In its 2026 projection of the NFL’s Top 100 players, Sports Illustrated has shined a spotlight on what some see as a scarcity of elite talent for the Green Bay Packers. In fact, only three Packers cracked the list. The three Packers named should be obvious. Go ahead and guess — I’ll wait.
Making the list were tight end Tucker Kraft (No. 86), quarterback Jordan Love (No. 59) and defensive end Micah Parsons (No. 17).
Kraft’s inclusion, despite his season ending prematurely due to an ACL injury, reflects his surging breakout before the setback. Love’s spot at 59 recognizes his clear talent, but raises questions about whether he can elevate the Packers into true contender status (he can). Meanwhile, Micah Parsons is an obvious generational talent. Coming in at number 17 on the list, he remains Green Bay’s lone top-tier defensive star.
The offseason brings lots of pablum like this. We must feed the content monster. Even still, the Packers’ limited representation in this piece feeds into a broader narrative about the team’s ceiling. Perennial Super Bowl contenders are much more highly represented on lists like this.
Fans and analysts alike have long debated the value of these lists. The NFL Top 100 rankings — voted on by players themselves — are often criticized for subjectivity and recency bias. Yet even when factoring in those caveats, the usually modest amount of Packers representation in these settings speaks to league-wide perceptions about where Green Bay stands among its NFC rivals.
Myself? I’m less worried about stuff like this. A handful of top-100 talents can produce success, but depth matters in a league where injuries are inevitable and postseason margins are thin (Cough offensive line cough). Of course, the Packers have work to do there, as well.
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