Player Ratings Update: Week 8

Besides Dalvin Cook’s four-touchdown, 226-scrimmage yard outing on Sunday, huge performances from quarterbacks and wide receivers framed the narrative around Week 8. Patrick Mahomes threw five touchdown passes, two of which were to Tyreek Hill, Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes, two to D.K. Metcalf (more on him later), and all three of Aaron Rodgers’ touchdown passes landed in the hands of Davante Adams.

Of course epic runs, crazy catches, and incredible plays abounded all over the NFL. And the Madden Ratings Adjustor team is working hard to tweak, refine, and polish ratings across the league based on real-world performances. Let’s take a look and see who’s up in the ranks and who’s down. Access the full Madden NFL 21 Player Ratings Database HERE.

D.K. Metcalf | WR | Seattle Seahawks

This dude is a different kind of human. D.K. Metcalf is a physical marvel, he’s huge, he’s fast, he’s strong, and he’s arguably playing like the best wide receiver in the NFL right now. It helps that his QB, Russell Wilson, has the ability to drop the most beautiful passes in the bucket you’ve ever seen. The combination of these two is seriously a sight to behold, and there was no shortage of awesomeness in Week 8. It’s not even funny anymore--Metcalf posted a 12/161/2 line on Sunday against the 49ers, just blowing up the stat sheet. The Madden Ratings Adjustors are bumping his OVR up one to an 85, and he could honestly push a 90 OVR by the end of the year if this keeps up. 

Tee Higgins | WR | Cincinnati Bengals

The rookie receiver has been a consistent producer in the Bengals offense this season. He actually led his team in receiving in Week 8, with six receptions for 78 yards on nine targets. But it’s this insane toe-tap grab Tee Higgins made that caught the eye of the Madden Ratings Adjustor team: 

Yep, that’ll do. As a result, Higgins will see his Spectacular Catch and Catch In Traffic ratings increase following Week 8. 

Keenan Allen | WR | Los Angeles Chargers

Keenan Allen might be one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL. He’s almost always going beast mode, and Week 8 was no different. Allen posted a 9/61/1 line on Sunday on his 11 targets, this following his 10/125/0 outing in Week 7. He’s heating up as his rookie QB, Justin Herbert, gets more reps at the NFL level, and the production is flowing for both players. The Madden Ratings Adjustors are bumping Allen’s Awareness rating this week, which in turn boosts his OVR by a point up to a 93. 

Marquise Brown | WR | Baltimore Ravens

The second-year receiver is supposed to be the Raven’s No. 1 wideout, but he saw just two targets, and made one catch (a touchdown) in Week 8 against the Steelers. He’s simply not getting looks in the passing game, with just eight targets his last two outings. As a result Marquise Brown will see his OVR decline this week. With a 97 Speed rating, Hollywood Brown is still one of the fastest WRs in Madden 21, but until he can put his talents on display more often, it will be difficult for the Madden Ratings Adjustor team to bump him up. 

Amari Cooper | WR | Dallas Cowboys

Amari Cooper’s ratings decline is more about the Cowboys having to start third-string QB Ben DiNucci, than it is about Cooper’s actual talent as a receiver. Still, Cooper only caught one pass for five yards in Week 8, on the five targets he received. The Madden Ratings Adjustor team is bumping down Cooper’s OVR by one point. There’s a chance  that Cooper rises back up when Andy Dalton returns under center, but we need to see it on the field before we make adjustments in game. 

___
Stay in the conversation by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and EA Forums. Sign up for the Newsletter today to receive updates on Madden, and other EA news, products, and events, all season long.