Green Bay Packers:  Swaney
NFC North:  CHI - DC, DET - ?, GB - Swaney, MIN - noexult

Swaney joined DWHO last season with perfect timing to take on his beloved Packers and they remained his top choice for M18 because of course he is a real cheesehead.  This bumps up our #1 team choice selections to 12 of 19. 

Roster Notes: How much longer does Aaron Rodgers have?  At 33 years old, he doesn’t have many Madden seasons left.  Jordy Nelson and Clay Matthews are right behind him in line for their AARP cards.  Fortunately, GB appears to be in good shape with some young talent.  Rookie CB Kevin King out of Washington should step right into the #1 CB role with Davon House getting bumped to the 2 spot.  Rookie safety Josh Jones is a versatile player and should shore up the defensive backfield for several seasons.

Play Style Profile: Swaney as mentioned falls into the M17 DWHO rookie class and there is a learning curve for adapting a play style that meets some abstract idea of what the league considers sim.  Mixing up the play calls is the name of the game.  If the outcome of the play repetitively looks the same, there may be an issue.  If you’re playing Swaney, he loves those crossing routes and outside runs.

M18 Projection: The NFC North will be a challenge for Swaney.  Sun presented a pretty good challenge last season but the level of playing is even higher with a consistent noexult and a winner in DC.  The 4th team will be a competitor too.  Swaney will struggle early to keep up and should see a couple high draft picks.

Jacksonville Jaguars:  DippyDard aka Dippy aka Dard aka Dennis Ardman Jr.
AFC South:  HOU - NWS, IND - Phoof, JAX - Dippy, TEN - ?

Dippy had one basic request for M18 – anybody but the Colts.  Apparently the Colts left a bad taste in his mouth so we give him the opportunity to beat up on them… or to get beat by them and hate them even more.  The AFC South is turning into a Tosh tree sideshow attraction.

Roster Notes: The Jags were one of the most attractive teams in team selection responses and for obvious reasons.  They have all the pieces in place for a top 10 defense and some excellent tools to work with on offense.  Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, and Dante Fowler were all out animals for Van and Dippy never had anything close to this level of defensive talent in M17.  On offense, Allen Robinson and rookie Leonard Fournette will lead the way.   
 
Play Style Profile: Maybe Dippy will actually find a running game with Fournette on the roster because he certainly didn’t have one in M17.  He was all pass all the time.  Another M17 rookie to DWHO, he seemed to adapt well and should continue with his progress amongst friends in the AFC South.

M18 Projection: Dippy had some success in M17 and should experience a similar level of success again in M18.  He will make the playoffs at least once but again, this division will be a battle every season.  If you’re looking for trash talk, this will be the division.  First brother vs brother division matchup since ocwrestler and ovfd if I’m not mistaken.

Washington Redskins:  ovfd
NFC East:  DAL - ?, NYG - Bundy, PHI - ace, WAS - ovfd

After it was revealed that DC was not playing in Washington, everyone knew ovfd was returning to Landover.  If you didn’t know that, you don’t realize how much of a fan he is.  Seriously though, many of you follow your team on twitter but how many of you have your team following you on Twitter?  ovfd does, check it out.   

Roster Notes: “YOU LIKE THAT!”  Will Kirk Cousins under ovfd’s direction lead this team to the promised land?  He has plenty of options.  Kelley, Reed, Doctson, Pryor (he’s taking offers from you OSU fans…).  And then there’s the defense… is Norman fast enough to be effective?  Kerrigan still has some play left, Cravens is still very young, and Swearinger was added from the Cards to add some depth in the defensive backfield.  Jon Allen was a playmaker for Saban in Alabama and Skins fans are hoping he’ll do the same as a rookie DL from day 1.  Washington was looking for another OLB to play opposite and they’re hoping Ryan Anderson is that piece. 

Play Style Profile: (courtesy of Tosh)  Always be on your best behavior when playing the commish. ov loves his offensive weapons... for a season and then he drafts new ones. He probably has a 6th string WR better than anyone on your team. Always expect a fun a game look, check his stats before the game to see which style he is playing as it might vary season to season. Defensively he wants to get sacks, on his depth chart he might have guys with 20 AWR but 99 FMV, beware of those dudes. Every game will feel unique and madden doesn't always love the commish.

M18 Projection: (courtesy of Tosh) After being in one of the toughest divisions in DWHO history, ov will probably enjoy a break from Luigi, though he's not scared. Look for ov to be stingy on trading early with his favorite team, until he sees the combine results!

Los Angeles Rams:  Dildo Swaggins
NFC West:  ARI - Widow, LAR - Swags, SEA - Lethal, SF - Pack

Our first complete division!  And as mentioned in chat, you can’t describe a division as full of characters without having the self-proclaimed Dildo in it.  Who chooses that name for themselves?  Swags did have the Rams as his #1 destination of choice and that’s where he lands.

