Madden 18: Teams with Most Dominant Rosters and Player Ratings | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Given the way the Madden series reflects real life accurately each year, it's not too difficult of a mental exercise to figure out which teams are some of the best in the new Madden 18.

Speed still reigns supreme in Madden, though teams with top-tier defensive backs will now be more important than ever thanks to the new options the game gives to players when it comes to playing the ball in the air.  

And though EA Sports keeps bringing along offenses and defenses at the same clip (wideouts have more options at the line of scrimmage to beat the press this year), the top teams and most fun to be had comes from the NFL's blistering offenses. 

Before the game launches on Friday, let's look at some of the most stacked rosters, keeping in mind players can browse every rating ahead of release at EASports.com. 

Madden 18's Best Rosters  

New England Patriots (93)

It's no shocker that the New England Patriots come in as the game's highest-rated team. 

Tom Brady sits on one of the rare 99 ratings and has a tight end by the name of Rob Gronkowski, who sits only one point behind Brady in the overall department. 

Granted, Gronkowski will likely have a high injury rating again. But this year the real and virtual Patriots don't feel reliant on him—not with the arrival of the 86-rated Brandin Cooks, who comes equipped with 96 speed. Don't forget a stable of running backs, either, including the shifty Rex Burkhead. 

As mentioned in the introduction, though, defenders are a critical part of this equation as well. The Patriots are unfairly loaded in this area, with defensive backs Malcolm Butler and Devin McCourty coming in at 92 overall. 

So while Brady doesn't offer a ton of speed in the pocket, he has more weapons to hit than usual, and his stacked defense should let players have no problems taking advantage of the new controls. 

Atlanta Falcons (91)

The Atlanta Falcons came up lame in the Super Bowl, but their core pieces create quite the Madden powerhouse this year. 

Matt Ryan comes in at 96 throwing to the 98 overall Julio Jones while comfortably sitting behind the 91-rated Alex Mack and often handing off the ball or checking down to Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, who come in at 89 and 85, respectively. 

Got all that? 

But the virtual Falcons aren't slouches on the defensive side of the ball either. Desmond Trufant can lock down most No. 1 wideouts with his 89 rating, and Vic Beasley is a force off the edge in the right hands, coming in at an 83 overall with 88 speed. 

A top-heavy team like this means player skill comes into play more than most, meaning the Falcons will easily be one of the most popular teams during online play. 

Dallas Cowboys (89)

Is it any wonder Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott come in with huge ratings this year?

The Dallas Cowboys have built a juggernaut of an offensive line in front of their two stars. Right guard Zack Martin is a 95. Left tackle Tyron Smith is a 94. Center Travis Frederick is a 93. 

This makes the Cowboys one of the most dangerous teams in the game considering Elliott comes in at 90 overall with a wicked combination of speed (92) and strength (81). Prescott, after a solid surprise campaign, comes in with the 86 rating and has the speed (82) to scoot out of the pocket and make plays of his own. 

As a reflection of the real thing, though, defense is a problem for the Cowboys. Defensive back Byron Jones is the highest-rated defender at 84 as one of only two members of his unit coming in at higher than 80. 

It's often fun for players to engage in major shootouts, so those who want a sprint to the finish line every game can pick the Cowboys—or know exactly what they are walking into if an opponent does. 

Oakland Raiders (86)

The Oakland Raiders might be the most interesting team in the top 10. 

Oakland has been one of the most fun teams to play in Madden over the years because of the front office's sheer infatuation with speed. 

This year, things are a little different. The Raiders have speed, but quite a bit more with quarterback Derek Carr coming in at an 89 with 83 speed. He's throwing to Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and Jared Cook on every down, with all three at least for now coming in at overalls of 85 or above. 

Then there's Marshawn Lynch. Beast Mode is back, still sitting on an 85 rating and missing a 90 speed by all of one point. He's yet again going to be a fun bruiser to use just as he was in Seattle, especially with defenders needing to stay honest to contain the mentioned aerial weapons. 

None of this has even mentioned defense. Khalil Mack is Oakland's highest-rated player at 97, and players can capitalize on the changes to pass defense with the 86-rated Sean Smith, with David Amerson and Karl Joseph not too far behind at 82 and 81, respectively. 

This year's edition of the Raiders feels like one that could morph into a fan favorite right out of the box. The scary part? EA Sports will update ratings each week as usual, meaning these Raiders could only get better if the on-paper outlook translates to the field. 

Information courtesy of EA Sports unless otherwise specified.