For the first time ever in TBA history, the 2022 draft class will feature a player that could play two different positions depending on how a given franchise sees the prospect.
By Sterling Pillar's freshman year in high school, the big-bodied target already was 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, ultimately starting on his high-school football team. Thanks to his natural atheliticism and maturing frame, the young tight end would go on to start all four years of high school and receive All-Conference honors in each of the four seasons. Generally one of the best athletes every time he took to the field in high school, a lack of motivation betrayed Pillar when he ultimately faced off against (relatively) equal athletic competition in college. The four-star recruit looked the part of dominate physical specimen entering college, however two less-than-ideal collegiate campaigns ultimately forced Pillar to make a drastic change. Thanks in large part to a push from WR coach Nick Arnt, Pillar converted to WR and was reportedly driven by the new challenge.
The move paid off as Pillar registered a whopping 13 touchdowns -- more than double he'd total in his previous two seasons -- and completely dominated opposing cornerbacks with his advanced run-blocking ability. Pillar is not expected to run a very fast 40-time, but some franchises might choose to invest in the WR to provide a nasty edge to their exterior blocking. It's entirely possible a franchise could simply opt to move Pillar back to his natural TE position although that franchise will have to correct the seemingly endless awareness issues that cropped up during his time in college.
While the LBs of the 2022 TBA Draft continue to get plenty of buzz, the hype underscores what is expected to be a relatively weak draft class in terms of skill position players.
While the QB class likely offers different GMs their perfect candidate -- whether it be a mobile QB, strong-armed assasin or pocket passer -- there's not expected to be a clear-cut can't miss prospect. Fortune Grassland is hoping to change that notion, particularly after a season in which the two-star prospect threw for 5,217 yards and piled together 1,147 rushing yards to finish off an undefeated season. Of course, because he played for Indianapolis, Grassland and company merely got to participate in the Moo-Moo Bowl against Idaho. From there, Grassland and company registered a legendary game gainst QB prospect Trenton Tussle where the two teams combined for 113 points. Both QBs threw for over 400 yards -- in fact Grassland nearly reached 500 total yards after a 64-yard scamper pushed the underdog Indianpolis team into overtime -- but he also threw three picks, completely missing WRs at times ala Josh Allen in his rookie year.
Fortunate for Grassland, Tussle's fumble in triple overtime set up the 23-year-old QB for a highlight-reel winning scoring, lofting it to WR Devy "Dangerous" Darling in the back-right corner of the end zone on 4th and 14 from the 36-yard line. Scouts certainly seem to think Grassland has all the measurables to be an effective QB at the NFL level, but the NFL TBA Combine might dress up a player that has significant deficiences as a passer. A TBA organization will likely need to invest plenty of time into Grassland, but the payoff could be monumental.
Scouts continue to rave about the potential of the 2023 TBA LB draft class, suggesting the group might rival that of the 84 QB class. Another name that continues to draw headlines is that of NevaLee Lambeau who some suggest might be the fastest LB once he enters the league.
Lambeau was a critical part of Michigan’s team two years ago, accumulating 123 tackles, four interceptions and three fumbles forced along with three touchdowns in the campaign, nearly winning him the Heisman Trophy award en route to Michigan securing their first ever CFB playoff berth and eventually overcoming OSU for a spot in the national championship against Alabama.
While the athletic gifts are obvious, notable questions have sprung up following the unfortunate attitude issues surrounding the young linebacker. Despite trailing 45-0 in the national championship game, Lambeau recorded a strip sack and then proceeded to return it for a touchdown, doing a backflip into the end zone before landing awkwardly and causing a compound fracture in his left leg.
Lambeau’s collegiate career unraveled from there. A Herculean rehab effort set up Lambeau to return for his redshirt sophomore season, but a reported incident involving a bizarre amount of erotic paraphernalia at a party forced Michigan to boot the linebacker from the program entirely. He’d later accept an offer with UW-Eau-Claire a year later, eventually helping the tiny college secure a bid in the KnoBodi Kares Bowl.
