The NFL has finally kicked off, but Madden 20 has been with us for a while now.
Madden 20’s launch ratings came out before the preseason started, and while those performances are not really indicative of much, the way teams and players performed in Week 1 of the NFL regular season is.
It’s impossible to get every rating spot on, and in fairness to Madden 20 they were pretty much on the money with who is good, who is bad, and who has a lot to prove. However, some players were clearly mis-evaluated. Either they were given too high a rating, or the Madden 20 Ratings Adjustors simply missed them and set their stats way too low.
The Week 1 roster update is already here, moving Jadeveon Clowney and Laremy Tunsil to their new teams and shifting a few ratings, but who needs a big jump or a massive cut when the next update comes along?
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (81 OVR)
Position: HB
Age: 24
Best Stats: Speed (92), Acceleration (92), Agility (92), Juke Move (87), Break Tackle (84), Elusiveness (84), Carrying (83), Spin Move (83)
The Chargers 2019 is being dominated by a contract dispute and holdout with their star running back Melvin Gordon. Or at least it was.
Fans went into Week 1 worried that the offense would struggle without their lead back, but they didn’t need to worry. Coming to the rescue and making Gordon’s leverage virtually nothing was back-up Austin Ekeler. The undrafted free agent in 2017 took the reins of the offense and racked up 58 yards on the ground, 96 yards as a receiver, and 3 total touchdowns.
Expect his catching (73) and ball-carrier vision (80) to get a bump soon while his OVR moves up a few points.
READ MORE: Best playbooks in Madden 20
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (76 OVR)
Position: QB
Age: 22
Best Stats: Acceleration (95), Agility (95), Speed (94), Break Sack (89), Throw Power (89), Throw Under Pressure (86), Throw On Run (85), Short Accuracy (83), Play Action (82)
Lamar Jackson came into 2019 as the unquestioned starter for the Baltimore Ravens. A change from last year, when he took over mid-season from Joe Flacco. That difference meant that the Ravens could tailor an offense around Jackson’s talents, and with the addition of a few new players around him the young Ravens quarterback exploded in Week 1. He completed 17 of 20 passes for 324 yards and 5 touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins.
Madden 20’s ratings focus, rightly so, on Jackson’s athletic talent with his speed (94) and agility (95) but they undersold his arm talent. Expect his medium (78) and deep (78) accuracy to get a boost of a few points in the next update, with that OVR moving up to around 78.
Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (76 OVR)
Position: QB
Age: 25
Best Stats: Break Sack (91), Throw Power (90), Short Accuracy (86), Throw On Run (84), Throw Under Pressure (84), Play Action (83), Medium Accuracy (81)
On the other side of the coin to Lamar Jackson is Jameis Winston.
The 2015 #1 overall pick has always been error prone, but on Sunday he was a mess, averaging just 5.4 yards per attempt and throwing 3 interceptions, including 2 that went back for touchdowns. Winston’s accuracy and decision making has always been a problem, but he has avoided dropping into the realm of unuseable on Madden. That time may soon be coming.
Expect his short accuracy (86), awareness (76), and throw under pressure (84) to take a hit while that OVR drops a couple of points.
READ MORE: New England Patriots roster, depth chart, ratings & more
Jonathan Jones, New England Patriots (76 OVR)
Position: CB
Age: 25
Best Stats: Speed (95), Acceleration (95), Jumping (85), Agility (82), Play Recognition (76), Man Coverage (74), Press (72)
The New England Patriots were in fine form in Week 1 as they took down the Pittsburgh Steelers 33-3. One of the big reasons was their stellar secondary and in particular the great work of slot corner Jonathan Jones.
Jones finished the game with 3 tackles and 2 passes deflections. He also signed a brand new contract with the Patriots prior to Week 1. Expect his man coverage (74) and play recognition (76) to go up in the next update.
Anthony Harris, Minnesota Vikings (73 OVR)
Position: FS
Age: 27
Best Stats: Acceleration (89), Speed (87), Pursuit (81), Hit Power (80), Awareness (78), Play Recognition (76), Zone Coverage (75)
The Vikings defense was all over the Falcons on Sunday, quickly crushing the life out of the game and creating an exceptionally lopsided game. One of the reasons the Vikings were so dominant was the powerful play of safety Anthony Harris.
Harris’ big day started with an interception on the Falcons second drive and then a fumble recovery on their fourth. In the second half he grabbed another interception, this time as the Falcons threated to score for the first time. In between the three turnovers he created Harris made 5 tackles.
Expect his zone coverage (75), catching (65), and play recognition (76) to all get an increase.
READ MORE: 7 tips to improve your offense
Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals (73 OVR)
Position: RE
Age: 24
Best Stats: Agility (84), Tackle (83), Acceleration (83), Speed (78), Finesse Moves (77), Strength (74), Play Recognition (71)
The Cincinnati Bengals nearly took an unexpected win in Seattle on Sunday, falling to a 21-20 loss. One reason the game was so close was the play of second-year pass rusher Sam Hubbard who racked up an incredible 10 tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss, as well as 2 sacks and 4 QB hits.
Hubbard should see a boost in his finesse moves (77) and power moves (67), as well as his strength (74).
Roy Robertson-Harris, Chicago Bears (68 OVR)
Position: LE
Age: 26
Best Stats: Acceleration (81), Tackle (80), Strength (80), Speed (78), Hit Power (76), Agility (73), Finesse Moves (72), Play Recognition (70), Awareness (70)
Another defensive lineman who impressed in Week 1 was Chicago’s Roy Robertson-Harris who stood out despite much better-known players around him. The Bears defense shined on Thursday night even as the offense dragged them down to defeat.
Robertson-Harris made 3 tackles, 2 for a loss, and had 1 sack as well as 2 QB hits. He was a force in the middle of the defense and should get a boost to his power moves (66), finesse moves (72), and block shedding (67).
READ MORE: The best money plays on offense & defense
Who do you think deserves a stat change in the next update? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to share your opinion? Why not Write For Us?
