NFL Top 100 Players of 2023: Justin Fields checks in at No. 86

Every year around this time, the NFL releases a list of the top 100 players. This year, Justin Fields debuted on the list at number 86, marking the first time in the 13-year history of the NFL’s Top 100 that a Chicago Bears quarterback made the cut.

This comes as a shock to many across the country, especially considering that Trevor Lawrence just barely made the list, landing 10 spots behind Fields at number 96. The two quarterbacks have frequently been compared to each other for almost their entire careers, going back to the Elite 11 competition they both competed in as Seniors in high school. Entering college, they were the top two quarterback recruits, with Lawrence barely ranking ahead of Fields.

Fields and Lawrence faced off twice during their college careers, first in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl and then the 2020 Sugar Bowl. Lawrence won the first matchup, and Fields, playing through broken ribs sustained during the game, won the second.

Through two seasons in the NFL, Fields is trending ahead of Lawrence in the eyes of other players, who hold the Bears quarterback in high regard.

Fields’ stats may not show success yet, and his unfortunate 5-20 record so far is bad. Still, Bears fans know how much of that is attributable to the lackluster roster around him last year, plus the new offensive system he had to learn, which included new footwork and throwing mechanics. We should have set expectations for Fields much lower for last year, looking at things objectively.

But all of that figures to change in 2023. The Chicago Bears are the darlings of the NFL right now. They’re a popular “dark horse” pick to win the division. The roster moves have been widely praised, and many agree that the team now has enough talent to make some noise in a weakened NFC conference.

With his spot in the Top 100 list for 2023 confirmed, it’s now on the shoulders of Justin Fields to live up to the hype. No more excuses will be made for him if the stats don’t match the buildup. And on September 10th, we’ll get our first indication of whether or not he can do it.