I don’t know about you, but it can sometimes be tough to imagine what life will be like in five years. There is one thing, though, that I know will never change, and that’s the NFL. More specifically, Madden, for better or worse, never seems to change.
No matter what’s going on in the world in five years, we know we’ll still have Madden, and it will almost certainly look nearly identical to Madden 26, with the big difference being the roster.
With the roster as the only noticeable change expected to come to Madden over the next five years, I felt that I could save us all a few dozen months and simply predict the top players in the game now, starting with the offensive side of the ball in this article. We’ll take a look at the current top players at each offensive position and who among them will fall off and who will rise into the top five of the position for Madden 31. We’ll use the other top EA football game, EA CFB 26, to identify current college players who may become top NFL talents by 2030.
Quarterbacks
Current Top Five
- Josh Allen, 99 OVR, year 8
- Lamar Jackson, 99 OVR, year 8
- Joe Burrow, 97 OVR, year 6
- Patrick Mahomes, 95 OVR, year 9
- Matthew Stafford, 89 OVR, year 17
2031 Prediction
- Joe Burrow, 99 OVR, year 11
- Jayden Daniels, 99 OVR, year 7
- Josh Allen, 98 OVR, year 13
- Caleb Williams, 97 OVR, year 7
- Fernando Mendoza, 94 OVR, year 5
Guys That Fall Off
Unless Matthew Stafford turns out to be part robot, I don’t see him still playing at a top-five level at age 42 (I would argue he’s not a top-five QB at age 37, but Madden has other feelings). Pat Mahomes, who seems to have lost some of his magic since turning 30, could also fall off the list unless he can shake off his recent rust and continue his impressive career, but right now, I think there are just more dynamic playmakers above him at the QB spot that will be better than him in five years. This also goes for Lamar Jackson, who will likely still be a top QB in 2031, but whose injury history and reliance on his elite athleticism keep him out of my top five for when he’s 33.
Guys That Rise
I have Joe Burrow remaining in the top five and jumping up to number one because look at his stats! Nearly 5,000 yards, 43 touchdowns, and a 108.5 passer rating last year, which would have easily made him the MVP if the Bengals were better overall. Hopefully, they will eventually sort themselves out, and it will help boost Burrows’ value and his Madden rank. Daniels, of course, has to be on this list after his impressive rookie year broke numerous records and he led his team to the NFC Championship game; the sky is the limit for him. I’m also extremely high on Caleb Williams, especially after the first few weeks of the 2025 season have shown what he can do with a competent playcaller and offensive line. Finally, rounding out the list is Fernando Mendoza, the current front-runner for first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. He only has an 87 overall CFB rating, but has passed for 14 touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 206.2.
Running Backs
Current Top Five
- Saquon Barkley, 99 OVR, year 8
- Derrick Henry, 98 OVR, year 10
- Jahmyr Gibbs, 95 OVR, year 3
- Bijan Robinson, 94 OVR, year 3
- Christian McCaffrey, 93 OVR, year 9
2031 Prediction
- Bijan Robinson, 95 OVR, year 8
- Justice Haynes, 94 OVR, year 5
- Isaac Brown, 93 OVR, year 4
- Ahmad Hardy, 92 OVR, year 4
- Bucky Irving, 91 OVR, year 7
Guys That Fall Off
Running backs have a short shelf life in the NFL, so nearly everybody on the current list will have fallen out of the “elite” category at the position by 2031. I don’t see the NFL as having a ton of young generational talents like Saquon, Henry, or CMC left in the game, so I only left one player on my 2031 list from my current list.
Guys That Rise Into The Top Five
The one guy that remains in the top five is my number one player in my predicted list, Bijan Robinson, who is the only current running back that I feel strongly will still be playing at a high level in five years. A lot of running back prospects are currently lighting it up at the college level, including Michigan’s Justice Haynes (87 overall in CFB 26), Louisville’s Isaac Brown (93 overall), and Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy (93 overall). There is also breakout sensation Bucky Irving from the Bucs, who could be in the midst of a second contract if he can continue making plays and staying healthy.
Wide Receivers
Current Top Five
- Ja’Marr Chase, 99 OVR, year 5
- Justin Jefferson, 99 OVR, year 6
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, 96 OVR, year 5
- Ceedee Lamb, 95 OVR, year 6
- Tyreek Hill, 95 OVR, year 10
2031 prediction
- Malik Nabers, 99 OVR, year 7
- Justin Jefferson, 99 OVR, year 11
- Ja’Marr Chase, 98 OVR, year 10
- Jeremiah Smith, 97 OVR, year 4
- Ryan Williams, 96 OVR, year 4
Guys That Fall Off
It’s not that I think Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ceedee Lamb will fall off as much as I think other players will rise up to supplant them. There is no reason to think that Lamb or St. Brown won’t still be going strong into their early thirties; it’s just that you usually see these players get pushed down into the ten to twenty positions in the position rankings, like Mike Evans or Terry McLaurin.
Guys That Rise Into The Top Five
With Malik Nabers, I see a similar trajectory for him as Chase and Jefferson, and I am convinced that he will be a 99 overall within the next few seasons. As for other 2024 rookies like Brian Thomas and Ladd McConkey, I just don’t see the same type of consistency and potential longevity that I see from Nabers.
I’ve also added Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith from Alabama and Ohio State, respectively, because they are beasts.
Tight Ends
Current Top Five
- George Kittle, 98 OVR, year 9
- Trey McBride, 93 OVR, year 4
- Travis Kelce, 92 OVR, year 13
- Brock Bowers, 91 OVR, year 2
- Mark Andrews, 90 OVR, year 8
2031 prediction
- Brock Bowers, 98 OVR, year 7
- Tyler Warren, 96 OVR, year 6
- Max Klare, 93 OVR, year 5
- Trey McBride, 92 OVR, year 9
- Kyle Pitts, 90 OVR, year 10
Guys That Fall Off
My assumption is that Kittle, Kelce, and Andrews will be retired or regressed by 2031, but Tony Gonalez was a pro-Bowler until 37!
Guys That Rise Into The Top Five
Brock Bowers might be the easiest prediction in this entire article. He broke records as a rookie and has the athletic profile and potential to be a generational talent, and should easily be number one. Warren is currently the top tight end in terms of receiving yards this season and has a profile similar to Brock Bowers coming out of the draft this season. He could be the Kittle to Bowers’ Kelce. Another future great tight end is Max Klare, the Current Ohio State tight end, who has the potential to be another first-rounder at the position in this upcoming draft. The final riser at the position is Kyle Pitts. He was expected to be a generational talent as a high draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft, but has so far been a bit disappointing for the Falcons. The potential is certainly still there, and I expect him to realize at least some of that potential in his second and third contracts.