Roster Notes: There are several very desirable players on this squad from Gurley on offense to Donald on defense.  Both were prolific in the hands of Knugs but how well will they perform for Swags?  That remains to be seen.  There are some holes to fill (no pun intended…).  Rams desperately need a #1 receiver.  Yes, Tavon is good but he belongs in the slot and matched against PP in Arizona, he won’t win any jump balls.  You may want to keep your eye on rookie wideout Cooper Kupp.  He has a reputation for great hands but his speed may limit his effectiveness.  The secondary on defense also needs some attention.  John Johnson was drafted at safety but will most likely not leapfrog Maurice Alexander for the starting role.

Play Style Profile: It’s difficult to describe a play style for Swags as he joined so late and inherited such a terrible team.  Let’s keep it simple and just say he’s been fun to have in chat as an M17 rookie and we hope he’s a part of DWHO for years to come.

M18 Projection: As mentioned previously, this division is really up for grabs.  Would love to hear feedback on how you see these teams playing out in terms of W-L records and success in making playoffs.  Now that we have a complete division, look for a division writeup from me soon…

Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders:  Sunshine
AFC West:  DEN - ?, KC - zoufan, LAC - Kayser, OAK - Sun

Another #1 team selection placement, Sun gets placed with the future Las Vegas destination.  Oakland was a very desirable choice with a talented team adding exceptional depth in the rookie draft so let’s move on to the roster…

Roster Notes: This team is stacked and is probably the best Madden CFM roster in the league.  The list of key players is very long so to name a few:  Carr, Lynch, Cooper, Mack, Joseph.  Role players that could make a difference:  Cordarelle Patterson at wide receiver, that OL which is great on paper (PFF ranked them #4), and Jared Cook at TE.  And we haven’t even mentioned the rookies yet… OSU CB Conley will start from day 1 but the second round pick and athletic freak at safety Obi Melifonwu may outshine him.  6’4, 224 lbs, 4.40 40, 44” vertical.  The dude is a beast.

Play Style Profile: Sun was arguably the most prolific offense after Luigi in M17.  Commit to stopping either the run or the pass and he would sniff it out and beat you with the other.  So much so that his defensive abilities were rarely mentioned.  But don’t sleep on them either, his user at LB became very effective to round out an excellent Madden game making him easily a top 10 player in M17.

M18 Projection: Sun will be the early favorite in the AFC West but I believe zou and Kayser match up with him well.  Sun will win the division season 1 but give the rest of the div a good offseason and a chance to see the way he will operate the Raiders and they will give him a run for his money.  Not sure how sun will fare with a bruiser like Lynch instead of his usual speedy back like Hagans.  And Cooper in the hands of Sun who made Kevin White a star sounds like a nightmare.

New Orleans Saints:  No1xDraftPck
NFC South:  ATL - King, CAR - ?, NO - DP, TB - KotB

DP to the Saints is #19 of 26 that is going to his top destination of choice.  This one was a no-doubter from the beginning wasn’t it?  Nobody else really mentioned the Saints so DP stays on there to compete in a tough div.

Roster Notes: One of the reasons the Saints weren’t mentioned is because of the roster.  It’s Madden old led by Brees who is a HOF museum piece.  The loss of Cooks to NE is huge, can Michael Thomas fill the void?  At one point, DP was the leading rusher in the league in M17 but can he duplicate that effort with AP?  Beaver did well after everyone else had written AP off in M17.  LB Anthony will anchor the D as DP’s favorite user again.  Also on D, the Saints drafted Marshon Lattimore to address one of their big needs.  Look for him to start from day 1.  For a sleeper, keep an eye on rookie LB Anzalone.  NO was tempted by his size and athleticism which were excellent at Florida in the SEC but the big question is can he stay healthy?

Play Style Profile: DP for most of M17 was considered one of the best users on D and frankly the turnovers he created helped him win more games than his offense did.  Stephone Anthony’s success and stats in M17 have indirectly been called into question and it irks DP.  He desperately wants to prove the success was not a gameplay loophole.  Will rumored changes affect DP or will he be able to continue to dominate the middle of the field on D?

M18 Projection: An old rivalry with King and a couple new faces in the NFC South will shake up the landscape of this division.  As with most of the divisions that have been laid out for M18, this one will be competitive and we hope there is no clear cut, runaway winner in this div.  I predict that DP has a winning season to start but fails to make the playoffs.  While he remains very effective as a user on D, I believe the INT numbers we saw from LBs in M17 come back down to earth. 

Pittsburgh Steelers:  Vanflank
AFC North:  BAL - Oz, CIN - Knugs, CLE - ?, PIT - Van

Everyone should have had this narrowed down to Van and Waff from the beginning and Van wins the M18 Pittsburgh sweepstakes.  In addition, this bumps our count of #1 team selection placements up to 20 of 27.

Roster Notes: You know the players.  Roethlisberger, AB, Bryant, outlaw Jesse James, Bell (on the block if I know Van well enough…), Tuitt, Shazier, to name a handful.  But who are the youngsters that Van will be crushing on?  I’m not sure any of them are Van players.  I’m betting TJ Watt, JuJu, Cameron Sutton, and James Conner all are second string players at best, trade bait at worst. 

