Madden 21 released its ratings recently, and Minnesota is well represented when it comes to highly rated players.
From Harrison Smith to Adam Thielen, the Vikings have players who have earned high marks for the upcoming game. There were also some surprisingly low ratings for certain players.
As is the case with Anthony Harris, who wasn’t ranked in the top-10 among safeties in the game. Smith, however, was named the highest-rated safety in the game.
Madden ratings are inevitably polarizing due to the difficulties of ascribing number values to so many NFL players. Nonetheless, here are the top-rated Vikings for the new game:
S Harrison Smith
Smith is a crucial component in the Vikings nickel defense. He’s made the Pro Bowl every single year since 2015. Smith has quickly become one of the top safeties in the NFL. He provides versatility by shutting down wide receivers and creating pressure near the line of scrimmage.
Madden Rating: 95
RB Dalvin Cook
It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that Cook ranks as the top Vikings offensive player in the upcoming game.
He’s coming off a year in which he tallied 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019. Both of those stats were career highs.
The Vikings were a run-heavy team in 2019, and Cook’s success was a big reason why they were.
Madden Rating: 91
DT Michael Pierce
Due to salary cap issues, the Vikings weren’t able to make a ton of big free agency splashes. However, the team still signed a player who can be a big contributor on defense.
Pierce comes over after a successful stint with the Ravens. As Ben Leber put it recently, if Pierce can revert back to the way he played in 2018, he should be a player to look forward to seeing.
Madden Rating: 91
WR Adam Thielen
Thielen played in 10 regular season games after suffering a hamstring injury.
Despite that, he thrived in the Vikings playoff victory against the Saints, tallying 129 receiving yards.
Thielen’s body of work helped him keep a high rating in Madden. The Vikings will need him to stay healthy now that the team traded Stefon Diggs to the Bills this offseason.
Madden Rating: 90
DE Danielle Hunter
Hunter has tallied 14.5 sacks for the Vikings in two consecutive seasons.
He became the youngest player in the NFL to get to 50 sacks. Hunter has gone from a third-round pick to one of the best young defensive players in the NFL. He should maybe have an even higher rating.
Madden Rating: 89
LB Eric Kendricks
Kendricks is a great fit for the Vikings nickel defense. He can drop back and cover and is sound in stopping the run.
Pro Football Focus tabbed Kendricks as the most-improved player on the Vikings. The Vikings might need him to take another leap, considering the inexperience of other members of the defense.
Madden Rating: 89
TE Kyle Rudolph
Rudolph has been the Vikings mainstay No. 1 tight end for quite some time now.
In 2019, he proved he could still be a red zone target, hauling in six touchdown receptions to go with 367 receiving yards. Sports Illustrated named Rudolph the Vikings’ most underrated player.
Madden Rating: 84
S Anthony Harris
As I mentioned before, Harris was snubbed from the top-10 of Madden’s safety rankings, despite a stellar season.
In addition to his six interceptions in the regular season, Harris had 11 pass deflections. Pro Football Focus gave him a coverage grade of 92.7 in 2019, the highest of any safety.
Madden Rating: 83
QB Kirk Cousins
A polarizing figure among Vikings fans, Kirk Cousins threw for 3,603 yards, 26 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
If he can improve under offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, replacing Diggs might not be as difficult of a task.
Madden Rating: 82
LB Anthony Barr
Barr is also a player that Vikings fans are split on. Some think Barr’s success was a flash in the pan. Pro Football Focus named Barr to its one-year wonder team recently.
I for one think that it’s a tad too harsh to say Barr has only had one good year. The Vikings will need him to get better in coverage, though, due to the youth movement at cornerback.
Madden Rating: 80
