The Chicago Bears have plenty of excitement around their young core, especially on offense, as they prepare to head into the 2026 season led by quarterback Caleb Williams, the featured cover athlete for Madden 27.
While Williams gets plenty of hype, he's not alone in players that have rising stock around the NFL coming into the 2026 season. Recently, ESPN released their predictions for the Top 100 players of the 2026 season and in their predictions, four members of this year's Bears team appeared on the list.
Here are the four Bears players that ESPN projects to be among the Top 100 NFL players this season:
Darnell Wright, OT, No. 90
The franchise anchor on the offensive line, the Bears just inked Darnell Wright to an extension heading into this season, locking him to Chicago
through the 2031 season. Now the highest paid right tackle in the NFL, Wright has been tremendous at his position since he arrived in the 2023 season. Wright would likely get even more shine if the team had a stable solution at left tackle, but it has plagued them for the past several seasons.
Colston Loveland, TE, No. 89
One of the most intriguing players on the Bears this season, Colston Loveland started to come into his own in the second half of his rookie season, leaving the door open for endless possibilities on offense. Having set a NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in the playoffs last year, Loveland has been listed as one of the biggest breakout stars of this upcoming year, and it'll be interesting to see where he lands among the best tight ends in the NFL.
Caleb Williams, QB, No. 62
The Madden cover athlete, face of the Bears, and potentially next great superstar in the NFL, quarterback Caleb Williams has everything available to him for the taking. Critics have zeroed in on Williams' completion percentage as the weakest point in his game through his first two seasons, if he can turn that around and keep the Bears in playoff contention, he can be even better than his projected ranking.
Joe Thuney, OL, No. 49
The NFL's inaugural Protector of the Year award winner last year, Joe Thuney may not get attention like others on the Bears roster, but he's arguably most important. Thuney has been a staple of consistency throughout his career, making the playoffs in all but one of the 10 seasons he's played in the NFL, while playing for the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, and Bears. Given Chicago's instability at the left tackle, Thuney becomes even more important to keeping the high-level play of the offensive line consistent as they protect Williams.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: ESPN names 4 Bears players to their projected Top 100 in 2026
