In anticipation of Madden 17′s August release, EA Sports has released the top five quarterbacks and running backs.
1. Aaron Rodgers – 97 Overall
2. Cam Newton – 94 Overall
3. Tom Brady – 94 Overall
4. Ben Roethlisberger – 93 Overall
5. Russell Wilson – 91 Overall
There really shouldn’t be any surprise in this list of quarterbacks. Tom Brady is considered by many to be the best quarterback of all time, Aaron Rodgers possesses youth and scrambling ability. It is interesting to see that recency bias hasn’t vaulted Newton to the first position. Don’t get me wrong, Newton is an amazing quarterback, but he doesn’t have the pinpoint accuracy of Rodgers. On the other hand, Newton does have the strongest arm in the game and the best speed of any quarterback.
It’s nice to see Roethlisberger getting some respect. Big Ben has long been one of the best qb’s around, but he is generally overlooked during ranking discussions. His 95 throw power will come in handy when trying to hit Markus Wheaton and Antonio Brown on deep routes.
Early in the 2015 season, it would have been a shock to see Russell Wilson listed so high on a quarterback list, simply based on the fact that the offense ran through Marshawn Lynch. However, Lynch’s injury last year forced the Seahawks to run a different option, which is when Wilson showed off some super impressive quarterback play. Wilson consistently utilized Doug Baldwin and speedster Tyler Lockett to embarrass some of the NFL’s top teams, including a blowout 38-7 victory. Wilson will be one of the NFL’s best for years to come, and this will definitely stay true during Madden 17.
Top 5 Running Backs
1. Le’Veon Bell – 94 Overall
2. Adrian Peterson – 92 Overall
3. Doug Martin – 90 Overall
4. Jamaal Charles – 89 Overall
5. Lamar Miller – 88 Overall
The NFL has definitely changed over the years, and this is evident when you examine the top five running backs. Long gone are the days when LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson were ranking in the high 90’s after ridiculously successful rushing seasons. Now the focus is on quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Le’Veon Bell tops the list given his catching ability, speed, and youth, but even he fails to rank as high for multiple reasons. Bell has been injury prone throughout his career, and he has also been suspended for drug use and missed drug tests. It’s a little hard to take advantage of playmaking ability when said playmaker is missing in action.
Adrian Peterson has long been one of, if not the best, running backs in the NFL and Madden by association. The bruising back has speed, agility, and bone crushing power with which to lead the Vikings offense. Despite his older age of 31, Peterson can still turn a game around with a single play. Just ask the Oakland Raiders who tried to stop him late in a week-10 game, only to watch Peterson gallop for an 80-yard touchdown. Peterson’s speed may be dipping a little, but he is still one of the best in the game.
Doug Martin was absent from the top rankings in Madden 16, but that was mostly because no one trusted him after a back 2014 season. However, Martin proved his worth in 2015, finishing second in rushing and helping turn the Bucs around. Martin isn’t fast, but he uses power to gain extra yards. Jamaal Charles is perhaps the most elusive running back in the NFL, and he has killer speed to boot. Charles can take a simple screen pass and outrun the entire defense for a touchdown. This speed and catching ability will definitely come in handy when trying out new offensive maneuvers.
Did anyone expect Lamar Miller to show up in the top five? Miller is a very good running back, but he was criminally underused in Miami’s offense. Miller averaged 10-15 touches per game while other running backs were topping 20. The reason that Miller beats second-year phenom Todd Gurley comes down to his speed and new offense. Miller is one of the fastest running backs in Madden, and he will be the focal point of Bill O’Brien’s offense in Houston.
EA Sports will continue releasing ratings as Madden 17′s release draws ever closer.
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