Madden 22 ratings: Top 10 best wide receivers (WR) at launch

After revealing the top rated rookies in Madden 22, ESPN turned its attention towards wide receivers. EA’s official list looks quite similar to my predictions, although the ratings are a bit higher than I expected.

There’s no shortage of talent at the position but, surprisingly, there’s only one member in Club 99 at launch.  That would be Davante Adams, who after starting Madden 21 as the No. 5-rated receiver played his way into Club 99. He begins Madden 22 as the top-rated receiver with a game-perfect 99 overall while boasting 99 Catching, 99 Short Route Running and 98 Medium Route Running.

Surprisingly, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has dropped out of the prestigious club and begins Madden 22 with a 98 overall, the same rating he had to start last year. Despite his slight drop in overall, Hopkins is the game’s top spectacular catchers (99) along with Odell Beckham Jr.

Kansas City Chiefs speedster Tyreek Hill is tied with Hopkins with a 98 overall, but he’s the only receiver in Madden 22 with 99 Speed.  With Patrick Mahomes under center, it’s quite possible Tyreek Hill could also join Club 99 this year. Can you imagine three receivers with 99 overall?

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs finds himself as the fourth best-rated wide receiver in Madden 22 with a 97 overall rating, which is exactly as I predicted. Diggs is coming off a career-best season in which he led the league in receptions (127) and yards (1,535). In Madden 22, he’s among the top players in route running with 96 Short, 97 Medium and 94 Deep.

And here’s where things get interesting. In my predictions, I pointed out that both Julio Jones and Michael Thomas are both incredibly talented wide receivers; but, both are coming off injury-plagued seasons and it’s possible that Thomas might even miss the start of the season after having offseason ankle surgery. But despite their injuries, EA feels confident in their playmaking ability when healthy.

Julio Jones, who is now on the Tennessee Titans, has the slight rating advantage with a 95 overall, slightly higher than I predicted. At 32-years-old, Jones is nearly at the end of his prime — if he hasn’t passed it already. A 95 overall is still impressive, but the likelihood of him hitting 99 overall this year is slim.

Appearing just outside of the top five is, of course, Michael Thomas, who is ranked sixth among receivers. The New Orleans Saints star receiver had a down year last year, resulting in his getting dropped from Club 99 and finishing the year with a 94 overall. That’s where he’ll begin to start with Madden 22. EA apparently still believes in Thomas’ potential, but with no Drew Brees and a potential ankle issue, it will be interesting to see how the receiver returns.

Rounding out the top ten wide receivers in Madden 22 is Keenan Allen (Chargers, 93 overall), who moves up two spots from last year; Amari Cooper (Cowboys, 91 overall), who drops one rating point; Mike Evans (Buccaneers, 91 overall), who also dropped one point from last year; and Allen Robinson II (Bears, 90 overall), who receives a considerable boost in overall thanks to his massive 2020 year in which he posted 1,250 yards and six touchdowns.

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Madden 22 Top 10 Wide Receivers

1. Davante Adams (Green Bay Packers) – 99 overall
2. DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona Cardinals) – 98 overall
3. Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs) – 98 overall
4. Stefon Diggs (Buffalo Bills) – 97 overall
5. Julio Jones (Tennessee Titans) – 95 overall
6. Michael Thomas (New Orleans Saints) – 94 overall
7. Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers) – 93 overall
8. Amari Cooper (Dallas Cowboys) – 91 overall
9. Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 91 overall
10. Allen Robinson II (Chicago Bears) – 90 overall

Check back tomorrow for the reveal of the top defensive linemen in Madden 22. In the meantime, check out our predictions for running backs and quarterbacks and let us know if you agree with the top receivers in the comments below!