EA Sports’ ‘Madden’ video game is one of the most important early indicators of a player’s success. Both fans and players tend to take their ratings very seriously, and it often causes an uproar when Madden gets them terribly wrong. Here are the biggest rating mistakes per position, continuing with defense.

Pass Rusher:

TJ Watt - 86 OVR

After a dominant DPOY-level campaign, TJ Watt was utterly disrespected by the Madden Ratings Adjusters. His 14.5 sacks in 2019 brought him to 27.5 over the past two seasons, trailing only four pass rushers. His 14 forced fumbles over the past two years pace the league. Only seven players ever have had more than the eight he had just this past season. If his brother can remain a 98 (!!!) overall after missing 19 games in three seasons, the younger Watt deserves even more respect.

2019 Stats: 14.5 sacks, 8 FF, 14 TFL

My Rating: 95 OVR

Linebacker:

Darius Leonard - 85 OVR

After an impressive rookie season that earned him a first-team All-Pro nod, Leonard followed up with a Pro Bowl season. That’s right, first-team All-Pro, then Pro Bowl, then… 15th best linebacker rating in the game? Despite missing four games, Leonard still ranks second among all players in total tackles since 2018. He’s also been responsible for 13 INT/FFs in that span. Bobby Wagner is the only inside linebacker that is definitely better than Leonard, and his rating should reflect that.

2019 Stats: 121 tackles, 5 INT, 2 FF

My Rating: 92 OVR

Cornerback:

Tre’Davious White - 90 OVR

One issue with Madden ratings is that it seems to be based heavily on name recognition. That would explain why Stephon Gilmore somehow got into the 99 club (which is way too easy to get into) and why Jalen Ramsey remains the second-highest rated CB in the game. Stats don’t tell the whole story, but in virtually every category that matters to cover men, White was equal to or better than Gilmore. This isn’t anything new to White, who was snubbed of the 2017 DROY award by Saints CB Marshon Lattimore. Playing for Buffalo has its downsides.

2019 Stats: 58 tackles, 6 INT

My Rating: 94 OVR

Safety:

Minkah Fitzpatrick - 87 OVR

Maybe the most egregious rating error in this year’s edition of Madden is that of Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. After coming to Pittsburgh thanks to an in-season trade, Fitzpatrick nearly willed the Steelers to the postseason with his exceptional play on the back end. He recorded 130 return yards and a TD on five interceptions while forcing two fumbles and recovering three. His transformation after leaving Miami was insane, as he allowed just a measly 46.3 passer rating in Pittsburgh (compared to a putrid 158.3 mark in Miami).

2019 Stats: 69 tackles, 5 INT, 2 FF

My Rating: 93 OVR

All statistics are from pro-football-reference.com

-By: Micah Jimoh

Writer

EA Sports’ ‘Madden’ video game is one of the most important early indicators of a player’s success. Both fans and players tend to take their ratings very seriously, and it often causes an uproar when Madden gets them terribly wrong. Here are the biggest rating mistakes per position, starting with the offense.

Quarterback:

Carson Wentz - 84 OVR

To put it into perspective, 49ers glorified game manager Jimmy Garoppolo finished the 2019 season as an 84 overall on Madden 20. Carson Wentz is a superior player to Garoppolo in every single way. After watching his offense become decimated by injuries, Wentz put the team on his back and dragged the Eagles to the playoffs when they really had no business playing in January. In the process, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards without a single receiver even breaking the 500-yard mark. 

2019 Stats: 4039 yards, 27 TDs, 7 INTs

My Rating: 88 OVR

Running Back:

Derrick Henry - 93 OVR

Madden didn’t do a horrible job with the RBs, but Henry at a 93 is just too low for my liking. After pacing the league in rushing yards, Henry doubled down in the playoffs, rushing for 446 yards in just three games. That put him sixth all-time on the postseason leaderboard, and all five players before him played in the Super Bowl that season. 93 isn’t a bad rating by any means, and actually made him the #2 running back, but I can’t be convinced that someone who carried his team to the AFC Championship is six overalls worse than the top-rated back in the video game.

2019 Stats: 303 rush, 1540 yards, 16 TD

My Rating: 96 OVR

Wide Receiver:

Michael Thomas - 99 OVR

Make no mistake, Michael Thomas had a season for the ages, but not a 99 overall season for the ages. With his NFL record 149 receptions, he only averaged 11.6 yards per catch, good for 61st in the league (min. 500 rec. yards). If we’re being honest, Julio Jones doesn’t fall short of 2,000 yards with 149 receptions. To be a 99 overall, you must be the clear-cut best player at your position, and that’s not something that can be said about MT.

2019 Stats: 149 rec, 1725 yards, 9 TD

My Rating: 97 OVR

Tight End:

Rob Gronkowski - 95 OVR

When we last saw Gronk, he wasn’t any better than the fourth-best tight end in the league. Then he took a year off, shed all of his playing weight, and proceeded to touch a football a grand total of two times over the course of a calendar year. So what does Madden do? They give him a ridiculous 95 overall rating, higher than reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson. He’s also five overalls higher than Zach Ertz, who was better than Gronk the last time he was still active. None of it makes any sense.

2019 Stats: N/A

My Rating: 87 OVR

All statistics are from pro-football-reference.com

Writer

-By: Micah Jimoh