Madden NFL 15 Player Ratings: Most Overrated Players Thus Far
The release of Madden NFL 15 on August 26, is one of the most anticipated dates in the video game world, but the reveal of top player ratings has led to intense debate over which stars were the most overrated thus far.
For players like Seattleโs Russell Wilson and Chicagoโs Matt Forte, there is no doubt that a stellar previous season inflated their ratings beyond where they actually should be. Both players should be considered overrated.
Here is a list of the non-rookie rankings already released and a focus on the players clearly overrated by EA Sports.
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| Peyton Manning | Denver Broncos | 98 |
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay Packers | 98 |
| Drew Brees | New Orleans Saints | 96 |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle Seahawks | 93 |
| Tom Brady | New England Patriots | 93 |
| Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings | 98 |
| LeSean McCoy | Philadelphia Eagles | 97 |
| Jamaal Charles | Kansas City Chiefs | 97 |
| Matt Forte | Chicago Bears | 95 |
| Marshawn Lynch | Seattle Seahawks | 95 |
| John Kuhn | Green Bay Packers | 93 |
| Mike Tolbert | Carolina Panthers | 92 |
| Marcel Reece | Oakland Raiders | 92 |
| Anthony Sherman | Kansas City Chiefs | 90 |
| Jerome Felton | Minnesota Vikings | 88 |
*The official ratings can be found at EASports.com.
Most Overrated Players
Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson earned the same ranking in Madden 15 (93 overall) that future Hall of Famer and New England Patriots star Tom Brady has in this yearโs edition of the game.
Something is wrong here.
While itโs easy to point to the Super Bowl that Seattle won last year as the reason Wilson has earned the accolade, the numbers donโt lie. Even during what many consider one of Bradyโs worst statistical seasons, his numbers were similar to Wilsonโs and even better in some cases.
Madden NFL Live Content Producer and self-described โRatings Czarโ Donny Moore spoke about Wilsonโs rating viaย EASports.com:
"Being 5โ11โ doesnโt hurt Russell Wilson one bit in the Madden NFL 15 ratings. He is the ultimate dual threat with his 86 SPD (ranked eighth in NFL for QBs), 90 AGI (seventh), 92 ACC (second) and 93 Throw Power. Donโt be afraid to throw it deep (89 Deep Accuracy, ranked third) and on the run (fifth) with Wilson as well, he can do it all.
"
In the Seahawks run-first offense, defenses load the box and Wilson benefits from that. With just 3,357 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, itโs clear that the developers at EA Sports are buying into the hype.
On the other hand, Brady racked up 4,343 yards and 25 touchdowns in an offense that was missing tight end Rob Gronkowski for much of the year and had little depth at wide receiver. Brady put up his numbers with less talent around him and still gets ranked below Wilson.
As for Wilsonโs dominance with his legs, he only managed 539 yards and one touchdown on 96 attempts. Those are serviceable numbers, but not worthy of the 86 speed rating and 92 acceleration rating he was given.
At most, Wilson should be an 89.
Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears
Another player who was given a higher rating than he deserves based on his statistical success from 2013 was Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte.
With a 95 rating, Forte is the game's fourth-best running back and ranks one position higher than Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks. Does no one else see the injustice here?
Unlike Lynch, who helped lead his team to a Super Bowl win, Forte was the beneficiary of a new offensive system that leaned heavily on him. While Forte racked up an impressive 289 carries and 74 receptions, his team only managed an 8-8 regular-season record.
The official Twitter account of the EA Sports Madden NFL franchise gave a full breakdown of Forteโs ratings:
Forte had more total yards than Lynch, but there is no doubt that the Seattle star is the superior back. While Forte is elusive, he can be shut down by defenses who force him through the middle of the offensive line, just as Philadelphia did in Week 16 when he only amassed 54 total yards.
There is no doubt that his receiving skills are perfect for second-year head coach Marc Trestmanโs offense, but at best, heโs the third-best pass-catching running back and doesn't crack the top five when it comes to running between the tackles.
After his stellar 2013 campaign (1,933 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns), Forte deserves a rating of 90 or above. With other potential stars like Dallas'ย DeMarco Murray and Green Bay's Eddie Lacy not listed, though, football fans are left wondering just how much EA Sports overrated the Bears running back.
*Stats via NFL.com and EASports.com.
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