There are tons of individual ratings for wide receivers in Madden 16. Many of them are useless, some have a minor effect, and a couple of them are very important. A wide receiver’s pass block attributes may effect his overall rating but in terms of actual gameplay it serves no purpose whatsoever.
Below, we go over 3 rating attributes that stand out from the rest in Madden NFL 16.
Spectacular Catch
Spectacular catch is the hardest catching skill to upgrade in connected franchise mode. Many newer Madden NFL gamers will focus exclusively on the catch attribute while ignoring spec catch and catch in traffic. That is a huge mistake. Just about any wide receiver in the game will catch a pass when he is wide open. It doesn’t matter much whether he has a 60 catch rating or a 99 catch rating. The majority of plays you will want your receiver to make will involve a spectacular catch animation, so make sure you have a wide receiver that has it.
Speed
Speed is the #1 attribute that all pro Madden gamers look for. If a wide receiver doesn’t have speed, he won’t be all that effective (outside of mega studs like Larry Fitzgerald). Any experienced Madden gamer would take an 99 speed receiver that is only 85 overall instead of an 85 speed receiver that is 99 overall. If you can’t get separation, you can’t make plays. Like the spectacular catch attribute, the speed rating takes a lot of work to improve in a connected franchise.
Height
Looking back on the most dominant wide receivers in Madden history, you don’t think of wide receivers like Wes Welker. The guy is awesome on Sundays and has great ratings in Madden, but because of his height he isn’t as dominant as he should be. Guys who have made an impact and been truly dominant in Madden games are the Randy Moss or Calvin Johnson type that possess the Spectacular Catch, Speed, and Height combination. Height cannot be upgraded ever within connected franchise mode so keep that in mind when choosing players in franchise or Ultimate Team.
If you can get a wide receiver with at least 2 out of the 3 of these attributes in Madden 16, you will have a dangerous passing game. What other attributes do you look for in wide receivers?
I will say I do agree that the 3 attributes listed are important, however I think 2 others that are overlooked that are also extremely important are Route Running and Release. I would actually trade 99 speed and 6’5″ height for a receiver who isn’t as tall and isn’t as fast if they have high RTE and RLS. An example of this would be someone with stats similar to the 96 Antonio Brown in MUT. He isn’t tall but anyone that knows what they are doing with a receiver can make him play like he is 6’3″ and moss just as good as any other receiver. You take a tall receiver who is lightning fast with low RLS and RTE he will either A. Be no where near where the ball is suppose to be making it look like it is the QB’s fault B. Be lined up against a high press CB and not even be able to get off the line negating all the stats listed as important.
All very valid points CDub. I agree with you that things like route running are also extremely important.
Strength makes a big difference.DBs can’t knock you off your routes and don’t have much if any effect when you go up for a catch in 1 on 1 down the field.
I see the Steelers being used a ton this year online. Bryant and Coates (6’4″ and 6’1″ with good speed) on the outside. Brown in the slot. In 4 wide situations, bring in Wheaton who is a virtual poor man’s Brown clone. Wait… what about Bell… the best all-around back in the game? And for shizzles and giggles… throw in Dri Archer and his 98 speed out of the backfield.
Well it depends. Route running is the most important. Release can be ignored if u utilize motion routes which basically avoid press coverage. Height is only effective on the fade routes but you need height and a high jump rating. Because there are linebackers with 95 jump. Speed isn’t effective until after your passed the defense, acceleration is the Victor as far as getting seperation from the defender in your route. And catch in traffic out ways the catch rating. Because majority of the time it’s user vs user on the ball play. But low catch rating do factor a bit as well, game changing conversion with receiver wide open and watching him doink it….. but if we’re choose g 3 for receivers it’s going to be rte, cit, acceleration possession receivers and eating the clock is the best defense u can have. Because I hate playing defense with predetermined animations. Call the perfect play, and seeing the simultaneous animation or the stupid 1 hand grab are become annoying and impossible to defend