ESPN Projects Big 2026 Season for Bears TE Colston Loveland
ESPN points to Colston Loveland’s late-season surge as a sign he could take on a much bigger role in the Bears’ offense in 2026.
There are moments late in an NFL season that feel like a preview of what's to come. For Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland, that moment came down the stretch in 2025, and it’s now shaping how analysts view his ceiling entering 2026.
In a recent fantasy football breakdown, ESPN highlighted Loveland as one of the most intriguing tight ends in 2026, pointing to a late-season surge that’s hard to ignore.
The Late-Season Usage Spike That Changed Everything for Loveland
Through his first 14 NFL games, Loveland’s role was steady but modest:
- 4.1 targets per game
- 8.5 fantasy points per game
Then everything shifted.
As Mike Clay noted, over his final four games—including the playoffs—Loveland averaged:
- 12 targets per game
- 20.0 fantasy points per game
That’s not a small bump. That’s a completely different role. And it’s not just volume; it’s historically rare volume.
According to Clay, only a handful of tight ends in NFL history have recorded 10 or more targets in four straight regular-season games, a group that includes Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce, Shannon Sharpe, and Jeremy Shockey.
Loveland’s usage down the stretch put him in that conversation.
Why the Chicago Bears’ Offense Sets Loveland Up for More
The Bears’ offense is built around Caleb Williams, and the expectation is continued growth in Year 2 under Ben Johnson.
Loveland fits cleanly into that structure.
MORE: Bears Earn Lowest QB Panic Meter Score Entering 2026 Season
With Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III on the outside, defenses can’t key on one target. That creates space in the middle of the field, where tight ends tend to do their best work.
And when a quarterback starts to trust a tight end, the targets usually follow.
Loveland finished his rookie season with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns.
What ESPN Is Projecting for Colston Loveland in 2026
The takeaway from ESPN’s evaluation is simple: Loveland’s role is trending way up.
They project him as a midrange fantasy TE1 at minimum, with the potential for more if his late-season usage carries over into a full year.
MORE: ESPN Identifies Bears’ Biggest NFL Draft Needs and a Key Day 2 Target
That kind of projection isn’t based on hype. Instead, it’s based on proven volume in meaningful games, a growing role in the offense, and a system that's designed to get him the ball.
The Bears' Bottom Line
Colston Loveland’s rookie year didn’t start with a ton of noise. It ended with it.
And if those final four games are a sign of what’s coming, the Bears may have found more than just a reliable tight end; they may have found a focal point in the passing game.
