Fantasy Draft - what positions do you pick in the first few rounds?

[Herbn]

Quote: Originally Posted by extremeskins04

Yea I saw that Suh would have went in the 3rd, so I could have probably either taken a No 1 star WR or even went with a star CB like Peterson or Sherman. Bah! I'm tempted to start over again just to see. Drafting is actually really fun for me. So basically you're saying that if I don't take a star WR in the 2nd or even 3rd rounds then I need to just hold off probably and wait for the late round gems? This brings me to another question. I play coach mode and I like to see Kaepernick take off with the ball and run with it, but he doesn't so sometimes i'll select a Read Option play and see how he does with the ball, but he always gets pummeled. I don't usually control any of the players at all for coach mode, but I guess I have to for the QB run option plays? Have you ever had success with QB running the ball on their own in coach mode? Even when they're under pressure from the defense and they scramble?

Yeah, I love drafting too. If you're not entirely happy with your team, go for it. My first draft is never the final one. I always restart/reload at some point during the draft since I want to make it something I can use for a few seasons, so I make sure I have a really solid base to work with moving forward.

Yup, unless you get a Julio or AJ early on, wait a little bit. Josh Gordon was my prime target for my No. 1 WR since he's Andre Johnson 2.0, and I got him in round 7 (YMMV).

I control my players, so I don't have that problem. I actually had an amazing play last night where Newton trucked a blitzing DB on a read-option, and he took it 60 yards to the house.

Also, a few more tips:
1. Save after you make a pick that you're really happy with, and if you're in a spot where there are two players you want, take one and see if the other is available in the next round. If they're not there or it would've worked the other way around, reload and do it again. I'm sure some people consider that cheating, but who cares, it's your own CFM.
2. Keep running notes on your draft to evaluate your strategy/see where you can wait to get certain players if you plan on restarting/reloading at some point. I was able to refine my team knowing where I could wait to take certain players/positions.
3. Check the DEVT rating. If it's 0, I would avoid that player. You generally want someone with a 2 or 3 since they'll level up quicker, but that's not always the case (like I took Aqib Talib who is a 1, but he had everything I wanted in my No. 1 corner). Although Kuechly is pretty awesome even with a 0 rating.

[Herbn]

Quote: Originally Posted by lisinas

In my opinion very important thing is what you take as your DT , if you play 4-3 take someone like Suh/McCoy/Geno Atkins if you play 3-4 i wouldnt take any of these guys as they been a letdown for me in 3-4 defenses, i find true Nose Tacklers play better than those guys in 3-4.

Suh is a freak, so he could be the exception in this case. But he makes a good point: sometimes fit makes a big difference, especially along the defensive line. Marcel Dareus, who I got in the 4th, has been awesome as my NT.

[extremeskins04]

Thanks for all the info guys. One thing that I was also concerned about was what another user said about how in 3-4 defenses, the NT isn't in every play and in alot of different nickel schemes and cover 3's and stuff, they bring in more defenders and the NT sits out.

Is there any way to sorta prevent this from happening so the NT plays every down? Or is this just the nature of the beast?

I like to use Gameflow and Coach mode so I let the coach call all the plays normally, but sometimes he'll repeatedly call Cover 2's and Cover 3's and the NT ends up sitting on the bench on those plays I believe.

I mean I hear you guys about how important DT's are but if he's sitting out maybe 50% of the plays, then I could probably wait and draft a NT in the later rounds and just get a guy who's big and has high STR?

Any comments on this?

[lisinas]

Quote: Originally Posted by extremeskins04

Thanks for all the info guys. One thing that I was also concerned about was what another user said about how in 3-4 defenses, the NT isn't in every play and in alot of different nickel schemes and cover 3's and stuff, they bring in more defenders and the NT sits out. Is there any way to sorta prevent this from happening so the NT plays every down? Or is this just the nature of the beast? I like to use Gameflow and Coach mode so I let the coach call all the plays normally, but sometimes he'll repeatedly call Cover 2's and Cover 3's and the NT ends up sitting on the bench on those plays I believe. I mean I hear you guys about how important DT's are but if he's sitting out maybe 50% of the plays, then I could probably wait and draft a NT in the later rounds and just get a guy who's big and has high STR? Any comments on this?

Try putting your NT as #2 RE/LE in depth charts , i noticed the thing you said too and i also noticed that everytime NT is not on the field #2 defensive ends ARE on the fiield.

[ThatKidNamedTae]

Hey guys. I was hoping you can grade/rate my first madden fantasy draft. Thanks

QB:
Russell Wilson (86)
Brian Hoyer (73)
Kellen Moore (67)
Pat White (67)

HB:
Demarco Murray (82)
Ben Tate (80)
Cedric Peerman (72)

FB:
Corey Mcintyre (76)
James Hanna (59)

WR:
Greg Jennings (90)
Cecil Shorts III (82)
Emmanuel Sanders (78)
Josh Morgan (74)
Courtney Roby (73)
Mike Brown (71)

TE:
Zach Miller (85)
Brandon Bostick (78)
Larry Donnell (76)

LT:
Eugene Monroe (93)
Thomas Welch (70)

LG:
Richie Incognito (75)
Josh LeRibeus (67)

C:
Fernando Velasco (74)
Jason Slowey (68)

RG:
David DeCastro (82)
Jeff Linkenbach (73)

