Caleb Williams snagged four votes in a highly competitive CBS Sports poll, leading the charge as a breakout candidate for the 2026 season, and honestly, the hype is absolutely real for this guy. With the Bears making no major offensive changes and Ben Johnson still at the helm, the talk around this offense heading into 2026 is reaching a fever pitch. Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports shared the news: three players on that Bears offense are officially voted breakout candidates, and you know Williams is at the top.
Caleb Williams Is Ready To Run The Show
Seriously, four votes for Caleb Williams in a poll that featured seven different quarterbacks? That’s insane! Tyler Shough of the Saints came in second with three votes, which, cool for him, but Williams is just different. Being in year two with Ben Johnson as his playcaller and head coach is huge, and it feels like everyone sees that big leap coming. Pereles even wrote that voters clearly listened to Ben Johnson at the start of training camp. When you’ve got that kind of confidence from the coaches and the national media already talking MVP race, you know this kid is about to absolutely take over.
Burden and Loveland Are The Real Deal
It’s not just Williams though, the weapons around him are stepping up big time. Luther Burden III made the breakout WR list alongside Josh Downs and De’Zhaun Stribling. And get this: Ben Johnson himself said earlier this offseason, “I’m buying Luther Burden stock right now.” When your OC is dropping lines like that, you know something special is brewing, especially after Burden closed out his 2025 season looking super strong. Then there’s Colston Loveland. This tight end absolutely exploded at the end of last year, looking like “arguably the best TE in the league.” He pulled in 597 yards and six touchdowns on 47 receptions in just the last 10 games! He and fellow NFC North tight end Tucker Kraft each got three votes in the breakout poll, leading the way for their position.
These three, Williams, Burden, and Loveland, are easy picks for breakout candidates, and they’ve all been named to the All-Breakout Team by CBS Sports. If this trio can hit their stride, get ready for an absolute offensive show and a massive year ahead for the Bears.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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