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Madden 21: Teams with Most Dominant Rosters and Player Ratings
August 28, 2020
The newest Madden just finished downloading, you're signing in and getting ready to test out this season's mechanics—which team do you choose? For some, that would be their favorite team, for others, the strongest franchises with the most superstars.
Like Madden 20, Madden 21 maintains a focus on top-shelf talent with Superstar and Superstar X-Factor abilities, but with an additional emphasis on new gameplay mechanics that should bolster the authenticity of individual players across the board. Those mechanics can be put to the test with any team, but you'll need to try out dominant rosters to fully experience the big-time abilities.
That's where we come in. Below, you'll find a list of the top 10 players in Madden 21 followed by the three highest rated teams in the game, alongside some analysis of each group.
Top Player Ratings
Aaron Donald, 99
Christian McCaffrey, 99
Michael Thomas, 99
Patrick Mahomes, 99
Stephon Gilmore, 99
Bobby Wagner, 98
DeAndre Hopkins, 98
George Kittle, 98
J.J. Watt, 98
Zack Martin, 98
No one is going to be testing out an offensive guard like Zack Martin in Madden, but it's cool that he's rated so highly. While it's nice that offensive linemen are getting some love, the rest of the list is much more exciting for virtual playmaking—particularly because of their abilities.
The "Ankle Breaker" ability has only been bestowed upon one player at launch: Christian McCaffrey. Per EA, it grants a player "increased fakeout rates on skill moves following the catch." That's pretty fun and befitting a real-world dynamo. While DeAndre Hopkins and Michael Thomas get abilities that make them impossible to hold in single coverage, George Kittle's "YAC'Em" Up ability follows McCaffrey's juice by granting him a better likelihood of breaking a tackle after making a catch.
Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes gets the same ability as last season: He can throw the ball 80 yards downfield when in the zone.
On defense, Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt have somewhat similar abilities, Donald's "Blitz" weakens blockers and Watt's "Relentless" gives him greater rushing stamina. They're both destructive on the line, but Bobby Wagner and Stephon Gilmore are blessed in the turnover department. Wagner's "Avalanche" turns downhill hit-sticks into forced fumbles and Gilmore's "Shutdown" increases the likelihood of his interceptions.
Most Dominant Rosters
New Orleans Saints
The Saints are scary in Madden 21. With a 93 overall, 96 offense and 86 defense, New Orleans has boundless offensive firepower and some defensive stars. Five Saints are rated over 90, seven from 85 to 90 and four from 80 to 85. Outside of a 99-rated Thomas, New Orleans also has a 93-rated Drew Brees who has a "Pro Reads" ability on offense, enabling him to ignore pressure and highlight open targets.
The offense is then bolstered by two offensive linemen rated above 90, Alvin Kamara's 87 rating and, as an impressive nod to veteran talent, 87 ratings for both Emmanuel Sanders and Jared Cook.
On defense, Cameron Jordan gets an "Unstoppable Force" ability that, coupled with his 96 overall rating, means absolutely bullying offensive lines. Further, Demario Davis is the highest rated right outside linebacker in the game at 89 and the secondary gets three impressive ratings in Marshon Lattimore (87), Malcolm Jenkins (85) and Marcus Williams (85).
San Francisco 49ers
The Saints lean toward offense, the San Francisco 49ers lean toward defense. San Francisco's ratings are 89 overall, 84 on offense and 87 on defense. With three players rated over 90, six from 85 to 90 and nine from 80 to 85, the 49ers are much less top-heavy and much more well-rounded than New Orleans.
Jimmy Garoppolo is only an 83, and his highest rated receiver, Deebo Samuel, is an 80. Like real life, the 49ers are a running team with an indomitable pass-catcher: Kittle. The dominant tight end is a 98, offensive tackle Trent Williams is a 92, fullback Kyle Juszczyk is an 86, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey is an 85 and running back Raheem Mostert is an 84. The 49ers are built for blocking the living life out of opponents and running into the end zone.
Defensive ends and linebackers Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Arik Armstead and Dee Ford are all rated above 85, with Bosa leading the charge thanks to sharing Watt's "Relentless" ability. And the secondary doesn't slouch either, as Richard Sherman shares Gilmore's "Shutdown" ability.
Kansas City Chiefs
If the Saints are more top-heavy and offense-leaning than the 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs push that to a whole new level. The Chiefs are rated 88 overall, 92 on offense and...77 on defense. The team has a whopping six players rated over 90 and a grand total of four, including one kicker, rated between 80 and 90.
But the superstars are excellent. Mahomes has the absurd deep bomb and his pass-catchers include a 97-rated Travis Kelce and a 96-rated Tyreek Hill, both with dangerous abilities against single coverage. Making matters worse (for opposing defenses), running back Damien Williams and wide receiver Sammy Watkins are two of the only players rated between 80 and 90 on the team.
Oh, and sophomore receiver Mecole Hardman is only a 76, but his speed rating is a 97—perfect for those outlandish 80-yard bombs.
On defense, safety Tyrann Mathieu is a 93 with a disruptive "Reinforcement" ability and defensive tackle Chris Jones is a 92 with a dangerous "Momentum Shift" ability. Kansas City is all playmakers and should be remarkable on the virtual gridiron.