RT:
Demetress Bell (77)
Byron Bell (75)

LE:
Red Bryant (87)
Glenn Foster (73)
Justin Francis (63)

RE:
Cameron Jordan (90)
Tim Jamison (78)

DT:
Vince Wilfork (94)
Antonio Dixon (70)
Brandon Deaderick (63)
Mike Patterson (55)

LOLB
John Abraham (86)
Brandon Graham (79)

MLB:
James Laurinaitis (84)
Pat Angerer (71)
Will Herring (66)

ROLB:
Trent Cole (91)
Marvin Mitchell (74)

CB:
Brandon Flowers (93)
Sean Smith (88)
Kyle Arrington (77)
Ron Brooks (72)
Brandon Burton (71)

FS:
Stevie Brown (79)
Sherrod Martin (76)

SS:
Brandon Meriweather (77)
Amari Spievey (75)

K:
David Akers (84)

P:
Thomas Morstead (97)

[il blood il]

Quote: Originally Posted by DropxEm

Hey guys. I was hoping you can grade/rate my first madden fantasy draft. Thanks QB: Russell Wilson (86) Brian Hoyer (73) Kellen Moore (67) Pat White (67) HB: Demarco Murray (82) Ben Tate (80) Cedric Peerman (72) FB: Corey Mcintyre (76) James Hanna (59) WR: Greg Jennings (90) Cecil Shorts III (82) Emmanuel Sanders (78) Josh Morgan (74) Courtney Roby (73) Mike Brown (71) TE: Zach Miller (85) Brandon Bostick (78) Larry Donnell (76) LT: Eugene Monroe (93) Thomas Welch (70) LG: Richie Incognito (75) Josh LeRibeus (67) C: Fernando Velasco (74) Jason Slowey (68) RG: David DeCastro (82) Jeff Linkenbach (73) RT: Demetress Bell (77) Byron Bell (75) LE: Red Bryant (87) Glenn Foster (73) Justin Francis (63) RE: Cameron Jordan (90) Tim Jamison (78) DT: Vince Wilfork (94) Antonio Dixon (70) Brandon Deaderick (63) Mike Patterson (55) LOLB John Abraham (86) Brandon Graham (79) MLB: James Laurinaitis (84) Pat Angerer (71) Will Herring (66) ROLB: Trent Cole (91) Marvin Mitchell (74) CB: Brandon Flowers (93) Sean Smith (88) Kyle Arrington (77) Ron Brooks (72) Brandon Burton (71) FS: Stevie Brown (79) Sherrod Martin (76) SS: Brandon Meriweather (77) Amari Spievey (75) K: David Akers (84) P: Thomas Morstead (97)

not bad, but my last pick would be the punter...i personally hardly need to punt...your offense is no joke but i can see ur secondary giving you trouble..ur safeties arent that great...maybe get yourself a better SS instead of a 97 overall punter

[PGaither84]

I used to write the fantasy drat primers for Madden 09, 10, and 11. I might eventually write on for 25 now that I have the game. Things have changed now that potential is gone.

You need to have a team identity mind, and my preferred style is as follows:

A defensive front 7 filled with players who have a high block shedding rating. A secondary filled with a high man coverage rating. For various reasons, I value defense, but honestly, not that much in Madden. I just try to play bend but don't break defense because in my experience it is mostly a joke in Madden anyway. That, and you have to mess with slider settigns to get a balance between a competent AI offense and one that will just march down and score on you are will with robo QB and friends.

My focus would be more on the offensive side of the ball, and while I wish offensive linemen mattered, I tend to feel that they simply don't. With how easy it is to run the ball with pretty much anyone in Madden, despite using 0 user run blocking and even the Dolphins in my current CCM who have a 75 OVR HB I never heard of as their starter, I am still running well. Instead, my focus is on QB, TE, and WR.

So, in all honesty, when I jump into my first Madden 25 fantasy draft, I will look to fill those three key positions and then to lock up my defense [specifically my secondary] and then front 7.

[extremeskins04]

I'm starting to think that the 3-4 defense doesn't work in this game at all. I play coach mode and let the cpu call the plays and i don't control the players and i'm getting steamrolled badly.

My offense is fine. Scoring points and doing well.

QB: Kaepernick
HB: D. Wilson
WR: J. Jones, Tavon, Blackmon, Edelman, Boykin

My line has Baker, Loadholt, Zeitler, Montgomery, Wharton

It's my defense that is getting just owned, and I don't know why.

I run 3-4 with these guys:

RE and LE: Raji and Jordan
NT: Poe
OLB's: Houston and Mingo
MLB's: Kuechly and Sean Lee

CB's: Sherman, Leon Hall, Shields, and Kirkpatrick
FS: Reid
SS: Berry

I have played 2 games without a sack yet, and am getting blown out 40+ points per game. The playbook I am using have been the Steelers and Houston books for defense, both of which are 3-4.

I just don't get it. QB's like Josh Freeman are throwing amazing passes to Ted Ginn and Desean Jackson all day on me. Ahmad Bradshaw is running and getting 150+ yards. The only players that do well each game are Sherman dna Kuechly.

If I am not controlling the players at all, is it my team? Is it the playbook? Is it the 3-4 defense? Is the 4-3 defense better? If i use the 4-3 defense, should i draft great pass rushing LB's and just change them to DE's?