Madden NFL 15

Madden 15's Top 10 player ratings (based on players' Overall) have come out, which naturally stokes the fires of debate. We take a look at who's on the list and who isn't, compare the list with last year's top 10, and talk to football expert and Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame inductee Paul Charchian about the how the list stacks up with the real NFL.

Higher Profiles & Higher Ratings

Looking at the list below, while all of the players are certainly top-notch players in the league, could this year's renewed defensive focus in Madden NFL 15 and Richard Sherman's Super Bowl win be related to his appearance at the top spot? Certainly the cover appearance doesn't hurt either! Last year when Madden NFL 25 was released (both for last-gen in August and new-gen versions in November) Sherman wasn't in the top 10 (number 26 with a 96 Overall). However, the latest patch for Madden 25 – after the Super Bowl – put Sherman in fourth place with a 99 Overall rating.

"Richard Sherman is a really good player," says Charchian. "However, if they would have put this together at the end of the regular season, I don't think he would have been sitting at a 99. I think a lot of the reason he's at a 99 is the Seahawks won the Super Bowl and he was splashy in the playoffs."

Having a high profile certainly doesn't hurt a player's cause, whether fair or not. "At the same time, Darrelle Revis wasn't in the playoffs, so he doesn't have quite the luxury. Alterraun Verner – great cornerback – and maybe at least as good [as Sherman], but Alterraun Verner didn't go to the playoffs."

Players jumping onto the list this year as opposed to when Madden 25 came out in August (check out Madden NFL 25's Top 10 lists below) include Peyton Manning (QB - Broncos), Joe Thomas (LT - Browns), Jamaal Charles (RB - Chiefs), LeSean McCoy (RB - Eagles), and Jimmy Graham (TE - Saints). Conversely, Rob Gronkowski (TE - Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (QB - Packers), Marshal Yanda (LG - Ravens), Patrick Willis (MLB - Niners) have dropped off.

The ascent of players like McCoy, Graham, and Charles – like Sherman – seems to mirror the big season these players had in real life, and seemingly points to the effort to catch the zeitgeist to a certain extend. Accordingly, it will be interesting to see how players' ratings change via the roster updates to the game as the season unfolds.

Keep reading to see who football expert Paul Charchian thinks could be on the list, as well as some predictions for the coming year.

MADDEN NFL 15 TOP 10 OVERALL PLAYERS
1. Richard Sherman - 99 (CB - Seahawks)
2. J.J. Watt - 99 (LE - Texans)
3. Calvin Johnson - 99 (WR - Lions)
4. Adrian Peterson - 98 (RB - Vikings)
5. Joe Thomas - 98 (LT - Browns)
6. Peyton Manning - 98 (QB - Broncos)
7. Jamaal Charles - 97 (RB - Chiefs)
8. LeSean McCoy - 97 (RB - Eagles)
9. Darrelle Revis - 97 (CB - Patriots)
10. Jimmy Graham - 97 (TE - Saints)

MADDEN NFL 25 TOP 10 OVERALL PLAYERS (at release)
1. Calvin Johnson Jr. (WR - Lions)
2. Adrian Peterson (RB - Vikings)
3. J.J. Watt (LE - Texans)
4. Evan Mathis (LG - Eagles)
5. Aaron Rodgers (QB - Packers)
6. Rob Gronkowski (TE - Patriots)
7. Cameron Wake (LE - Dolphins)
8. Marshal Yanda (RG - Ravens)
9. Patrick Willis (MLB - Niners)
10. Darrelle Revis (CB - Patriots)

MADDEN NFL 25 TOP 10 OVERALL PLAYERS (latest roster update)
1. Jamaal Charles (RB - Chiefs)
2. Calvin Johnson Jr (WR - Lions)
3. Adrian Peterson (RB - Vikings)
4. Richard Sherman (CB - Seahawks)
5. J.J. Watt (LE - Texans)
6. Rob Gronkowski (TE - Patriots)
7. Joe Thomas (LT - Browns)
8. Peyton Manning (QB - Broncos)
9. Josh Sitton (LG - Packers)
10. Darrelle Revis (CB - Buccaneers)

Snubs

One thing that Charchian pointed out in relation to the list as a whole is how few defensive players there are on it. He believes this is partly because of the fantasy football lens most fans see through. Attention and acclaim is given to those who score TDs, put up gaudy passing numbers, and bust off long runs. This mirrors the actions of the NFL itself, whose rule changes have preferred scoring over defense.

Favoring some positions over others, whether intended or not, leaves some good players off the top 10. "By far the best center in the league – and it's not that close – is John Sullivan for the Vikings. But there's no scenario where a center is going to end up garnering a 99 or 98, because people don't want that. I think that there's definitely positional inequality in the rankings. Guards and centers just don't feel like they affect outcomes in Madden, so I think there's a lot less impetus to put higher ratings on those players."

That being said, even some great QBs and wide receivers didn't make the top 10. Charchian says that he has no problem where Peyton Manning is on the list, but believes that Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are just as good. Of course, in Madden what separates any of these players is often only a few Overall points, but Charchian makes a good point that perhaps Rodgers' running ability should give him the edge in the game.

Similarly, he argues that the difference among closely rated wide receivers could come down to key attributes in the game. Noting Calvin Johnson Jr.'s propensity to wear down as the season progresses, Charchian says, "If you're going to factor in durability, then I think you can make a case for an A.J. Green or a Dez Bryant or a Brandon Marshall – guys who are all super durable and extremely good receivers to be at least as high a rating [as Calvin Johnson Jr.]."

Broaching the age-old question in sports (virtual or real), I ask Charchian if he thinks a player should ever be rated a perfect 100. "Absolutely. If Peyton Manning is going to set every meaningful passing record in a season, why can't he be a 100? If somebody has a legendary season and there's no reason to think next year is going to be any different, then I think they should be a 100."

Predictions

We all may argue over developer EA Tiburon's ratings in the game, but as a man who has tried to predict sleepers and busts in the fantasy football scene for over 20 years, Charchian has sympathy for how hard a job it must be for the team to come up with the ratings. Trying to project rookies in particular and their possible true abilities and impact on the game is hard. Charchian brings up newly drafted Terrance West (RB - Cleveland), who scored 41 TDs and ran for over 2,500 yards at unknown school Towson in his senior year. "How are you supposed to project that for the NFL when he hasn't even won the starting job?"

Opportunity is everything in the NFL, and some situations around the league may influence what kind of productivity we see from some players, and therefore bring into question whether they are correctly rated in Madden 15. Charchian believes Niners' running back Frank Gore will lose his starting job at some point, opening the door for rookie Carlos Hyde to get a chance to carry the rock. Conversely, Sammy Watkins' true potential may be stunted by the Bills' situation at QB. "EJ Manuel is horrible!" exclaims Charchian.

Despite the difficulty in predicting the coming NFL season and in formulating player ratings in Madden 15, Charchian thinks that the players in EA's overall ratings list should all have a good season. "I don't think any of those guys are going to drop off, honestly. All of them are young and/or in their prime, and almost all of them are in good situations as well, so honestly I don't target any of those guys for dropoff."

Paul Charchian is the president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, an inductee of the Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame, founder of fantasy football financial management site LeagueSafe.com, and radio host at KFAN in the Twin Cities.

For more on Madden NFL 15's ratings, check out how Sammy Watkins and other top-rated rookies fared. You can also take a look at other players' ratings at the game's official ratings hub.

Madden NFL 15 comes out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on August 26.