Madden 22 player ratings: Predicting the 5 highest-rated Houston Texans players

The Houston Texans are in a huge bind. Their starting quarterback wants out and is facing lawsuits by the boatload. They are also starting over at head coach after firing their last HC and general manager Bill O'Brien.

In a rush, they signed Tyrod Taylor as a bridge quarterback and drafted a mid-round talent in Davis Mills. While the Texans are in a state of flux, they still have some decent players at the top. Here are the five players expected to be rated the highest on the team in Madden 22.

5 players likely to be rated the highest on the Houston Texans in Madden 22

#1 - Deshaun Watson (87 overall)

Two rival starting QBs working out together? Jordan Love and Justin Fields (and Deshaun Watson) here, via their agent David Mulugheta. pic.twitter.com/GhJuZfbYmE

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 8, 2021

Deshaun Watson isn't expected to play next season due to the long list of lawsuits he's facing, but he's still a member of the Houston Texans roster and is expected to be in Madden 22. He will likely be ranked higher in Madden 22 after putting together a season in which he threw for 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

However, Madden has been commenting on social issues a little more actively lately. Colin Kaepernick was featured in Madden as a free agent with a solid overall rating. The game has also commented on social issues in "message of the day" pop-ups and a sign that says "End Racism" near the endzone of stadiums.

Watson could see his overall rating impacted as a result of the current battery of lawsuits. Instead of having a rating in the 90s, it's likely that Watson will be knocked down a peg in Madden 22.

However, since the Texans lack a lot of high-end talent, Watson remains the best player on the team.

#2 - Brandin Cooks, WR (85 overall)

Cincinnati Bengals v Houston Texans

Brandin Cooks' history in the NFL is a bit of a mystery.

In all but two of his seven seasons, he has earned 1,000 yards or more. That said, he has bounced around the league like a player earning 300 yards per season. He has played for the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, and now the Houston Texans.

Last season, he earned 1,150 yards and six touchdowns as a member of the Houston Texans. Since he's bounced around so much, there is something holding him back in the eyes of other teams.

Madden will pick up on this and it will reflect in the game.

#3 - Phillip Lindsay, RB (81 overall)

Denver Broncos v Carolina Panthers

Phillip Lindsay was the starting running back for the Denver Broncos in 2018 and 2019. In those seasons, he earned over 1,000 yards on the ground each season.

However, in a puzzling move, the Broncos brought in Melvin Gordon III in 2020, which limited Lindsay's production, before parting ways with the young running back. The Texans picked him up quickly.

#4 - David Johnson, RB (78 overall)

Cincinnati Bengals v Houston Texans

David Johnson has had a roller coaster of a career. For every decent season he racks up, he struggles an equal amount. He has two seasons with around 1,000 yards.

Outside of that, his next-best season saw him earn 691 yards and six touchdowns. Other seasons saw him earn 345, 23, and 581 yards.

In other words, Johnson is not a reliable running back but can be decent at times. This gives the Texans and Madden users just enough hope to keep him around as a decent player.

#5 - Ka'imi Fairbairn, K (77 overall)

Cincinnati Bengals v Houston Texans

Fairbairn is coming off the second-best season of his career. In 2020, Fairbairn made 27 field goals out of 31 attempts, which comes out to 87.1 percent. The Texans are facing a lot of problems right now, but kicker is not one of them.