FOF2007 player development

[markusg77]

Hi Everybody,

I recently started playing FOF2007 and I'm new to this forum. I do have some experience with FOF2001 and TCY.

The question I have is, can you please help me concerning how to best develop promising players in FOF2007.

I read that mentors (I got one for each position) and good coordinators (i have good ones) do help, but...

Is it better to start a rookie with overall e.g. 20/60 immediately or sit him for a season or two. My impression is that he won't develop really well if he is not playing a lot - is this true?

My real problem is that in FOF2007 I almost never can develop a young player to his max rating indicated after the first training camp. E.g. the 20/60 player will most often bottom up at around 50. Of cource I'd like to get him to 60.

What can I do to get the best of my guys?

Thanks for your help!
Cheers
Markus

[QuikSand]

Welcome to the forums, Markus.

My real problem is that in FOF2007 I almost never can develop a young player to his max rating indicated after the first training camp. E.g. the 20/60 player will most often bottom up at around 50. Of cource I'd like to get him to 60.

Two answers here...

The simple answer is that players develop best with playing time and a mentor. For the most part, missing either one just slows their trajectory. So, you have to judge whether it's worth it to your current team to play the young guy to help him develop.

The more complex answer is that FOF 2007 is a *lot* more complex on this front than the games you are familiar with. Players who look like 20/60 heading into rookie training camp don't have any sort of entitlement to end up rated 60 or thereabouts -- in fact, lots (most) of them really have no potential even very close to that 60, it's just illusory. Do some digging around these forums (searching on terms like "development" and "creeper" might be useful) for some discussion on this -- but my strong suspicion is that the reason your 20/60 players are peaking to 40 or 50 is *not* because you're developing them improperly, but rather because they really aren't all that good (60) to begin with.

Hope you enjoy the form and the game.

[Matthean]

And just know you can also get a guy to come in looking at something like 44/85 and be 95/95 at the end of his rookie year. :D And yes, he started day 1 and had a mentor. I drafted him 1.23 in a SP league and it was one of the few picks I got pump the fist in the air excited about seeing him drop to me. This despite my so not needing a saftey. My only issue is the 10 mil per year he's going to be doing to my salary cap down the road.

[markusg77]

Thank you for your replys!

I also experienced guys which turned out way better than originally expected, which is always nice.

Maybe you could please share some opinions on how to best develop a young promising QB?
I have a rookie QB (my number 5 overall pick) with 20/64 after the exhibition season.
I have a veteran QB with 40/40, who is a mentor to QBs on my roster. My OC is good with QBs and very good with young talent.

My question, do I sit the rookie for a year with the mentor-vet starting, or do I start him right away?
What would you do and why? Or is there a proven way in FOF2007?

Thanks a lot for your help! This forum makes FOF even more fun!
Regards
Markus

[johnnyshaka]

Players develop faster with playing time...so, like QS mentioned aboved, you have to determine what is more important to you...winning now or trying to improve your chances in the future. Also, with a 20/64 guy, there is always a good possibilty that he's no better than a 40/40 when it's all said and done...so, you have to consider that you could be "suffering" through this season for nothing.

[Matthean]

How much has the rookie improved since he was added to the team? What kind of interview did you get with him? I would by default start the rookie since it's pretty much a given the 40/40 vet isn't going much of anywhere and the rookie QB could in theory be 64/64 by seasons end if not higher.