniel Jones (Giants)Week 323-36, 336 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT, 112.7 rating
W, 32-31
2019Dwayne Haskins (Washington)Week 915-22, 144 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 86.2 rating
L, 24-9
2018Baker Mayfield (Browns)Week 4
21-41, 295 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 70.7 ratingL, 45-42
2018Sam Darnold (Jets)Week 116-21, 198 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 116.8 ratingW, 48-17
2018Josh Allen (Bills)
Week 218-33, 245 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 63.3 ratingL, 31-20
2018Josh Rosen (Cardinals)Week 415-27, 180 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 88.5 ratingL, 20-17
2018Lamar Jackson (Ravens)Week 1013-19, 150 yards, 1 INT, 70.1 rating, 119 rush yardsW, 24-21
2017Mitchell Trubisky (Bears)Week 512-25, 128 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 60.1 ratingL, 20-17
2017Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
Week 1722-35, 284 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 76.4 ratingW, 27-24
2017Deshaun Watson (Texans)
Week 215-24, 125 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 75.9 ratingW, 13-9
2016Jared Goff (Rams)Week 1117-31, 134 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 65.8 ratingL, 14-10
2016Carson Wentz (Eagles)Week 122-37, 278 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT, 101.0 ratingW, 29-10
2016Paxton Lynch (Broncos)Week 523-35, 223 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 81.0 ratingL, 23-16

Predictably, it's a mixed bag. Some first-rounders came out with rousing success (see: Carson Wentz, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones), and others looked slow out of the gate (see: Jared Goff, Dwayne Haskins). But the most important takeaway is probably the combined record of these first-time starters: 7-12-1. That's not horrendous, considering most of these players were drafted early to rebuilding teams, but it's obviously below-average, and it's not like there are many routs among the seven wins; only Darnold, Wentz and Tagovailoa started in victories by more than one score.

In other words, even if Fields is a transcendent talent (and plenty of these one-time rookies now are), history suggests he alone won't instantly halt the Bears' struggles, at least in the win column. Chicago's current supporting cast, and the Browns' talent on the other side of Week 3's game this Sunday, backs that up. That's not to say Fields can't/won't be in for a thrilling debut -- he sure flashed his athleticism in limited snaps relieving Dalton these past two weeks. But it is to caution against expectations of a decisive Bears upset during the rookie's first real action under center.

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