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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
NFL training camps across the league are set to kick off over the next two weeks, which means Madden NFL 24 season is almost upon us. This year’s version of the video game from EA Sports will be released worldwide Aug. 18.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen makes his Madden cover debut this year. Where does his Madden rating rank among last year’s cover star Patrick Mahomes and the league’s top quarterbacks? We’re unveiling position ratings each day this week, along with more content on ESPN and ESPN.com.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first member of this year’s 99 Club to be revealed.
Madden Week kick’s off with the top-rated wide receivers in the game. Who joins Jefferson in the top 10?
Below is the remaining schedule, with ratings released every afternoon.
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Tuesday: Edge rushers
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Wednesday: Running backs
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Thursday: Cornerbacks
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Friday: Quarterbacks
Check out our “SportsCenter Special: The Madden 24 Ratings” on ESPN and the ESPN app on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET..
More from EA Sports:
Madden NFL 24 ratings | What’s new
As receivers have become more of a priority position in the NFL — look at the salaries given to the position and the increased importance in the draft — the skill of the players at receiver will rise. And speed, well, often speed and route running rule all with receivers.
And now, after two years of Davante Adams at the top of the Madden receiver order, there’s been a change to the player considered the fastest receiver in the game. And with the talent at the spot, there’s going to be a clear debate over who might be No. 1 and who might come after.
1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (99 overall): Jefferson sees a nice jump from a 93 overall and becomes a member of the 99 Club for the first time at launch in his career. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year takes the crown after a season where he had 128 catches for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns.
2. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (98 overall): Hill moves up to the second spot, ahead of last year’s leader. Hill’s first year in Miami led to career-best numbers in receptions and yards, even with multiple quarterbacks throwing him the ball (and not playing with Patrick Mahomes anymore), posting 119 catches for 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns.
3. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders (97 overall): After back-to-back years as Madden’s top receiver and a former holder of a 99 Club rating, Adams drops to third in this year’s game. His overall rating dropped two points, as did his catch rating, from a 99 to a 97. His deep route running remained at a 95, his medium route running remained at a 97, while his short route running dropped one point to 97 and his catch in traffic fell from a 99 to a 95. This despite a 100-catch, 1,516-yard, 14-touchdown season during his first year away from Aaron Rodgers.
T-4. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (96 overall): Diggs gets a small bump from last year, going from a 95 to a 96. Diggs is tied with Tyler Lockett for the second-best catch rating (98) and is in the Top 3 in all route running categories — he’s second in deep (97), third in medium (96) and third in short (96) after 108 catches for 1,429 yards and a career-best 11 touchdowns last season.
T-4. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (96 overall): Kupp dropped from No. 2 overall and a 98 rating to a tie for fourth and a 96, in part because he was injured for half of last season. Even in nine games, he had 75 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns, so a Top 5 rating is still warranted. He’s the best in the game in catching (99) and short route running (99), after catching over 75% of passes thrown to him the past two seasons.
6. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (94 overall): Chase took a huge jump up in the ratings from an 87 at launch last year into the Top 10, the first new face in the launch Top 10 this year. One could easily argue he should have been there after his dynamic rookie year, but he followed it up with 87 catches, 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games last season. He’s No. 6 in all route running categories (92 in deep, 93 in medium and 93 in short).
7. DeAndre Hopkins, Free Agent (93 overall): Rare is the free agent rated in the Top 10 this late in the Madden ratings cycle, but Hopkins is a rare case after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals. A former member of the 99 Club, he dropped from No. 4 and a 96 last season but he’s still one of the best in the game and could be helped quickly depending on which team he signs with. Hopkins is seventh in catching (96) and the leader in catch in traffic (98). He’s also No. 10 in all three route-running categories (89 in deep, 89 in medium and 90 in short).
8. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (92 overall): McLaurin moves up a spot from No. 9 to No. 8 and one ratings point from a 91 last year. McLaurin’s hands are lauded — a 97 catching rating and 94 catch in traffic mark — and he’s a 90 in both deep and medium route running after having a career-best 1,191 yards last season. He’s caught over 75 passes in each of the last three years.
T-9. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (91 overall): The second newcomer to the Top 10, Brown was an 87 at launch last year and tied with Chase and Brandin Cooks for the No. 18 receiver in Madden ’23. Brown’s short route running (92) is No. 7 and his catch in traffic is tied for No. 8 (93), helping him into the Top 10 after his first season in Philadelphia — and by far his best — with 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns.
T-9. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns (91 overall): Cooper bumps up one point and up from No. 10 into a tie for ninth. The game praised Cooper’s route running: 93 in deep route running (No. 5), 91 in medium route running (No. 8) and 91 in short route running (T-8). A move to Cleveland saw a return to consistency for Cooper, who had 78 catches for 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns.
Dropped out from last year’s launch: Mike Evans (No. 7), Keenan Allen (T-8).
Source: www.espn.com