Madden 2011: 10 Players Who Will Make the Biggest Jump in Ratings

Madden 2011 is almost here and with its release only four days away I have decided to count down the ten players who will have the biggest ratings increase in this year's game.

Since EA has started updating player ratings during the season, the last few years many players ratings have fluctuated throughout the year, but I believe these are ten guys who will see their ratings make an increase before Madden 2012 hits the shelves.

10. Jermichael Finley

Finley put up solid numbers last season at tight end for the Packers and has now positioned himself to become one of the top Madden TE's in the future.

Finley has the size to be a valuable weapon on Madden with his 6'5" frame and great speed for a TE with 85.

Finley also has above average hands with 85 catch and should only get better this season while looking to improve on last year's breakout season.

I expect Finley to go from an 86 overall this season to a 90 overall by the start of next season.

9. Jerome Harrison

Harrison was a player who broke onto the scene last season with his 286 yard rushing performance in week 15 against the Chiefs.

Harrison followed that game up with efforts of 148 and 127 yards rushing in the final two weeks of the season.

Harrison should build on those performances this year as he looks to break into the conversation as a top ten rusher in the league.

Harrison is a solid Madden player this year with his 92 speed and 95 acceleration, but his biggest strength is his elusiveness which is rated as a 97.

If Harrison can continue to put up big numbers he could move from an 83 overall to an 88 overall by the end of the season.

8. Bob Sanders

At one time Bob Sanders was an elite safety both in the NFL and on Madden. but he has struggled mightily to stay on the field in three of the past four seasons due to injury.

I expect Sanders to finally stay healthy this season and recapture some of his past glory at the strong safety position.

Sanders is still regarded as a great player by the Madden developers at EA who have him rated at an 89 overall.

Sanders biggest weakness is obviously his 49 injury rating which is very low, but if he is able to play a full season this year and stay healthy than he should go back up to where he once was.

I believe Sanders will move up from his 89 overall rating to an overall rating of 94 by the start of next season.

7. Michael Crabtree

Crabtree is a player that I believe is rated too low coming into this year's game, as he is only an 83 overall.

Crabtree had a solid rookie season with 48 catches for 625 yards and two touchdowns, yet his overall Madden rating didn't change much from 2010.

Crabtree should continue to have a big impact on the Niners passing game as he looks to lead them to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Crabtree doesn't have any ratings on Madden that blow you away, but he is solid across the board with his 88 speed and 88 catch.

I expect him to be solid this year as he continues to move up the wide receiver totem pole going from an 83 overall to an 89 overall.

6. Kevin Kolb

Kolb is now in control of the Eagles offense, and I expect him to put up good numbers at the helm with DeSean Jackson and company.

Kolb is only a 75 on this years Madden, but he should see a big rise in stats now that he is the starter.

His throwing power is average at 86 and his throwing accuracy is below average at only 80, but his accuracy should improve when he will be able to throw the ball ten yards and watch Jackson take it the distance with his breakaway speed.

Kolb should see a lot of improvement in his ratings this season, and I look for him to go from a 75 QB to an 83 QB by the start of next season.

5. Antonio Cromartie

Cromartie is a player who broke onto the scene as an elite Madden CB during his 2007 season where he had 10 interceptions.

Cromartie was given a rating in the 90's during the 2008 season of Madden, but since has seen his play slip and his ratings drop because of it.

Cromartie is still a dangerous player on Madden because of his 6'2" height, 95 speed and 80 catch.

He has dropped to an 83 overall though because of his lackluster coverage skills at times for the Chargers.

However, Cromartie is now a Jet, and he should benefit from playing opposite of Darrelle Revis.

Cromartie should have a much better year in the jets defense with their blitzing attack that pressures quarterbacks into bad throws and because of it, I see his overall rating going from an 83 back up to a 91.

4. Matt Leinart

Leinart has been waiting in the wings in Arizona for another chance to start at QB for the past three seasons.

Now that Kurt Warner has retired, Leinart's time has come and he should make the most of it.

Anquan Boldin is also gone, but Larry Fitzgerald, one of the league's most dominant wide receiver's, is still in Arizona.

Leinart should benefit from some of the strong pieces around him on offense which also include receiver Steve Breaston and running back Beanie Wells.

Leinart is only a 75 on this year's Madden but I expect him to have a strong season and raise his overall rating to an 82 before the start of 2012.

3. Matt Cassel

Cassel had a rough first season in Kansas City for the Chiefs, but I expect him to bounce back in a big way this season.

Cassel will now have a full year of Chris Chambers, as well as the addition of Dexter McCluster through the draft.

Cassel has one of the lowest deep throwing accuracy for any QB on the game at only 58, but reports out of Chiefs training camp say Cassel has been hooking up with Chambers and McCluster deep on a frequent basis, and I believe that will carry over into the season.

I think Cassel will be one of the breakout players this season, and I like his rating to go from a 78 overall all the way up to an 87 before next season.

2. Everette Brown

Brown is a player that should see his Madden stock soar this year as he becomes the number one pass rusher on the Panthers defensive line following the loss of Julius Peppers.

Brown only had 2.5 sacks last season but Carolina thought highly enough of him to make him the 43rd pick in last years draft.

He's got the tools to be a great Madden DE with his 83 speed and 93 acceleration. His 58 block shedding is his biggest weakness right now, and that should improve greatly over the course of this season as Brown looks to make a big impact getting after the QB.

I expect Brown to go from the 75 overall  to an 85 overall by the time Madden 2012 comes out.

1. Darrius Heyward-Bey

Heyward-Bey possesses everything you could want in a Madden receiver.

He's big and tall at 6'2" and 210 lbs. He is blazing fast on the game with his 97 speed and 98 acceleration, but there is just one problem, he can't catch.

Heyward-Bey was given a catch rating of 65 by the guys at EA, the lowest of any wide receiver or tight end on the Raiders. Heyward-Bey was given the low rating because of his dismal rookie season in which he caught only nine passes for 124 yards all year, and dropped many more chances.

I expect Heyward-Bey to have a much more productive year with new QB Jason Campbell at the helm, and because of this his Madden ratings, specifically his catch, should improve greatly as his play on Sundays improves as well.

I expect Heyward-Bey to make a huge jump in his overall rating this year from a 68 to an 81 overall before the start of 2012.