I think that the user should be able to make a play on the ball. I remember on Madden 08 for PC (last Gen engine) it was alot of fun to be able to jump up for the ball with "inmate" Burress.
It seems that the concern is online cheesing (again us offline users being hindered in favor of the onlne crowd). I think the way around that is: you can attempt to make a play on the ball with an WR but some will do so better than others and be able to come down with the ball a higher percentage of the time.
For example Larry Fitzgerald can and will make a play and come up with the ball very often while average receivers can try but will not have the same success. But to prove that even a scrub WR can go up and make a play on the ball and come away with it from time to time to make a great play see David Tyree who never amassed more than 19 catches in a single season but made the one that really mattered in the Super Bowl.