The key to building the best team is picking the best Madden 21 players for each position, and the easiest way of doing that is going by position.
The Madden 21 player ratings have been revealed ahead of its launch on August 25, and with this football season looking a little dicey due to the closure of sporting events, this could be the perfect time to get way too into perfecting your Madden squad. There's some debate over the accuracy of these ratings (QBs Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson have gotten pretty hefty downgrades from their last appraisals) but that's for EA's scouts to take the flak for.
If you're looking to theorycraft the best Madden 21 team possible, here's a quick list of the best players in each position to make that job a little easier. Obviously when it comes to drafting your real team you might not be able to snag all of them, but on paper these are the best players to pick. It's like that Brad Pitt film about baseball but with a better sport and not real.
Anyway, that's all to say: here are the best players in each position by Madden 21 player ratings. These are based on the player's overall rating, so if you want to pick based on more nuanced holes in your line-up regarding their individual handling skills, check out the full listing of Madden 21 player ratings for that sort of detail.
The best Madden 21 players by position
Best QB in Madden 21
If you want the cream of the crop for throwing over the top, you should be drafting the best QB in Madden 21, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who scores a perfect 99 overall this season. If he's not available for you, here are the top 10 QB in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Patrick Mahomes (99)
- Russell Wilson (97)
- Lamar Jackson (94)
- Drew Brees (93)
- Tom Brady (90)
- Aaron Rodgers (89)
- Matt Ryan (87)
- Deshaun Watson (86)
- Dak Prescott (84)
- Carson Wentz (84)
Best RB in Madden 21
Need some fast legs on your side? The best running back in Madden 21 is Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey hitting that theoretical maximum of 99 overall in the ratings. If he's not in the list of potentials, or you just want to scope out the competition, here are the top 10 RB in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Christian McCaffrey (99)
- Derrick Henry (93)
- Nick Chubb (92)
- Ezekiel Elliott (92)
- Saquon Barkley (91)
- Dalvin Cook (91)
- Aaron Jones (90)
- Joe Mixon (89)
- Josh Jacobs (88)
- Alvin Kamara (88)
Best WR in Madden 21
So you're after some safe hands, are you? Easy. The best wide receiver in Madden 21 is Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints with, you guessed it, an overall rating of 99. Need someone else? Here's the top 10 WR in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Michael Thomas (99)
- DeAndre Hopkins (98)
- Julio Jones (97)
- Tyreek Hill (96)
- Davante Adams (94)
- Amari Cooper (93)
- Mike Evans (92)
- Stefon Diggs (92)
- Keenan Allen (91)
- Odell Beckham (91)
Best TE in Madden 21
Need that perfect mix of strength and speed in your line-up? The best tight end in Madden 21 is George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers boasting an overall raiting of 98. If you want to check yourself to see if there's a perfect 99, here's the top 10 TE in Madden 21 by ratings:
- George Kittle (98)
- Travis Kelce (97)
- Rob Gronkowski (95)
- Zach Ertz (90)
- Austin Hooper (89)
- Evan Engram (88)
- Jared Cook (87)
- Greg Olsen (86)
- Mark Andrews (86)
- Darren Waller (85)
Some of the best at their position #WallpaperWednesday #Madden21 pic.twitter.com/qgOv9v6GRq
— Madden NFL 21 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 22, 2020
Best DE in Madden 21
Looking for a wall of a man to shore up your defensive line? The best defensive end in Madden 21 is Aaron Donald of the LA Rams with a maxed out overall rating of 99. Think you can find an undervalued DE in the rest? Here's the top 10 DE in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Aaron Donald (99)
- J.J. Watt (98)
- Cameron Jordan (96)
- Calais Campbell (95)
- Myles Garrett (93)
- Joey Bosa (91)
- Cameron Heyward (90)
- Danielle Hunter (89)
- DeMarcus Lawrence (89)
- Nick Bosa (89)
Best OLB in Madden 21
Filling out the ranks in your scrimmage line next? The best offensive linebacker in Madden 21 is Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears with an overall rating of 97. There's no-one better rated, but if you want to check here's the top 10 OLB in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Khalil Mack (97)
- Von Miller (97)
- Chandler Jones (95)
- Demario Davis (89)
- Za'Darius Smith (88)
- Kyle Van Noy (86)
- T.J. Watt (86)
- Darius Leonard (85)
- Shaquil Barrett (85)
- Preston Smith (84)
Best MLB in Madden 21
Still short a few dudes in that line-up? The best middle linebacker in Madden 21 is Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks with an overall rating of 98. If you want someone else for your side, here's the top 10 MLB in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Bobby Wagner (98)
- Lavonte David (90)
- Eric Kendricks (89)
- Dont'a Hightower (88)
- Fred Warner (87)
- Deion Jones (86)
- C.J. Mosley (85)
- Avery Williamson (84)
- Roquan Smith (83)
- Benardrick McKinney (82)
Best CB in Madden 21
Need someone to shut down those pesky receivers on your opponent's team? The best cornerback in Madden 21 is Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots with an overall rating of 99. Need a second? Here's the top 10 CB in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Stephon Gilmore (99)
- Jalen Ramsey (94)
- Richard Sherman (92)
- Jaire Alexander (90)
- Tre'Davious White (90)
- Casey Hayward (89)
- Marlon Humphrey (89)
- Byron Jones (88)
- Darius Slay (88)
- Patrick Peterson (88)
Best S in Madden 21
Finally, picking up a decent safety for your team? The best safety in Madden 21 is Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings with an overall rating of 95. Need another? Here's the top 10 S in Madden 21 by ratings:
- Harrison Smith (95)
- Tyrann Mathieu (93)
- Devin McCourty (92)
- Jamal Adams (92)
- Kevin Byard (91)
- Justin Simmons (90)
- Derwin James (89)
- Eddie Jackson (89)
- Earl Thomas (88)
- Micah Hyde (88)
With all of the best players in Madden 21 by position, you should easily be able to pick out a decent team. But obviously this isn't everything you need to put together a winning team. Are you ready to craft the perfect side when Madden NFL 21 comes out on August 25?
