A good tight end can be a nightmare for a defense to deal with in Madden 21.
With run-blocking and primary route responsibilities, a great tight end can be the difference between winning and losing. But who are the best?
How to choose the best tight ends (TE) in Madden 21 Franchise Mode
This article will be looking at the best tight ends (TE) in Madden 21's offline modes like Franchise Mode and Face of the Franchise. We are not looking at externalities like age, contract status, or surrounding teammates. Just raw stats and OVR.
Let's dive in!
George Kittle - 98 OVR
Team: San Francisco 49ers
The top TE in Madden 21 is George Kittle.

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Kittle comes with 88 speed and 89 acceleration to get away from coverage. He has 98 catching and 88 spectacular catch. His route running is solid, with 87 short, 84 medium, and 76 deep.
Best of all though, Kittle leads all tight ends with 78 impact block and 76 run block power. He's the total package.
Travis Kelce - 97 OVR
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Coming in just behind Kittle is Super Bowl LIV winner Travis Kelce.
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The Chiefs TE has 85 speed and 88 acceleration, along with 90 catching and an 83 juke move to be an elite receiver. It's just his blocking (65 run block power) that is markedly different from Kittle.
Rob Gronkowski - 95 OVR
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After a year away, Rob Gronkowski's rating has been a talking point among Madden players. There is no doubting his talent when healthy though.

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Gronk isn't the athlete he once was, with 81 speed and 86 acceleration. He does have 94 catching, 93 spectacular catch, and 93 catch in traffic though, making him a near-guaranteed reception.
Zach Ertz - 90 OVR
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
There's a bit of a step down in OVR to Zach Ertz at #4.
The Eagles man has 82 speed and 86 acceleration, but his technique as a receiver is near-flawless.
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He has 86 short, 84 medium, and 74 deep route running, along with 92 catching and 92 spectacular catch.
Austin Hooper - 89 OVR
Team: Cleveland Browns
Next up is Cleveland's new tight end, Austin Hooper.
Hooper is a safe pair of hands, with 97 catching, but his 83 spectacular catch and 82 catching in traffic is a bit of a let down. He's also not much of a blocker.
Evan Engram - 88 OVR
Team: New York Giants
Evan Engram checks in as the fastest tight end in Madden 21 with 90 speed and 91 acceleration. That athleticism can cause defenses fits.

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He brings 88 catching, 89 spectacular catch, and 81 short route running to the field too.
Jared Cook - 87 OVR
Team: New Orleans Saints
Cook might be a veteran of the NFL, but he still has 85 speed and 90 acceleration.
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His 85 catching is a bit of a disappointment, but he does have 88 spectacular catch, 86 catch in traffic, 82 short route running to still be an effective receiver. He is very much not a blocker though (50 run block power).
All the best tight ends in Madden 21
Player | Team | OVR |
---|---|---|
George Kittle | San Francisco 49ers | 98 |
Travis Kelce | Kansas City Chiefs | 97 |
Rob Gronkowksi | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 95 |
Zach Ertz | Philadelphia Eagles | 90 |
Austin Hooper | Cleveland Browns | 89 |
Evan Engram | New York Giants | 88 |
Jared Cook | New Orleans Saints | 87 |
Greg Olsen | Seattle Seahawks | 86 |
Mark Andrews | Baltimore Ravens | 86 |
Darren Waller | Oakland Raiders | 85 |
Hunter Henry | Los Angeles Chargers | 85 |
Eric Ebron | Pittsburgh Steelers | 84 |
Kyle Rudolph | Minnesota Vikings | 84 |
Tyler Higbee | Los Angeles Rams | 82 |
Dallas Goedert | Philadelphia Eagles | 81 |
Jack Doyle | Indianapolis Colts | 81 |
OJ Howard | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 80 |
Trey Burton | Indianapolis Colts | 80 |
Gerald Everett | Los Angeles Rams | 79 |
Mike Gesicki | Miami Dolphins | 79 |
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