At the NFL TBA Combine, Lambeau put together an excellent overall performance, but a curiously tone deaf set of responses to questions regarding the aforementioned offseason incident caused some concern among scouts and front-office type alike regarding his awareness.
With Justin Tuplet and John Long appearing like first-round locks among LBs, it’ll be interesting to see if TBA general managers will be willing to gamble on the athletic gifts of Lambeau, or if his brazen disregard for comradery and team play will create issues in a given locker room.
The Tuplet brothers have been the talk of the NFL since before they even joined their respective collegiate teams.
An E:60 special on Quentin Tuplet, the elder of the two brothers, in the lead up to his choice to accept a scholarship with LSU drew harsh criticism from fans and social activists alike after watching the rigorous training dynamics the boys were put through starting in third grade. While some suggested their father, Terry, put Quentin and Justin through near “tortuous” training regime which included crunches and push-up totals that segmented up by 1,000 each year, others suggested the intense training was meant to set up the brothers for success.
It’s hard to deny the latter point considering Quentin piled together 11,417 rushing yards across three years as a starter at St. Thomas More in Lafayette, although significant wear and tear on his body ultimately saw the redshirt junior play in just two seasons with LSU before opting for the NFL. Still, Quentin put together a number of highlight plays in just 13 games with LSU including bulldozing over likely first-round selection Levi Brinkley in the Celery and Terakihi Bowl sponsored by Doritos © last season.
Justin’s decision to go to Vanderbilt sprung from the negative reaction from the aforementioned documentary as the younger sibling opted to go to a less high-profile college after converting from RB to LB in his final high-school season. Justin’s athleticism was clearly on display throughout his stint at Vandy, but it took until his final season for the 21-year-old to rack up more than 70 tackles in a given campaign. Many scouts point to a lack of instincts as a potential problem, but the LB has all the physical tools to be successful and is actually larger than his RB-to-be brother. In a LB class that some have deemed “akin to the 84 QBs”, Justin Tuplet will simultaneously need to rise from his brother’s shadow and a number of other gifted LBs.
WR – DK Metcalf
Team: Cowboys, Texans (selected in 2nd round of inaugural draft)
Achievements: 5x Pro Bowl, 1x Offensive Player of the Year (2024), 2x League Leader in Receptions, 2x Best Wide Receiver (2021, 2024)
Metcalf almost literally couldn’t reach the level of dominance Gordon achieved, but Zemms certainly tried to test that theory, spamming the 6-foot-3 wide receiver into oblivion to the tune of 92 receptions, 2,784 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in a 2024 season that essentially set every major statistical receiving record. He was a star even before then, however, registering over 1,300 receiving yards in every season save for a final sim-plagued finish. The career figures are stunning: 499 career receptions, 11,007 receiving yards and 125 touchdowns. Metcalf did make a Super Bowl appearance as a member of the Cowboys, but failed to have much postseason success in his four seasons with the Texans after being traded for OLB Rashan Gary, most notably posting over 200 yards in a losing effort in the classic OT divisional-round battle against the Bengals in 2022.
WR – Tyreek Hill
Team: Chiefs (selected No. 8 overall in inaugural draft)
Achievements: 7x Pro Bowl, 2x Best WR (2023, 2025)
Hill makes this list thanks to consistency, registering at least 1,000 receiving yards in every season thanks in large part to his game-breaking speed. The 2023 campaign proved to be a critical year for the speedster as Hill posted 82 receptions, 2,036 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns en route to one of his two “Best WR” awards throughout his career, but the 2019 first-round pick was arguably the only dynamic weapon on the Chiefs throughout the majority of his tenure. That 2,036 receiving yards ranks third all-time among TBA WR in regards to in-season production trailing only Metcalf and Trayvon Lofton for most explosive receiving seasons. A career 9,656 receiving yards ranks in the top five all time at his position and 94 touchdowns would put him top 25 all-time across every position. The 444 total receptions is a byproduct of the bombs-away approach by manager Fluff, although the total production speaks for itself.
