Predicting the Top Players in Madden 16 – Part 1

Starting in July, EA Sports will be releasing the player ratings for Madden 16. EA Sports normally releases rankings for the top five players at each position, starting at quarterbacks and finishing with specialists (punters and place kickers). In honor of NFL Network’s Top 100 Players in the NFL series—and not because I am going through football withdrawals—I decided to make predictions for the top five players at each position, according to Madden.

Now, the Madden rankings include every position—except for long snappers—but EA Sports employs professionals who spend the majority of time watching film and ranking players. I’m not a scout, so I have no idea which offensive linemen are best. Therefore, I will skip those predictions and simply focus on players that I can realistically judge.

Okay, now that I have come clean about my lack of scouting skill, it’s time for the rankings. Come along for the ride and laugh at my predictions.

Quarterbacks:

• Aaron Rodgers – 99
• Tom Brady – 97
• Andrew Luck – 95
• Ben Roethlisberger – 94
• Russell Wilson – 93

The top five quarterbacks list includes a minor surprise in that Peyton Manning is absent. Manning routinely makes the top five, but the end of 2014 was rough for the 39-year-old quarterback. Now, Russell Wilson leaps into the top five after making it to back-to-back Super Bowls and winning one. Wilson is a smart, dual threat quarterback who paired with Marshawn Lynch to lead a solid offense, despite the lack of consistent receivers.

Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck shouldn’t be a surprise in the top five after both quarterbacks passed for almost 5,000 yards and led their teams to the Playoffs. Tom Brady is aging, but the Patriots quarterback still played at a high level and led his team to a Super Bowl win against the Seahawks. Finally, Aaron Rodgers tops the list of top five quarterbacks after passing for 4,381 yards and winning the NFL MVP award.

Wide Receivers:

• Calvin Johnson – 98
• Antonio Brown – 97
• Jordy Nelson – 95
• Dez Bryant – 94
• Demaryius Thomas – 93
• Odell Beckham, JR. – 93

There has been no debate for the last few seasons that Calvin Johnson is currently the best wideout in the NFL. In fact, Johnson was one of only a few players to avoid the “Madden Curse” after gracing the cover of Madden 13. Megatron is getting older, but he is still a nightmare for opposing defenses. Antonio Brown is making a case to surpass Megatron as the best receiver in the NFL after back-to-back seasons with more than 100 receptions. Brown is young, quick, and extremely reliable. Jordy Nelson is an absolute star for the Green Bay Packers, as he provides deceptive quickness and reliable hands. Nelson has also scored 43 touchdowns in the last four seasons alone.

Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas are slightly different receivers, but they both provide big plays at crucial times. Bryant is a beast in the red zone, and Thomas is the master of taking a short screen pass for 50+ yards and a touchdown. The wide receiver list should end at five, but there is no way that Odell Beckham misses out on this list after becoming the Madden 16 cover star. Besides, EA Sports always includes a tie at one position in a top five list. Beckham only played in 12 games, but he still managed an astounding 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Running Backs:

• Le’Veon Bell – 97
• Adrian Peterson – 96
• Jamaal Charles – 95
• Eddie Lacy – 92
• Marshawn Lynch – 90

The top five running backs shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, but there is one missing player—DeMarco Murray. The reason for Murray’s absence is the fact that he went from the Cowboys offensive line to the Eagles, which is a slight downgrade. Additionally, Murray has only made it through one season in the NFL without missing major time from injuries. Murray is talented, but he poses quite a risk.

Adrian Peterson would be at the top of the list, but he is at the dreaded age of 30. Peterson also missed 15 games in 2014 because of suspension. Le’Veon Bell is only 23 and is just entering his third season in the NFL. Bell is a dynamic player who can change the Steelers offense. He just needs to avoid getting busted for weed possession.
Jamaal Charles is one of the best—and vastly underrated—running backs in the NFL. Just watch Charles’ 2013 game against the Raiders in which he racked up more than 200 yards and five touchdowns. Unfortunately, Andy Reid doesn’t use Charles as much as possible. Marshawn Lynch and Eddie Lacy round out the top five with their ability to punish defenders and carry the load every Sunday. Both backs are intimidating players with home run ability.

Tight Ends:

• Rob Gronkowski – 96
• Jimmy Graham – 95
• Greg Olsen – 90
• Julius Thomas – 89
• Travis Kelce – 86

Tight end is a difficult position to rank once you get past the top two players. Gronk is ridiculously talented, but he does have a penchant for getting injured. However, Gronk is Tom Brady’s security blanket, and he is responsible for most of the Patriots scoring drives. Jimmy Graham is similar to Gronk in that he can be absolutely unstoppable when healthy, but he has dealt with nagging injuries throughout his career. Graham probably won’t get the same amount of targets in Seattle’s run-based offense, but he will be Russell Wilson’s best friend in the red zone.

Greg Olsen is coming off of a stellar year with 84 receptions, 1,008 yards, and six touchdowns. Olsen should still be a consistent weapon for Cam Newton, despite being the “advanced age” of 30. Julius Thomas is a very talented tight end, but who honestly knows how he will fare in the Jaguars offense? Thomas will need to quickly build a rapport with quarterback Blake Bortles to avoid being a free agent bust. Travis Kelce is one of the lesser-known tight ends in the NFL, but the former Cincinnati Bearcat is a big, fast playmaker. Hell, Kelce was one of the only players on the Chiefs to catch a touchdown pass in 2014. That counts for something.