The Top Five Wisconsin Football Players who Must Stay Healthy in 2026

Wisconsin football's injury luck has been nothing short of horrific in the Luke Fickell era.

Two straight starting quarterbacks lost for the season get the most attention, but up and down the roster the Badgers simply have not managed to stay healthy. It's been bad enough that Fickell and strength and conditioning director Brady Collins vowed to re-evaluate the way they train this offseason.

Wisconsin has improved its depth for 2026 with a renewed financial investment, but there's still a few positions that would be in rough shape should a starter go down with injury,

Badgers On SI ranks the top five players who Wisconsin can't afford to lose to injury this season:

1. C Austin Kawecki

Wisconsin center Austin Kawecki. | Christian Borman.

Given the Badgers' injury history at quarterback, plus the explosiveness that Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph is expected to inject into this offense, QB1 may seem like the No. 1 health priority. But depth is a huge factor in this ranking, and the Badgers have a distinct lack of it at center.

If Kawecki were to go down, the Badgers appear poised to rely on third-year player Ryan Cory. Last fall, Wisconsin tried him at center but he was benched after one dismal start. He's altered his snapping mechanics this offseason in an effort to tighten up that part of his game, but center looks like the biggest drop-off from starter to backup on the roster and a Kawecki injury could severely handicap this offense even more than an injury to Joseph.

2. QB Colton Joseph

Colton Joseph throws. — Colton Joseph throws during practice. | Christian Borman

If the Badgers' were in a worse spot at quarterback, Joseph would probably be at No. 1. And while Wisconsin certainly doesn't want to have to go deep into its quarterback room one again this fall, this does look like Fickell's deepest group of signal-callers in Madison, something he's discussed openly.

Still, losing Joseph would obviously significantly hinder this offense. Wisconsin's backup quarterbacks Deuce Adams and Ryan Hopkins also offer mobility like Joseph does, but the Old Dominion transfer racked up 1,654 rushing yards and 24 scores the past two seasons — statistically, he's one of the most dynamic mobile quarterbacks in the country.

Joseph also has an intrinsic ability to create when the play breaks down that sets him apart from his backups. The Badgers are better-situated at quarterback this fall, but losing Joseph would still be catastrophic.

3. OT Kevin Heywood

Wisconsin right tackle Kevin Heywood. | Christian Borman.

Heywood is currently sidelined at fall camp, dealing with a lower body injury. UW communications described him as "day-to-day," but that means very little. If this injury carries into the season, it would be a massive blow.

We already saw what happened to Wisconsin's offensive line last fall when Heywood was lost for the year. Now penciled in as the starting right tackle, his absence would thrust Lucas Simmons-Johansson into that role, a promising Florida State transfer but also someone who's never played right tackle in his career.

Last spring, Heywood's season-ending ACL tear set off a chain reaction that ultimately destroyed any chance Wisconsin had at fielding a good offensive line. The Badgers can't afford to have that happen again.

4. LB Mason Posa

Wisconsin LB Mason Posa. | Christian Borman.

Posa is the most irreplaceable player on the Badgers' defense. He's arguably the most gifted player on that side of the ball, and he could lead feasibly Wisconsin in tackles, tackles-for-loss, forced fumbles and even sacks.

Posa is also the main communicator on the defense and is largely responsible for getting the defensive line set and the rest of the unit lined up correctly. Losing one of the three offensive players listed above him would have a bigger impact due to the magnitude of their positions, but losing Posa would be a significant downgrade for this entire defense.

5. LB Cooper Catalano

Wisconsin LB Cooper Catalano. | Christian Borman.

Catalano is irreplaceable for the same reasons as Posa. He too could lead Wisconsin in tackles, and he's truly elite against the run.

Until proven otherwise, Posa and Catalano remain the top two players on this defense. Loosing either would have a massive impact on coordinator Mike Tressel's unit.

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