Drafting and building a dynasty

[ncummings15]

I have played this game casually since the original and after a day of playing the new version I've learned that my old tricks aren't working. I am hoping that someone can point me to a guide or give me some general advice in successful ways to build a team. It seems to me in this latest version that I am having almost 0 success in drafting.

Another thing that I have never been able to figure out is how trading works. I often would like to look at trading to get some draft picks when I am very deep at a position but I have no feel for what type of draft picks I can receive for a player.

I think the new game is awesome and it seems infinitely deeper in the strategy so I love it. I just am sucking at it and looking for a little help from those of you that have researched a lot more into how the game works. Thanks in advance!

Ps I only play SP so please tailor any advice towards that.

[Antmeister]

I have played this game casually since the original and after a day of playing the new version I've learned that my old tricks aren't working. I am hoping that someone can point me to a guide or give me some general advice in successful ways to build a team. It seems to me in this latest version that I am having almost 0 success in drafting.
Right now, there is a lot of us that is still trying to figure this one out. The best thing to do at the start of a new season is to get a good staff because they not only help with the development of players (with bonuses with the Primary Focus) but they also help with the success of what occurs on the field (Playcalling, Motivation, Injures). They are also crucial to trying to scouting accuracy.

For finances, it is much tougher and you can't seem to have too many star players on your team without suffering for it financially. Mid range guys are very helpful but if they even have some success and playing time, you can also be in trouble due to new contract demands.

If you can balance having a flat contract with players you want to keep long term and somehow keep the short terms ones with more of the backloaded ones, you can be okay but so far I have not found the right balance yet.

Now if you are a gameplanner, I can't really say much on that because I am still working on that as well.


Another thing that I have never been able to figure out is how trading works. I often would like to look at trading to get some draft picks when I am very deep at a position but I have no feel for what type of draft picks I can receive for a player.
For trading a player, there is a Shop for Player button. If there any multiple teams interested you want to go after the ones that have or near 100 interest. Once you find that out you can try out different draft pick combinations to see what the other team is willing to give up. Generally you can start by trying out a 1st and a 2nd just so you can see what the text will say in response and then go from there.

[korme]

Trading is almost too difficult... feels like I'm getting fleeced every time.

[slingblade73]

http://ourlads.com/nfl-draft-position-averages/

This is what the average person in the NFL looks like at every position. Try to draft people just like them. Like Parcells said, why would you want anything other than who is currently doing the job in the NFL?

http://ourlads.com/nfldraftvalue/

Use this a a guide to bump up or down in the draft. Hint: Never trade up. Stockpile picks and build if able.

It took me 13 years to build the Jags into a yearly contender.

The key: cost controlled talent.

[dbd1963]

I have found that my old strategies do work with a little modification.

I've been playing pretty much nonstop since I bought the game and I've made some observations:

1. Dropping combine accuracy to 25 allows good players to slip later in the draft. It also ensures I'm not always the best at drafting. I recommend going at least this low.

2. Coaching is extremely important in the post season. An overall average team with an exceptional QB will tear through the regular season even with inexpensive coaches. If you want to win Championships it seems coaching competence is necessary, and they do get expensive. I've resigned myself to paying it and making upgrades to my stadium to try to recoup the costs.

3. It's still easier to win it all with an excellent QB on an average team than with a great team and an average QB. I've won a couple of championships without the great QB, but it's a lot more rare. Unfortunately, great QBs seem to be pretty rare too. If you see a guy you know will hit the 80s sitting at the top of the draft, you have to sell out to get him. But it's usually worth it in terms of championships.

4. Free agency can eat through your cap if you aren't careful. I'm inclined to build through the draft to keep costs down.

6. Undrafted free agents can be very helpful to your team. Going by statistics they can even be on the edge of stardom, even if their overalls are average. You can also pick up good role players who are apparently ignored in the draft. Great run blocking FBs and TEs are often just sitting there for you. Occasionally there are some overlooked useful RBs and WRs too, though you may be scooped by another team for their services. (I know that's happened at least once with an undrafted RB I had my eye on. It never happened in the previous versions, so I was pleasantly surprised.)

7. Injury setting at 200 will drive you bananas. I know it's more realistic.. I may try it again. At 100 you don't have very many injuries to worry about.

8. I start my game in 1950. The default cap structure goes up way too fast for my liking. By 2000 my team was able to field an excellent QB on an overall good team and still have $50-60mil a year to play with in FA. I think the cap was at $350mil at that point.

My general team philosophy dictates that I value OL, DL and DBs most. I have resigned myself to rarely having a great QB, but I've found some good ones in the draft that can keep my regular season record looking very very good, and my team never gets near busting the cap, even in my latest career with a much lower cap increase range of 15-40. Too, finding great coaches will give you a lot of extra wins, but to get them you have to watch the numbers pretty carefully. Once you have them, I think it's prudent to pay them whatever they are asking. Don't forget to upgrade your stadium. I have found it's possible to get the fans to go along with incremental changes even when their support is still low.

[ncummings15]

Thanks for the great advice guys. A couple more questions...

1. Do you pay much attention to whether a guy is a nt, ldt, or rdt? Basically I'm asking for any position that has multiple positions, does it matter what position is listed?

2. What do you look for in the draft? Are you looking at an overall impression of their potential ratings? Are you looking at a certain score from the combine? Are you looking for specific rating that you want for each position? What I am doing appears to be wrong because the majority of my draft picks are fair or worse when it comes to future rating after the draft.

Thanks again!

[dbd1963]

Thanks for the great advice guys. A couple more questions...

1. Do you pay much attention to whether a guy is a nt, ldt, or rdt? Basically I'm asking for any position that has multiple positions, does it matter what position is listed?

2. What do you look for in the draft? Are you looking at an overall impression of their potential ratings? Are you looking at a certain score from the combine? Are you looking for specific rating that you want for each position? What I am doing appears to be wrong because the majority of my draft picks are fair or worse when it comes to future rating after the draft.

Thanks again!

To #1, I pay attention to their weight when I swap them to another position. I'm not sure how much difference it makes, but I've been told that weight is a factor in how they'll do and especially injuries. I haven't tested to be sure it really matters. Maybe someone else has.

To #2, if your combine accuracy is set to 25 or so, it's a bit of a crapshoot no matter what. There will be busts.

I tend to build my teams a specific way so I look for attributes that I value. It's hard to find a good power RB but that's what I like when I can get it. I want my LDE to be good at run stopping -- that sort of thing.

I also give preference to players that leaders indicate they like. I avoid players my leaders won't like unless they are superior, and then I try to find a way to fix the conflicts. They may not matter too much overall, but it suits me to have a happy team.

I think my biggest lesson lately has been to not be afraid to cut a guy loose if he is a bust or will take too long to develop to be useful while under contract with me. Of course, I'll be much more patient if a guy is going to wind up in the 50s or better. I'm not going to wait too long for an average guy. Too easy to replace. But I tend to feel an attachment to my draft choices, and especially to good undrafted free agents. Which is fine; it's a game! But consistent winning requires some hard choices sometimes.