Colston Loveland, Joe Thuney Crack Sports Illustrated's List Of Top 100 Players In 2026

Hopefully, there are even more Bears to come when the top 50 players are released.

Nov 2, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) reacts after catching a 5-yard touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Caleb Williams (not pictured) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

If nothing else, the Chicago Bears let the NFL know they’re for real, making it to the league’s Elite Eight in their first season with Ben Johnson as their head coach.

They couldn’t have done it with the revamp Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles spearheaded, which both shored up the offensive line and brought in a few major playmakers in the draft.

Those efforts resulted in two Bears cracking Sports Illustrated’s list of top 100 players heading into the 2026 season: Colston Loveland (No. 58) and Joe Thuney, who aptly came in at No. 62.

In particular, seeing a Chicago Bears first-round pick dominate so much as a rookie that people are already projecting a monster sophomore season feels surreal. But Loveland, whom the Bears swung on with the No. 10 overall pick over fellow rookie tight end Tyler Warren, left no doubt about his massive upside after a monstrous close to the regular season and an eye-opening playoff run.

“Loveland could be headed for a monster 2026 season after the high flashes he showed in his rookie season,” wrote SI’s Gilberto Manzano. “The 6'6", 241-pound Loveland has Jimmy Graham-like size and athleticism, with reliable hands that resemble Travis Kelce. Loveland, a first-round pick, did have quiet stretches in his rookie season, with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns. But it said plenty that Caleb Williams often turned to the tight end in clutch moments, especially in the playoffs.”

When you’re been compared to a (young) Graham, Kelce and even a “Mini Gronk,” you’re doing something right. The crazy part: he more than justified it, averaging almost 95 receiving yards in his last four games, including the playoffs. He is essentially the Bears’ WR1, and he will almost certainly put up 1,000 yards next season if he can stay healthy with the rapport he and Williams now have.

Just four spots after that, the Bears’ All-Pro left guard earned the flowers he deserves.

“The 33-year-old Thuney has now helped three teams make the postseason,” Manzano added. “He extended his three-year streak of being a first-team All-Pro during his first season in Chicago. The four-time Super Bowl champion (two with the Patriots and two with the Chiefs) helped the Bears’ offensive line find stability, which led to productive seasons from Darnell Wright and rookie Ozzy Trapilo at the tackle spots.”

Let’s take a moment to appreciate that for a moment: the fact that Thuney, more than a decade into his NFL career, is almost a shoe-in to be one of the NFL’s best players in his age-34 season as long as he stays healthy. He graded out fifth among all NFL guards in overall grade and first in pass blocking after allowing just 15 total pressures and zero sacks in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. And there’s no reason to think he can’t be just as good next year.

As mentioned before, this was only a list of the first 50 players on this list, meaning there’s a chance for more Bears to make the list for 2026. In particular, I’d expect Caleb Williams to be near the top of that roll after the season he just put up.

The cool part: he’ll already have some key teammates right there with him heading into his crucial third season.

More Chicago Bears News:

• A New Defensive Lineman Enters Chat For Bears In PFF Mock Draft

• Why Drake Maye’s Super Bowl run doesn’t hurt Caleb Williams

• How the Patriots and Seahawks defenses can be models for the Bears

• Ranking Second-Year Players Who Could Play Pivotal Roles For The Bears In 2026