Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams lands at No. 51 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players list. See why his peers are taking notice heading into Year 3.
The NFL's top 100 players list of 2026 is far from perfect.
There can be a debate on every player's ranking, whether it was too high or too low. But this is a list voted on by the players themselves, and they've decided where Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams fits in the league's hierarchy.
Williams' play during the 2025 season earned him the 51st spot on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2026.
The Bears' quarterback set the team's franchise single-season passing record (3,942 yards), throwing 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Under head coach Ben Johnson, Chicago finished as one of the most explosive passing offenses in the NFL, generating 60 big play passes (20+ yards), fifth most in the NFL. According to ESPN, his 11 touchdowns thrown at least 20 yards downfield were two more than any other quarterback last season.
Williams is the ninth quarterback ranked on the top 100 list.
- Bryce Young (98)
- Brock Purdy (85)
- Baker Mayfield (77)
- Jordan Love (72)
- Lamar Jackson (69)
- Trevor Lawrence (62)
- Bo Nix (59)
- Jalen Hurts (56)
Williams' ranking further cements his status among NFL circles. Earlier this month, the Bears' quarterback was voted by NFL executives, coaches and scouts as the No. 10 quarterback in the league right now.
Throughout the offseason and into the summer, there has been plenty of discussions about Williams. Former NFL offensive lineman and color commentator Mark Schlereth called Williams "not a good quarterback," while CBS Sports placed the Bears' quarterback under the category "Bottom third: Most disappointing first-round decision" in a recent article that ranked all 191 first-round NFL Draft picks since 2020.
Those last two takeaways are drastically different than how NFL evaluators and players see the 24-year-old quarterback.
In the end, though, these offseason and summer rankings are opinions. None of it really matters going into the 2026 season. Everything the Bears want to achieve must be earned. And apparently to some people, Williams still has ways to go to earn respect.
Williams is far from a complete quarterback, but he's in a perfect situation to continue his development into one of the best at his position. He has the offensive mastermind head coach/play caller, a talented group of pass catchers and offensive line.
Despite only playing one season in Johnson's offense, Williams showed his coaches, teammates and peers around league how dangerous he can be when he steps on the football field.
Going into Year 3, this is just the beginning of Williams' career. And personal accolades fall well short of what the Bears' quarterback wants to accomplish. Williams wants to go down as one of the greatest to ever play in the NFL and win Super Bowls.
The only way that can happen is if Williams continues to develop, but it's clear he already possess the talent, work ethic and environment required to turn those lofty ambitions into reality.
