Keenan Allen has been one of the most consistent players in the NFL in his twelve-year NFL career. While he’s always sat just below the conversation for the best pass catcher in the league designation, he’s never been too far off the standard either, and has gone to the Pro Bowl as many times as not so far.
Receivers who make it to 13 seasons are few and far between, and for all he’s accomplished, Allen is coming off his second season failing to break 1,000 yards in the last three. What does that mean for his virtual self when Madden NFL 26 hits virtual shelves later this month? Let’s take a look at his ratings in the latest edition and what it means for players who opt to field him in their teams.
Keenan Allen’s Madden 26 Ratings Overview
Keenan Allen sees a drop-off in his rating this year, no longer among the league’s elite with an 81 OVR. While this is a step back from his prior versions, it’s far from a descent into irrelevance, as that places Allen firmly in the position of being a high-end #2 option, which, in the modern NFL, remains one of the most important positions on your roster to fill. If you have a loaded enough wide receiver room that he slots in as your #3 receiver, he is an elite option for the position.
How Keenan Allen Plays in Madden 26
Much like the real Keenan Allen at this point, what virtual Keenan can do is nothing elite and just about everything you’d want, still quite well. While he doesn’t have the imposing physical attributes of some players that can break a defense on athleticism alone, with 89 Speed, 88 Acceleration, 88 Agility, and 93 Jumping, he still has the physical tools to make plays for you.
On a technical level, it’s more of the same. While Spectacular Catch of 90 is his lone receiving stat to hit the 90s, none drop out of the 80s either. He remains a more than capable receiver getting off the line and making plays on balls when given the chance, and his competent route running at all ranges means he can take on any pattern at a dependably good level.
Is Keenan Allen’s Player Rating Fair Based On The 2024 NFL Season?
Professional athletes having problems with the ratings assigned to them in video games is a tradition as old as video games using real players with assigned ratings. Anytime a player sees their numbers fall from a stratosphere they’re used to being in, it’s bound to ruffle some feathers, but with Allen, it’s hard to feel like he was too harshly treated.
On the one hand, you can make the argument that his drop in production had less to do with him falling off and more to do with being in a dysfunctional Bears team, and that the return to the Chargers will let him show he’s still able to perform at his peak. His production was relatively on par with Bears #1 DJ Moore, who sits higher on the WR rankings. On the other hand, he wasn’t dropped too far, and for an older player coming off a down year, things could have gone a lot worse for him.
Keenan Allen Vs. Other Top WRs In Madden 26
Simply put, Allen is no longer viewed as being among the top WRs by the folks handing ratings at Madden, as his 81 OVR sees him tumble too far down the list to be considered an elite tier player anymore. Instead, he finds himself in the fringe territory of being a poor #1 or pretty strong #2.
Looking around Allen and judging him by the company he keeps is still far from an unflattering grouping, either. Joining him in the low-80s are a number of veteran receivers in similar situations to Allen, with guys who are no longer as good as they once were, but who are still a problem to be dealt with on a Sunday. Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Adam Thielen, among others, all rate out similarly to Allen and look like the best comps you may weigh Allen against if you’re considering adding some veteran talent to your wide receiver room.
Franchise Mode Impact: Development, Contracts & Long-Term Value
As one of the most veteran receivers in the NFL, Allen doesn’t have a lot of long-term value for any player opting to add him to their team. While the real-world Chargers also likely love having a veteran presence in the locker room and a returning franchise legend who is very comfortable in the powder blues, for Madden players, it will be all about the on-field production.
To that end, his value will be highly situational. If you’re taking over a team in need of a rebuild and want to stock up on talented prospects who can develop into stars, Allen holds little appeal unless you are also contending and need a bridge for a young future star to mature. Where he is more likely to be appealing is to owners looking for solid production at a relatively affordable cost with a sub-$10 million deal.
Tips For Using Keenan Allen In Madden 26
If you take on a season as the Chargers, or opt to acquire Allen through a fantasy draft or in-season trade, it’s important to consider how to get the most out of him on the field. These tips can help you maximize production from Allen in his final seasons:
- Consider Your Needs: Previously in this series, we looked at CeeDee Lamb, a player who may fit better or worse depending on your team composition, but who is not going to be out of place or without use in any lineup imaginable. Allen is not a no-brainer signing, and instead, his value is highly situational. If you’re looking to raise the floor on your receiving corps on a budget, he may be a great fit, but if you’re looking for a ceiling raiser, you need to turn to a higher-rated option.
- Assess Your Team: Because he is such a balanced receiver with no real specialty at this stage of his career, Allen gets his value from his range of use. While he’s not so good at any one role that you’d feel obligated to build your offense around him, if you already have a strong #1 target and are using Allen as your #2, this allows you to patch whatever holes remain after accounting for your star. Target your offense around maximizing value to your top guy, then trust that Allen can do what’s needed in that system.
- Use His Versatility: Regardless of the role Allen fills on your team, that doesn’t mean you can’t also throw in some varied routes for him as well. Because he’s an above-average route runner across the entire tree, you can mix up his looks to try to get advantages against the players your opponent is using to guard him. This can create uncertainty for the opposing defense, which creates opportunities for you.
Final Verdict: Overrated, Underrated, Or Just Right?
Allen is also a player at a point in his career that could see his season go a bit off expectations in either direction without too much surprise. If he finds the return to Los Angeles is just what he needed, he may once again prove he’s got another year or two of elite production. Conversely, wide receiver is a position where production can fall off the cliff with age when the split-second wins you need to succeed are no longer there. Taking both of those as possibilities, however, where EA settled seems about right, as the strongest read to make on Allen before the games start counting is that he should be a reliable option in that good-but-not-great tier.
