EA Sports will release their annual classic, Madden, later this summer. The first batch of Madden player rankings is slowly being released now. Looking at the Green Bay Packers wide receiving core and their ratings have one word that comes to mind: lackluster.
Not a single Packers wide receiver enters the season rated higher than a 79 overall by the Madden player ratings. Beyond that, only four players have at least a 70 overall. Not exactly one that players would be encouraged to play a four wide set.
Sammy Watkins:
Sammy Watkins enters the season with a 79 overall Madden rating. The eight year pro has only one season of at least 1000 receiving yards under his belt, due largely to his inability to stay healthy. He is the highest rated Packers receiver according to the gaming company and their evaluations, though not head and shoulders above anyone on this team. Should Watkins be able to stay healthy and get on the same page as Aaron Rodgers, he has the potential to have a career revitalizing season.
Randall Cobb:
Entering the season right behind Watkins in the rankings is fan favorite, Randall Cobb. At a 77 overall, that feels right for this stage in Cobb’s career. He’s by no means the same electric player he was his first time in the Green and Gold. But Cobb is still a top tier third down safety blanket and reliable option in the slot.
Allen Lazard:
Allen Lazard is just one of some very difficult Packers receivers to place a rating on. An undrafted free agent signing, the skillset was widely unknown coming into the league. At 6’5″, over 225lb, and a 4.55 40 time, he has the measurables of a top end NFL receiver. His separation ability and hands leave a lot to be desired however. Over the past few years he’s gotten more exposure in the offense and has performed average at best. This season he should get WR1 targets from a Hall of Fame QB. It’ll be up to him to make the most of that. His 77 rating overall feels about right.
Christian Watson:
The next intriguing player rating among Packers WR was rookie Christian Watson. Drafted with the first pick in the second round, scouts raved about Watsons size and speed combination. He was thought of as a “project pick” as he played against lower level competition in college. The learning curve for the North Dakota State prospect was said to be a significant one. EA Sports developers are waiting to see that develop as they assigned Watson a 71 overall rating with 93 speed and 85 agility baked into that.
Games in the NFL are played on the field, and not in some video game metaverse. This time of the year, these ratings are meant to stir conversation, and create excitement heading into the upcoming season. They can change as players grow and develop, they could stay the same, what truly matters is what happens on the field. Just like it really doesn’t matter that some random LA Raiders receiver, Davante Adams, is rated 99 overall.
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Zach has been a lifelong Packers fan since his earliest memories of Brett Favre\\\'s Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XXXII. A proud shareholder of the team, he bleeds Green and Gold despite being born and raised in New Jersey. You can follow him on twitter at @RapMasterZach.
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