Position Switches

[Z]

Generally speaking, are you better off playing guys out of position, or changing a guy's position and then playing him at the new position?

I'm asking specifically because my two best receivers are both flankers and one of them is going to have to play split end, but I have similar decisions to make along the defensive line.

Thanks.

[rubisco43]

+1... also, does changing player position (ie: RE to LE) also affect player rating, and will we see the change in player rating? by the way, RTFM is a completely legit answer.

[Z]

I read the manual and it said that as long as it's not a major position switch, guys' ratings take a hit depending on the difficulty of the switch. That is, the red bars will decrease a bit while the green bars stay the same. What I'm more curious about is whether I should change a guy's position outright when I want to move him, or if I should just play him at the new position without a formal position change, or whether it doesn't matter at all.

[Cotton]

Re: Position Switches

Generally speaking, are you better off playing guys out of position, or changing a guy's position and then playing him at the new position?

I'm asking specifically because my two best receivers are both flankers and one of them is going to have to play split end, but I have similar decisions to make along the defensive line.

Thanks.

If you click the Position Switch button, it will give you a general assessment of how that player will do at a position and give you a chance to cancel it.

Personally - and you'll see in the first Transaction Log ;) - I like to have players set at the positions they're actually going to play if I can switch them without any major experience loss. It's easier, for me, to track their experience that way - though FOF 2k7 makes it much easier to track position experience, so I might change my mind on that. It also helps when your putting a depth chart together, because the AI 'recommendations' will have a better idea of where YOU want them to play. And yeah, I will use the recommend button often to save time when depth charting. Absolutely. Even if just to reset after changing the inactive list then edit the recommendations from there.

For example, if you set an MLB (4-3 player) as a WILB in a 3-4, the AI will try to play him there. If you leave him at MLB, the AI could play him either on the strong or weak side. You just have a little less control over it. Not much, but a little.

Linebackers are the biggest crap shoot in this regard. Some MLBs are just not good at a 3-4 scheme and a lot of WILBs and WLBs would rather play FS than MLB in a 4-3. They're just not big enough to handle the middle alone.

And don't think that playing LT is anything like playing RT. They're very different. There are few true RTs that can handle the weak side. Which is why true LT's make pantloads of kwan. They protect the QBs blind side - from the weak side, usually without the aid of a TE.

With wide outs, as you mentioned, I don't really think it makes a bit of difference. They're probably the most interchangeable positions.

You have to do this with a lot of caution and think of it this way: The minute you switch someone's position, they will be 'practicing' at that position - regardless of where they wind up in the actual games.

So, they won't be able to just jump back and forth very well. In fact, some players will refuse to after a while. The worst thing you can do is flip a player back and forth, back and forth - their experience ratings nose dive and often their overall ratings. Think about them practicing at that position all week between games and it makes more sense. To me, anyway.

[Z]

Thanks, Cotton, that helps a lot.

You mentioned that moving from right tackle to left tackle is difficult. What about from left to right? That's kind of key for me as, although the offensive line was my primary emphasis for the preference draft, my drafters neglected to draft a right tackle. :?

[Guest]

Question:



MLB (actually SILB) with a 100 in pass rush tech and pass rush strength --- I have a 3-4 scheme and I can't see why I should not move him outside to maximize his rushing --- I'm assuming a pass rush from outside is better (in the code) than a middle rush? Thoughts

[HungryB]

I noticed a option in Game Plan - Misc. Settings where you can change the positional bias in the depth chart. Of course this is if you were to use the Recommend button in the depth chart I'm guessing.

[Cotton]

Thanks, Cotton, that helps a lot.

You mentioned that moving from right tackle to left tackle is difficult. What about from left to right? That's kind of key for me as, although the offensive line was my primary emphasis for the preference draft, my drafters neglected to draft a right tackle. :?

There's often an experience hit, but not as much (from what I've seen anyway, just thinking anecdotally) of a ratings hit. And as your LT gets older, less of a hit if you move him. Rookies who haven't practiced with the team yet are easy to switch from left to right - usually - and before training camp, so are veterans with 8 or so more seasons under their belt. And it's easier for a LT to move to RT than vice versa. So, an aging LT could make a switch to RT more painlessly than a younger veteran. As their careers get longer, they'll almost always have to play some left tackle as a backup. Depends on the depth chart and the quality or existance of a second LT.

But it's often hard to find a guy playing RT that easily makes the switch to LT. It's all about the strength of the formation. The TE usually lines up on the right, so naturally the RT has more help. LT is tougher to play because there's usually nobody between you and the split end except maybe your slot receiver and he's not there to block.

[Cotton]

Question:



MLB (actually SILB) with a 100 in pass rush tech and pass rush strength --- I have a 3-4 scheme and I can't see why I should not move him outside to maximize his rushing --- I'm assuming a pass rush from outside is better (in the code) than a middle rush? Thoughts

You can switch guys to see how their ratings change. Just don't save the game. Switch, see how it looks, then close out the game without saving or exporting anything. Then they'll be the way they were before you switched them. Every guy is different. It's one of the cool things about FOF.

A lot of times during trade negotiations, it's common for people to ask (at least I do from time to time) how a guy would look on the other side of the formation. That's an easy way to find out.

But it's also not reliable, since after a game or two, the ratings could change one way or the other. But at least it gives you a good idea.