WR – Marquise Brown
Team: Jaguars, Cowboys (selected in the 3rd of inaugural draft)
Achievements: 6x Pro Bowl, 1x Best WR (2024)
WR in general struggle to make major statistical achievements, particularly in such a dominant RB meta, but six straight Pro Bowl appearances and at least 1,300 receiving yards all but one year are hard-to-ignore figures. Hollywood never really had a “peak” season – “just” 1,929 yards in his lone season with the Cowboys essentially accounted for the massive breakout, but otherwise Brown was a reliable deep-threat for Tendy. 10,298 puts him only behind Metcalf in terms of career yards and 94 touchdowns puts him near the aforementioned speedster above him. Much like Hill, Brown’s 455 receptions weren’t exactly outstanding, but his role as luck-chuck threat for Tendy cannot be dismissed in the historical records.
WR – Andy Isabella
Team: Raiders (selected in the 5th round of inaugural draft)
Achievements: 6x Pro Bowl, 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year, 1x League Leader in Receptions
Isabella had a sneaky successful career for the Raiders, although hardly any sort of “career year” compared to the others above him. 2023, in which the 5-foot-9 speedster posted 1,489 receiving yards, 90 receptions and 15 touchdowns really is the only standout year, but Isabella did have 1,000+ receiving yards in every year Andy was active. The Raiders didn’t have much postseason success, but Metcalf was really the only WR to make a significant difference in his team’s playoff opportunities. 8,645 career receiving yards is fairly low for our All-Decade team, but most of the top teams cycled out WR frequently or never needed to rely on them, so the 69 total touchdowns ultimately make the biggest difference here.
WR – Mack Drake
Team: Rams (selected No. 10 overall in the 2020 rookie draft)
Achievements: 3x Pro Bowl, 2x League Leader in Receptions
The only member of the 2020 All-Decade team to not have at least 96 speed or higher speed, Drake’s selection at No. 10 was fairly controversial given the lack of true stars in the Madden-created draft. Jason made it work, relying heavily on the WR starting in his second year to the tune of 180 total receptions (easily the best mark in the league), 2,870 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. The Rams never made it to the postseason, but it wasn’t because of the wannabe rapper (I’m only assuming) as Drake finished his career with 7,093 receiving yards, 428 receptions and 48 receiving TDs.
TE – George Kittle
Team: Ravens (selected in 2nd round of inaugural draft)
Achievements: 3x Pro Bowl
I was a bit surprised by the lack of TE usage in TBA, as the second All-Decade TE could have applied to just about a dozen names. Kittle stood out among the rest, though, with three separate seasons placing in the top 10 overall in terms of TE receiving yards. 5,336 cumulative career receiving yards is easily good for best all-time in terms of TBA TEs and 33 TDs ranks near that figure as well based on my admittedly frazzled math. As someone who had to face Kittle twice a year for his entire TBA tenure, I can tell you for certain he’s worthy of this honor.
TE – Gerald Everett
Team: Colts, Seahawks (selected in the 12th round of inaugural draft)
Achievements: 3x Pro Bowl
Malachi McGown had a better two-year stretch, but not the elongated career. Austin Hooper, Irv Smith, David Njoku and Noah Fant were consistent but not real difference makers. Hunter Henry was probably the closest considering his 1,167 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, which trailed just McGowan in terms of season-long achievements. But hidden in little old Seattle is Everett, who somewhat miraculously accumulated an 1,111 receiving yards season and then backed it up with 932 the following season while posting a combined 18 touchdowns. It’s shocking that the 32-year-old was able to post 3,808 total receiving yards and 33 career touchdowns despite starting his career with the Colts amassing just 230 yards in two years. Turns out the trade to CenturyLink Field was a godsend for Everett, thanks Tyler!
Welcome to the TBA Madden 20 All-Decade Team! This article series will break down 14 offensive players that made the biggest impact in Madden 20 TBA history. I’m going to try and mention each team the player was rostered on during their time throughout the league as well as cumulative stats and different Madden-determined awards. The All-Decade selection was decided by a combination of relevance within the league, overall team success during their tenure and accumulation of major statistical achievements.
