Madden NFL 17 News Post

Madden NFL 17 Player Ratings - Top 5 Tight Ends

11:52 AM - July 26, 2016 by Steve_OS

EA Sports has continued revealing their Madden NFL 17 player ratings today, as they announce the top 5 tight ends in the game. More detailed ratings can be seen in the official blog.

Check them out and post your thoughts!

Rob Gronkowski (Overall 99)
Greg Olsen (Overall 93)
Delaine Walker (Overall 93)
Tyler Eifert (Overall 90)
Jimmy Graham (Overall 89)

Previously released Madden NFL 17 player ratings:

Madden NFL 17 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: Madden NFL 17Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 17 - View All

Member Comments

# 21 ednaaard @ 07/26/16 02:16 PM

Overall, Delanie Walker is not a top 3 TE in the NFL lol.

# 22 underdog13 @ 07/26/16 02:51 PM

So when you are third in TE Receiving yards and a top 5 run blocker you are overrated?

# 23 KickassJohnson @ 07/26/16 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeuceDouglas


	The 3-bar RB mask on Graham looks fantastic.

So glad they got this right.. It's been wrong for at least a decade

# 24 The JareBear @ 07/26/16 02:55 PM

Definitely a position that, depending on your scheme, mileage will vary. Hard for them to get a "perfect list" when some people look for blocking TEs or receiving TEs with varied preferences.

# 25 Aestis @ 07/26/16 03:17 PM

Generally don't nitpick these ratings too much, Gronk is a hands-down 99 and this is coming from a guy who thinks there should never be more than 1-2 99 ratings in a given year (and some years, 0). But I saw 92 & 91 RBK for Gronk & Walker and was like

I'm all for differentiating blocking more at the TE spot, it's long overdue. But 92 RBK is elite lineman level, that seems... incredibly excessive.

# 26 The JareBear @ 07/26/16 03:19 PM

Virgil Green is a guy on the Broncos that I hope got some love for his blocking. He is an oustanding blocking TE. Not so much as a pass catcher but hopefully his blocking ratings are where they should be.

# 27 underdog13 @ 07/26/16 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aestis


	Generally don't nitpick these ratings too much, Gronk is a hands-down 99 and this is coming from a guy who thinks there should never be more than 1-2 99 ratings in a given year (and some years, 0). But I saw 92 & 91 RBK for Gronk & Walker and was like I'm all for differentiating blocking more at the TE spot, it's long overdue. But 92 RBK is elite lineman level, that seems... incredibly excessive.

But they probably have low impact block so they may be able to block their guy but they won't be pancaking many.

# 28 Mr.Tennessee @ 07/26/16 03:34 PM

Of course these ratings are always viewed differently depending on how you balance the past season, future projection, career legacy and profile. I think both Olsen and Walker received bumps for the fact that they were the only real play makers on their teams last season unlike the people listed below them. As a Titans fan I could't count the times everyone knew the ball was going to Walker and somehow he would be open. With our receivers there's no way I would have not double teamed or bracketed him frequently.

Someone mentioned Jason Witten and I wished Madden could effectively demonstrate older players that bring leadership make plays because of their craft, smarts, tendency knowledge, etc. despite their lessening athletic abilities like a Witten or Ray Lewis those final years in Baltimore

# 29 Dj_MyTime @ 07/26/16 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by underdog13


	But they probably have low impact block so they may be able to block their guy but they won't be pancaking many.

Just a reminder if iirc, RBK is the ability to steer/create run lanes, IBL is how long the block is held along with the pancake ability while the strength rating is the modifier.

I've seen OL/TE/RB with high RBK but if the IBL is sub 70, you won't have a dominant blocker, but you will have a very good one.

I'm reserving judgement til I see full ratings.

# 30 charter04 @ 07/26/16 04:12 PM

These seem fine to me. I'm always biased towards Cowboys players just because I watch all their games. Witten is in my top 5 but, I understand why he's lower.

Gronk is a 99 if anyone is. Dude is a beast. Probably not an 89 RTE though. He uses his size more than great RTE.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 31 Datninja619 @ 07/26/16 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The JareBear


	Definitely a position that, depending on your scheme, mileage will vary. Hard for them to get a "perfect list" when some people look for blocking TEs or receiving TEs with varied preferences.

