With player ratings now public, fans can begin scouring through the Madden 26 data in anticipation of getting their hands on the game’s best players. As the NFL has skewed more and more toward being a pass-first, second, and third league, the position of Wide Receiver has gone from quite important to nearly as critical as quarterback, with elite wide receiver rooms capable of making former washout passers into Pro Bowlers.
These are the top ten highest-rated WRs in Madden 26 and what they’re bringing to the table to help their digital teams succeed the same way they help on the real world fields every Sunday.
The 99-Club
Carrying a 99 Overall Rating in Madden is viewed as such an honor and acknowledgment that those who have accomplished it are considered to be part of a special and elite club. With just a handful of players carrying a 99-rating each year, a wide receiver in the club is a statement that they aren’t just one of the best now, but one of the best ever.
- Jamar Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (99 OVR): Whether you think that Jamar Chase or Justin Jefferson deserves the title of “Best Receiver in Football” is a debate you could hold indefinitely with no real loser, and EA agrees. Chase is the first 99-rated WR this year, and with no receiving stat under 95, it’s easy to see why he’s so highly regarded. Whatever you need Chase to do, he can do it, and just like in real life, his combination with Joe Burrow looks to be the most deadly duo in the game when using real-world rosters.
- Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (99 OVR): As incredible as Chase’s receiving numbers are, Jefferson actually manages to outdo him. His Release and Spectacular Catch are perfect, while his Route Running attributes all hit 97 or higher. He’s capable of both making standard catches at an elite level and contested catches to near-perfection. Paired with Jordan Addison, Jefferson turned the public image of Sam Darnold around, and he can offer that same star-making boost to your Madden QB, too.
The Elite Defense Shredders
While not quite seen as on the level of Chase and Jefferson, being just a bit worse than those two is far from an insult. This second tier of wide receivers is still fully capable of making your next game an absolute delight or an utter nightmare (check out the best Madden 26 player ratings across every position), depending on whose sideline they’re standing on at kickoff.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions (96 OVR): The Detroit Lions were the story of the season last year as their high-flying offense shredded opposing defenses all season long, with nobody more integral to the show than St. Brown. Though still more than competent going deep, St. Brown excels at short to intermediate routes where he plays on par with the top two, and his perfect 99 Catching means wherever you try to get the ball to him, if the throw is on target, Brown is likely going to haul it in and take off with it.
- CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (95 OVR): Just a tick behind St. Brown to fall off the WR podium, Lamb is still a nightmare for any opposing secondary. His route running is a bit behind the others above him, though at 94 or 95 in all three zones, it’s still elite. Where he gets the edge over St. Brown is in his superior ability to get off the line cleanly with a 98 Release, meaning he is almost a lock to beat his man off the line and get into his route quickly and accurately to provide a reliable option to feed the ball to.
- Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (95 OVR): The NFL’s peak speed merchant, Hill has not slowed down even as he’s reached his 30s. Hill’s pass catching is notably lower than other players around him near the top of the rankings, with “just” 91 Catching, 90 Spectacular Catch, and 87 Catch In Traffic. Where Hill becomes such a nightmare is in his physical tools to go with those stellar, if second-tier hands, with both 98 Speed and Acceleration meaning any defensive back without help over the top is at risk for getting torched.
- Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (94 OVR): It can be easy to overlook how impressive McLaurin has been in his career, consistently ranking among the elite receivers season after season, even when he only recently got access to a true top-tier passer to get the ball to him. Although lacking in the peak ratings anywhere other than his 98 Catching, which is pretty handy for a receiver, McLaurin excels by being nothing shy of excellent at everything, keeping all his receiving skills as well as his Speed and Acceleration in the 90s.
The Rest Of The Best
The ratings experts at EA made things easy for fans looking to make tiers but unsure of whether to put their lines down based on ratings or rankings by making the last man in the top ten also the last man in the 90s. While a noted level below the absolute best receivers in the game, each of these wide outs is a stud in his own right and capable of being the centerpiece of a high flying, high scoring offense.
- A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (93 OVR): The trade that sent Brown to the Eagles may go down as one of the best or worst ever, depending on which side of the equation your rooting interests lie. Brown is an elite chain mover, capable of deep routes but excellent on short and intermediate ones. Combined with 97 Catching, 96 Spectacular Catch, and 96 Catch In Traffic, Brown can make plays even when the pass goes astray or he’s tightly contested on routes across the middle.
- Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (93 OVR): It feels like many fans have been expecting Evans to finally fall off with age for several years now, but even for a franchise that’s seen as many lows as highs at quarterback, Evans keeps delivering. Though notably being the first receiver with no route range rated in the 90s, with high-80s across the board combined with 95 Catching and 97 in the two specialty hands categories Evans looks set to remain one of the most reliable completions in the game for another season.
- Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (91 OVR): Although the spots above London are populated by players in their 30s, London represents a return to the youth of the top of the rankings as a player who likely has not yet reached his apex as a player. Averaging a 95 across the three catching categories, where London falls off a bit, is in his route running, which tops out at 87 on Short Route Running to a Top-10 low of 78 in Deep Route Running. This still leaves him as one of the best in the league, and for Franchise mode purposes one who can still develop those routes to become an All-Pro caliber pass catcher.
- Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (90 OVR): Now two years removed from his last truly elite season, the developers at EA still believe that it’s been more of an issue of quarterbacking than Adams falling off. Whether that will translate to success again in the NFL now that he’s not following a real-world bestie who is past it as a quarterback is to be seen, but in-game, that means he remains in the top ten. While his physical abilities have dropped off with Speed and Acceleration at 89 and Strength just a 63, Adams still sits in the 90s for every attribute in the Receiving category, making him a well-rounded pass catcher in any offense.
Those are the ten best WRs in Madden NFL 26 according to the experts who make the ratings, but do you agree?