Play Style Profile: No secrets here.  Lots and lots of passing on offense and zone coverage on D.  Contrary to popular opinion, Van is not just a one trick pony on offense.  In fact, he found a healthy running game as M17 progressed so don’t sell out on the pass completely.  Flip to the other side of the ball and Van is admittedly a one trick pony.  He may be allergic to running man.

M18 Projection: Van got his team but he picked up a stiff challenge along with it.  You ain’t in the AFC South any more Van BUT you will get a homecoming tour of the AFC South in season 1.  I’m predicting an 8-8 season to start until a few more pieces are added to make this a Van-style team.

Tennessee Titans:  GWaffle
AFC South:  HOU - NWS, IND - Phoof, JAX - Dippy, TEN - Waffle

We’ve had a few two-in-one-day reveals but this is our first true double reveal.  And on top of that, we also have our first M19 reveal.  Van to Pittsburgh means Waffle gets bumped to his #2 choice and completes the AFC South by being placed in Nashville.  And it also means he is guaranteed placement in Pittsburgh for M19.

Roster Notes: Tennessee was a popular choice and that can be attributed to the youthful roster.  The pride of Hawaii, Mariota, has plenty potential in the right hands but seems to have a negative stigma attached to him already.  He has a built in dual running attack in Murray and Henry and a stud rookie wideout in Corey Davis.  Keep an eye on this guy.  Another player to keep your eye on, Adoree Jackson at CB.  Tennessee will need him to have the ability to cover elite receivers as the AFC South has their fair share.

Play Style Profile: Waffle was a hot and cold player in M17. I attribute that to a stressful job which, for better or worse, is no longer a distraction for GW.  Regardless of the reason, he had some big wins against top dwho players and some disappointing losses against others.  I’d say that evens out and we see a more consistent player in M18.

M18 Projection: ovfd has a lot of faith in Waffle as a player and ranks him higher than his average W-L record for M17 would justify.  Look for a boost in play level through M18 but don’t expect it to happen in season 1.  The schedule looks rough for Tennessee and it may take a good offseason to gain some traction but I am confident he will make the playoffs in M18.

Carolina Panthers:  BizzyRG
NFC South:  ATL - King, CAR - Bizzy, NO - DP, TB - KotB

Bizzy’s #1 choice for destination?  Carolina, bringing our count up to 21.  The big question, is he going to go 13-3 and then team swap to the worst team in the league… again?  Stranger things have happened.

Roster Notes: Maybe not the most talented roster in Carolina, but definitely some attractive Madden players.  Cam, you either love him or hate him.  How well will Christian McCaffrey play?  I’d bet much better in Madden than real life.  The immortal Julius Peppers is still on the roster.  Of course, Luke Kuechly is one of the best in the league and changes games.  “Buck Nuts” are in love with Curtis Samuel so he may end up being good trade bait at some point.  Keep an eye on Daeshon Hall to quickly kick old man Peppers into retirement.

Play Style Profile: While his play was on both ends of spectrum depending on which team he was (deep playoff run with Raiders, disappointing seasons with Lions, and a so-so season with Panthers), Bizzy unquestionably made the 2 worst GM moves in M17; the Raiders swap and the Bell trade.  If he can keep from shooting himself in the foot from that GM role, he has a great team to work with. 

M18 Projection: The NFC South will be one of those divisions that beats itself up and finishes with 4 teams all bunched together from 7-9 to 10-6.  Bizz will be somewhere in the middle of that, a winning season but just missing the cut on the wildcard entry to the playoffs in season 1.  I also predict he makes at least one attempt at a knucklehead GM move but second guessing himself, he backs out.

Detroit Lions:  Beaver
NFC North:  CHI - DC, DET - Beaver, GB - Swaney, MIN - noexult

And the NFC North is filled out with Beaver taking the poor Lions.  Beaver didn’t actually respond so not sure what team he would have wanted, but he was a good fit here anyways.

Roster Notes: Umm, how do I fill this area with Lions talk?  Stafford, Ansah, and Slay are good players but Madden old and expensive for the impact they will actually have.  Drafting will be easy with Detroit because you just select best player available and you fill a need.  If I have to choose a player to watch, go with rookie LB from Florida Jarrad Davis.  He’s had some injury issues but he is an athletic specimen and will start from day 1. 

Play Style Profile: Beaver held his own in a tough AFC North in M17.  When he was hot, he was very hot and probably gave Luigi the most consistent battle over several seasons.  The knock on Beaver is he can get into some repetitive play calling habits.  Mix up that play calling on both sides of the ball and the complaints disappear.

M18 Projection: Beaver was able to succeed with players that every other team would not touch in FA, i.e. Adrian Peterson.  If he is able to find these key players early in Detroit, he could shock the North and challenge for a playoff spot, maybe even an outright division win.  Regardless, I predict the NFC North will be like the Wild Wild West.  This will be an “interesting” division to watch. 

Reveals!