Tis true. With the Chargers, Gates is a Hall of Fame player. With a smash mouth team like the 49ers, he's probably a situational blocker.

Jimmy Graham is also a good example of scheme vs production

# 32 solmon @ 07/26/16 04:19 PM

Agree with many here. Kelce wildly overlooked, Walker rated much too high.

# 33 angels eclipse7 @ 07/26/16 04:40 PM

Walker absolutely deserves to be where he is. It could be argued he should be higher. He's one of the best blocking tight ends in the league who put up elite tight end receiving stats last season.

# 34 jpdavis82 @ 07/26/16 04:41 PM

Replace Graham with Reed I'm good

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 35 underdog13 @ 07/26/16 04:53 PM

A lot of people don't know much about Delaine Walker apparently.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

# 36 showstoppert61 @ 07/26/16 05:10 PM

The Saints always have a top TE. Look out for Fleener!

# 37 ASUBoy93 @ 07/26/16 05:17 PM

Jeez, a guy has one sub-par year (by Graham standards) and now he is no longer a top 5 TE to you guys. Jordan Reed is good and Kelce should be in the top 5, but Graham has been an elite TE for several seasons now. He was just fitting into the offense when he had his injury. It takes some time to develop rhythm with a new QB, especially when you were working with a much different QB and playbook for multiple seasons. By next season if Graham plays the same way, then yeah, that would be a trend. But cut the guy a break. If he's healthy then you should expect to see a more typical Graham season.

# 38 J.Cole @ 07/26/16 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASUBoy93


	Jeez, a guy has one sub-par year (by Graham standards) and now he is no longer a top 5 TE to you guys. Jordan Reed is good and Kelce should be in the top 5, but Graham has been an elite TE for several seasons now. He was just fitting into the offense when he had his injury. It takes some time to develop rhythm with a new QB, especially when you were working with a much different QB and playbook for multiple seasons. By next season if Graham plays the same way, then yeah, that would be a trend. But cut the guy a break. If he's healthy then you should expect to see a more typical Graham season.

Its not that he played bad for him to be not top-5 it's that other Tight Ends played much better.

Jimmy Graham should still be a solid 6th or 7th in the rankings but luckily for us there is a reason they have roster updates.

# 39 Wildcats302 @ 07/26/16 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by underdog13


	A lot of people don't know much about Delaine Walker apparently. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Yeah Walker was the Titans offense last year and he still dominated. I'm very excited about Walker in the pass game as I expect the Titans to go run heavy with Murray and Henry and Mariota even to a small extent. Whatever it takes to keep that defense off the field for long periods of time...only shot the Titans have of winning more games this year IMO is ball control. Walker will be huge again, but maybe some WRs step up to help him some.

# 40 Mattanite @ 07/27/16 04:19 AM

I will wait until the game comes out to confirm this but like with the overall boost in QB DAC this year, it looks like a boost and spread for TE RBK.

I would hazard a guess that like QB DAC being increased due to new DB mechanics (like swat) and real ball physics, the TE RBK will make a difference against the new read and react/lanes run defence. So a decent RBK TE will actually make a block and be more valuable there even though he could be an average catcher, but a poor blocking TE will barely rub the edge defender and your run play will get blown up, despite them being a "power forward" superstar catcher.

As with rating spread adjustments last year (looking at you rookie DAC and player speed), I hope, I hope, I hope the rookie rosters have been tuned for these adjustments!!!!!!! (and don't give me the excuse about roster editing, if we can see the problems coming a mile off, so should they!).

p.s. plus, hopefully in the game, but to this point, there are no real "freak" rookies in the draft classes like Gronk, or OBJ, or Von Miller, or Cam Newton... just different shades of average to good... hopefully I am wrong.

Update: It looks like a recent tweet has shown that there could actually be some "freak" type athletes and that rosters have been tuned for changes... wait and see.

« Previous 12Next »

More Links

Madden NFL 17 Player Ratings - Top 5 Tight Ends