Madden 15 Player Ratings: Breaking Down Top Stars at Revealed Positions

The release of Madden NFL 15 on Tuesday, August 26 has helped build this as one of the most anticipated video games of the year, and the steady reveal of player ratings has football fans ready to get their hands on this year’s edition.

From Calvin Johnson to J.J. Watt, the game has given credit to the best players in the league by awarding them with stellar ratings. The system is far from perfect, but most will agree that these ratings are a perfect place to start the season.

The ratings will change accordingly as the season progresses. Here are the top stars at every position revealed thus far.

Top Quarterbacks	Team	Rating
Top Fullbacks	Team	Rating
Top Running Backs	Team	Rating
Top Tight Ends	Team	Rating
Top Wide Receivers	Team	Rating
Top Offensive Linemen	Team	Rating
Top Defensive Ends	Team	Rating
Top Defensive Tackles	Team	Rating
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
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
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
Jimmy Graham	New Orleans Saints	97
Rob Gronkowski	New England Patriots	96
Vernon Davis	San Francisco 49ers	94
Jason Witten	Dallas Cowboys	93
Greg Olsen	Carolina Panthers	88
Calvin Johnson	Detroit Lions	99
Brandon Marshall	Chicago Bears	96
Andre Johnson	Houston Texans	95
A.J. Green	Cincinnati Bengals	95
Dez Bryant	Dallas Cowboys	94
Joe Thomas	Cleveland Browns	98
Evan Mathis	Philadelphia Eagles	97
Josh Sitton	Green Bay Packers	97
Trent Williams	Washington	95
Joe Staley	San Francisco 49ers	94
J.J. Watt	Houston Texans	99
Robert Quinn	St. Louis Rams	97
Cameron Wake	Miami Dolphins	96
Calais Campbell	Arizona Cardinals	96
Cameron Jordan	New Orleans Saints	93
Muhammad Wilkerson	New York Jets	93
Ndamukong Suh	Detroit Lions	97
Geno Atkins	Cincinnati Bengals	96
Gerald McCoy	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	95
Kyle Williams	Buffalo Bills	95
Jurrell Casey	Tennessee Titans	93

All stats via EASports.com.

Breaking Down the Top Offensive and Defensive Players

It is hard for a player to be ranked 99 overall, but Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt both earned the honor in this year’s edition of Madden.

On the offensive side, Johnson has been an absolute workhorse for Detroit over the last eight seasons and has been rewarded with amazing numbers. Using his 6’5” and 236-pound frame to reach over defenders and his speed on the outside to get open, Johnson has cemented his spot as a top star in the NFL.

The developers also rewarded him, but they did it with a 99 rating.

The official EA Sports Twitter account for the Madden franchise shared Johnson’s 2014 ranking and his dominance at the position over the last three seasons:

For those who are still not convinced that Johnson is a statistical monster, ESPN Stats & Info has some knowledge to drop on you:

Even while contending with nagging injuries during the 2013 season, Johnson still managed 84 receptions for 1,492 yards and 12 touchdowns. With more room to roam as Golden Tate takes the underneath routes this season, Johnson will prove his 99 rating was right on the money.

On the defensive side, there are few players who strike fear into the hearts of their challengers the way Watt does. Not only is he a force with his pressure on quarterbacks, but he is also one of the strongest run-stopping ends in the league.

While Watt wasn’t able to match his 20.5-sack total from 2012, he still added 10.5 sacks in 2013 and added another four forced fumbles. Add in Jadeveon Clowney on the other side of the Texans defensive line alleviating the double-teams on Watt, and the stage has been set for a huge statistical year.

The EA Sports Twitter account also shared Watt’s unbelievable ratings:

According to Madden Ratings Czar Donny Moore, the ratings team likely would have rated him much higher if there wasn’t a limit to the system:

"

I think JJ Watt knew exactly what he was doing when he chose #99, as it was a prediction of his own Madden ratings. 99 Power Moves. 99 Overall. 98 Block Shedding. 97 Tackle. If we didn’t have a cap on it, Watt might be rated somewhere north of 105 OVR.

"

At 6’5” and 289 pounds, Watt is one of the strongest players in the league. His first-step ability allows him to beat even the best offensive tackles and his awareness allows him to diagnose a play as fast as any defensive lineman in the league.

Just like Watt, Johnson will be looking to bounce back with another excellent season statistically.  Gamers will be treated to the continued dominance as they use the top players in the league in their own Madden leagues.

The anticipation surrounding the release of Madden 15 is tough to handle, but it promises to be worth the wait when fans finally get to utilize the likes of Johnson, Watt and the other big names in the game.

Stats via NFL.com.

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