NFL Rumors: Have the Madden 23 player ratings been leaked?

Madden is nearing its annual release date and is coming to a game console near you. In the meantime, a rumored leak has hit the internet which shows the top rankings. Named for the NFL legend John Madden, who we sadly lost last year, his color commentator skills live on in the games as they’re played. "Madden 23" is highly anticipated, much like the real-life 2022 NFL season.

But are the rankings legitimate? Twitter users aren’t happy about where some quarterbacks have landed. Of course, Twitter users aren’t too happy about most things. But looking at how the alleged Madden ratings break down, there are some questions.

For one, Matthew Stafford received an 87. This, after leading the Rams to several clutch wins through the playoffs and winning a Super Bowl. And Deshaun Watson earns an 86 after sitting out for an entire year, outscoring playoff quarterbacks like Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr.

As for the wide receivers, the Madden 23 ratings give Michael Thomas a 93, despite being missing in action over much of the last two years and no longer having Drew Brees at quarterback. On the flip side, Hunter Renfrow’s 84 seems a little low after the year he had in 2021.

Then, there were the running backs. Last year’s rushing champion Johnathan Taylor received a respectable 96 but was still out-ranked by Derrick Henry at 97. And 92 for Alvin Kamara seems a little high after a down year and a quarterback who tends to avoid dumping the ball off in favor of throwing it downfield.

The Madden 23 ratings maybe only be rumors but the debates they're causing are all too real

Whether or not these ratings are true or fabricated, the lists have created much debate on social media platforms. Madden has become as much a part of the NFL as free agency and the draft. Once the game is finally released, it will be interesting to see if these early leaks are accurate.

Madden 23 is developed by EA and has an expected release date of Friday, August 19. The cover hasn't yet been released, but rumors have suggested Cooper Kupp or possibly even the late, great John Madden himself. Fans around the country and even the world have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on the game and will, no doubt, binge play all the way up to the NFL season opener on September 8.