Help with setting up team

[DJ]

Just picked this game up a few days ago and really enjoy the gameplay, but have a few questions as it relates to selecting your team:

Here's how the first few teams I made looked like:

Gold QB
Gold MLB

Silver RB
Silver WR
Silver T

Bronze CB
Bronze S
Bronze TE
Bronze WR
Bronze RB
Bronze DE


My questions are:

1. Should I be selecting more than 1 OL?

2. Is it better to have a generic TE or FB?

3. Is 1 star player in the secondary sufficient if I choose to change my S to another position?

[gta95]

i really dont think Oline makes much of a difference, while Dline can make or break your team. Also, try to pick up a silver or bronze MLB, and pick up a safety too. I also recommend atleast 1 silver CB and 1 bronze CB to cover teams (like mine) dat use two legend recievers. hope this helps.

[RogueHominid]

The beauty of the game is that you can make about any team work if you play to its strengths and package the players smartly. That said, there's been lots written by the smart strategy folks (LBZrule, Tombsong, Dunnely, and others) on LB play in the game. MLBs get caught in traffic more frequently than they should, so unless you're going to do some manual gap reassignment or some other strategic manipulations to keep your MLB clean, you might choose to go elsewhere with your gold picks.

Personally, I've found that a Gold corner is a great staple, as is a FS. You'll find good debate in the threads about most of the positions, though, so beyond the MLB issue and the issue of d-lineman performing better when you control them (discussed by others elsewhere), it's really an issue of preference. Just to weigh in on one of those particular debates, some will suggest that you don't need legend o-lineman, or that you just need one. I've got one on my current team, but I've had teams with several, and there is a marked difference. Many just prefer to allocate their picks to the skill positions, and there's good reason for that, though I think o-lineman can help some of those positions by providing more time and security for the QB and more lanes for the RBs. Watching Bob St. Clair neutralize their best rusher play in and play out is fun, as is watching Larry Little lead the sweep.

Good luck with the experimenting! You'll find that once you start, you can't stop because there are so many ways to build an effective team in this game. Gotta love it!

[Cebby]

Build your offense around your gold player. If you're going to run the ball a whole lot, don't waste the pick on the QB, and don't pick a RB if you're running a passing offense. IMO, if you take a gold QB, the only silver RB you should think about is Craig.

[RogueHominid]

That depends, I think, soldier. My offensive Gold is Marcus Allen, but I try to make my silver offensive players just as much a part of my game plan so that my opponent can't just key in on Marcus and think I'm going to run the ball but not have a serious passing threat. I know you probably aren't suggesting one-dimensionality, but just for clarification's sake, I think having multiple threats on offense is a good idea, unless you've got really dependable generics, or are really good with your one Gold player.

Good point on Craig, though--he's quite a weapon in this game and can give you lots of things that Golds can for a lower price.

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

Build your offense around your gold player. If you're going to run the ball a whole lot, don't waste the pick on the QB, and don't pick a RB if you're running a passing offense. IMO, if you take a gold QB, the only silver RB you should think about is Craig.

Yeah I was planning on taking either Craig or Watters as my silver RB, as I do like to throw the ball.

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'll keep tweaking and see what setup I like best.

[Cebby]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trojan Man

That depends, I think, soldier. My offensive Gold is Marcus Allen, but I try to make my silver offensive players just as much a part of my game plan so that my opponent can't just key in on Marcus and think I'm going to run the ball but not have a serious passing threat. I know you probably aren't suggesting one-dimensionality, but just for clarification's sake, I think having multiple threats on offense is a good idea, unless you've got really dependable generics, or are really good with your one Gold player. Good point on Craig, though--he's quite a weapon in this game and can give you lots of things that Golds can for a lower price.

I didn't mean gold RB means run 40 times (unless it's Campbell) or QB means throw 95% of the time. I meant it's best to put your gold player in the best position to succeed. A shotgun offense doesn't need Barry Sanders and if you throw 15 times a game, you probably don't need Marino. I build around the gold player. A gold QB needs a few WRs and a gold RB needs an OL.

[RogueHominid]

That's what I thought, soldier, but I just wasn't sure. Sorry for the misunderstanding.