The Indianapolis Colts had three of their players inside the top 54 of ESPN’s annual ranking of the NFL’s top 100 players going into the 2026 season.
Running back Jonathan Taylor led the way at No. 36, followed by cornerback Sauce Gardner at No. 43 and left guard Quenton Nelson at No. 54.
ESPN’s ranking was based on expected performance in 2026 rather than simply grading what players accomplished last season.
Taylor made the biggest jump of the trio, climbing from No. 69 a year ago. He rushed for 1,585 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2025, and ESPN noted he averaged an NFL-best 3.0 yards after contact in games played with Daniel Jones.
Gardner dropped from No. 32 to No. 43, but ESPN still expects a bigger impact in his first full season with Indianapolis.
His 29% tight-coverage rate last season ranked second in the NFL among players with at least 200 coverage snaps.
Nelson moved up seven spots from No. 61. ESPN highlighted his career-best 95.5% pass block win rate and noted that his six All-Pro selections since 2018 are the most by any offensive lineman over that span.
The rankings give Indianapolis elite representation at three different position groups as the Colts prepare for a season in which several veterans will be central to their playoff hopes.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 3 Colts land inside top 54 of ESPN’s 2026 NFL player rankings
