Madden NFL 23 is the latest entry in the Electronic Arts NFL football simulation series. It's the premier way for fans to play as their favorite teams and players in the NFL. One important position on offense, the tight end, has evolved in the modern era and has become a focal point for real-life and video game offenses alike.
For decades, wide receivers have been considered the most valuable targets in the passing game, but players like Travis Kelce and George Kittle have reinvented what it means to be an NFL tight end. Knowing if a team has one of the best at this position in Madden NFL 23, could help players decide which team to use in franchise mode, or what player should be targeted in trades or free agency.
Updated on February 26th, 2023 by Hodey Johns: The regular season, playoffs, and Super Bowl have concluded. With that all in the books, gamers will be bracing for a long off-season. Ratings adjusters have been working overtime, week-to-week, shifting players based on their performance in the previous weeks. Now, with the last performance in the books, players can pick up and drop players knowing what their stats will be. The ratings adjusters do, sometimes, inexplicably make small changes to player statistics during the offseason. However, this list will likely remain intact and the player statistics won't change substantially enough to merit a significant alteration.
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10 Pat Freiermuth - 84 OVR
After his rookie year in 2021 when Pat Freiermuth caught seven touchdown passes, the hot tight end cooled off in the red zone in 2022. He admittedly had zero help from his passing game. Even so, his yardage almost doubled from one season to the next.
The real oddity is that although Freiermuth has played in 16 games during each season, he's still not the starter yet, starting less than half of the games last year. With full-time duties, this is a tight end that could easily be on the top five.
9 Evan Engram - 84 OVR
After an exciting campaign with the New York Giants where he set a rookie record for receiving touchdowns by a rookie tight end for the franchise, New York fell out of love with their prospect. Engram's playing time decreased. Finally, he made his way to Jacksonville where he found new life.
Engram is back on the map, setting a single-season career record for receiving yards in 2022. If this is what it looks like when he and Lawrence are developing chemistry, it's frightening to consider what it might look like when that chemistry is fully realized.
8 David Njoku - 85 OVR
Experts predict that David Njoku is due for a breakout season soon. He hasn't had a Pro Bowl year, but Cleveland has been mired in mediocrity from quarterback play. Even their well-paid quarterback came back from suspension last year and couldn't manage to impress.
That doesn't mean Njoku's talents are being wasted. While Njoku could be shredding coverage from the best cornerbacks in the NFL, he's blocking for Nick Chubb. Chubb's output is definitely a nod to Njoku's dominance.
7 Kyle Pitts - 86 OVR
Without any qualifications, Kyle Pitts had a terrible season in 2022 as did the rest of the Falcons. With less than 400 yards in ten games, it was clear that the once aspiring young talent was not being used correctly. But if things get righted in Atlanta, Pitts will rise again to prominence.
His 86 OVR may seem too high, but consider that in 2021, this same player put up over 1,000 yards, shredding some of the league's most talented safeties over the top. With a good quarterback and some creative scheming, Pitts still has some magic to unlock.
6 Darren Waller - 87 OVR
The Raiders had a cataclysmically bad year. Considering they expected to contend for a Super Bowl title, the disappointment cut even deeper. Waller could have changed their fortunes but has missed large chunks of the last two seasons due to injury.
Because of this, Waller's OVR has taken a dive. Even so, he's recognized as one of the best in the business when he's on the field. With some luck, he'll be back to making Pro Bowls as he did in 2020. The Raiders have to sign one of the incredible quarterbacks in free agency to get him the ball for that to happen, though, as Las Vegas has parted ways with Derek Carr.
5 Dallas Goedert - 89 OVR
For years, Dallas Goedert served as the backup tight end behind star Zach Ertz, but he's managed to emerge into a true threat at the position thanks in large to Ertz's departure. Despite playing with a young quarterback in Jalen Hurts, Goedert has managed to consistently produce for an offense that has lacked a true #1 receiver on the outside.
Goedert may not have the most statistically impressive seasons, but there is a reason his OVR has increased by four points since the start of the year. He's part of the legendary Eagles' blocking unit. It's interesting that Goedert puts up any numbers at all since he's often making holes for the fantastic running backs in Philadelphia.
4 T.J. Hockenson - 90 OVR
T.J. Hockenson struggled to gel with the Lions until this season. Yet, inexplicably, Detroit unloaded their Pro Bowler to the Vikings in the middle of what looked like a breakout season. Minnesota was grateful for this oversight as Hockenson completed a second Pro Bowl year.
What makes Hockenson so dangerous is how he finds gaps between some of the best linebackers in the league. He had the most receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns in 2022. If he keeps it up, Kirk Cousins has gained a considerable weapon on offense.
3 Mark Andrews - 93 OVR
Both the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson have established an expectation that their offense lives and dies by the running game. Though that happens to ring rather true, tight end Mark Andrews has consistently provided the receiving threat Jackson could rely on.
In 2021, Andrews led tight ends in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. His numbers in 2022 weren't as gaudy, but he still made the Pro Bowl for a Ravens team that just can't seem to stay healthy for long stretches. He'll block some of the most elite defensive linemen whenever he's asked.
2 George Kittle - 97 OVR
To many NFL fans, George Kittle is the most complete tight end in the sport. He may fall slightly behind Travis Kelce in terms of route running, but he's arguably the best run-blocking tight end in the league. He had to do a lot of that with injuries to the line in 2021.
Even so, Kittle was only one touchdown shy of Kelce's twelve despite his infrequent use in the passing game. Kittle might be considered one of the best offensive linemen if he played exclusively that role. Because he also catches passes, his value is that much higher.
1 Travis Kelce - 99 OVR
When Tyreek Hill left for the offseason, players thought the Chiefs might suffer for losing one of the best wide receivers in football. Hill did indeed perform in Miami, but the Chiefs were just fine and won the Super Bowl. Too many people forget about Travis Kelce.
Even the ratings adjusters took somebody considered to be the best tight end of all time in the thick of dominance and gave him a 98 OVR. Well, after getting second in touchdowns and third in receptions among all receivers, the 99 OVR was an inevitability.
Madden NFL 23 is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.