QB – Lamar Jackson
Team: Bengals (selected No. 6 overall in inaugural draft)
Achievements: 2x MVP (2024, 2025), 6x Pro Bowl, 2x Offensive Player of the Year (2021, 2022), 5x League Leader Pass Rating, 4x Best QB (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Look, if not for the back-to-back MVPs to conclude M20, I’m not sure Lamar necessarily garners the top QB spot. He never had a season with over 3,700 passing yards and he attempted over 300 throws just once in his seven-year career. 22,724 passing yards, a sparkling 234:83 TD:INT ratio and career 70 percent completion percentage have to matter somewhat though. Lamar also contributed 4,546 rushing yards, 48 rushing touchdowns and over 10 yards-per-carry average for his career on the league’s most dominant team so while it’s possible you could argue he wasn’t TBA’s best QB, he definitely deserves a spot. Also never rose to X-factor status so…that’s a thing. Thanks EA.
QB – Kyler Murray
Team: Cowboys, Buccaneers, Lions (selected No. 9 overall in inaugural draft)
Achievements: 2x MVP (2022, 2023), 6x Pro Bowl, 2x Offensive Player of the Year (2021, 2022), 1x Offensive Rookie of the Year, 3x Best QB (2019, 2021, 2022)
It’s not surprising given Murray’s relation to notorious offensive signal caller Danny, but the 2019 Rookie of the Year both in real and fictional life holds the record for most touchdowns thrown in TBA history (50). He also has the second and third marker in that category (46 and 44 TDs respectively) and the third-most passing yards in a season (4,686 in 2022) cementing a legitimately impressive offensive legacy. 28,997 passing yards and 266 passing touchdowns are both career records at the position, and Murray even added 3,510 rushing yards to go along with 45 rushing touchdowns. Only one Super Bowl appearance to show for the dominance is understandable given how successful the NFC was throughout the majority of M20 TBA.
RB – Melvin Gordon
Team: Dolphins, Chargers (selected No. 3 overall in inaugural draft)
Achievements: 2x MVP (2019, 2020), 6x Pro Bowl, 3x Offensive Player of the Year (2019, 2020, 2023), 2x League Leader in Rushing Yards, 3x Best RB (2019, 2020, 2023)
Gordon’s statistics dropped off drastically after master cheese artist, Caleb, unceremoniously cried his way out of TBA, but his two-year stretch is almost puke-worthy if you appreciate league integrity. Taken ahead of both Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray in the inaugural draft, the Dolphins made sure to let the league know how easy running was good Gordon was, accumulating 5,919 rushing yards in two years. For comparison’s sake, just over a dozen RBs in TBA history accumulated over that total in the seven years the league was active. Still, Gordon was mighty productive after the departure of Caleb, accumulating at least 1,100 yards in every season including a resurgent 2023 campaign which saw him finish top-5 in overall rushing yards despite turning 30 years old. Despite three different managers combining for playoff appearances for the Dolphins every single year, Gordon never made it past the AFC Championship game, twice getting injured in the pivotal contest after recording 250 or more carries in the season.
RB – Ezekiel Elliott
Team: Saints, Titans (selected No. 18 overall in inaugural draft)
Achievements: 7x Pro Bowl, 1x Offensive Player of the Year (2019), 3x Best RB (2019, 2020, 2022)
If it weren’t for Melvin Gordon, Elliott would have been the crème de crème of game-breaking running backs, trailing the Caleb-infused Dolphin in terms of most rushing yards (2,307) and rushing touchdowns (29) in a season. Still, Zeke managed to also post at least 1,000 rushing yards in every season, finishing his career with 11,254 rushing yards, 2,283 receiving yards and 110 total touchdowns. The lack of elongated achievements likely has to do with an ill-fated trade to the Titans with netted the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Still, Zeke is one of only a handful of non-Bengal players to have reached multiple Super Bowls, winning the inaugural bowl in 2019 thanks to manager BLD.
RB – Brian Whitley
Team: Lions (selected No. 2 overall in 2021 rookie draft)
Achievements: 2023 Offensive Player of the Year, 1x League Leader in Rushing Yards, 4x Pro Bowl, 1x Best RB (2023)
Somewhere in the distance you can hear the smashing of the circle button as Bobbo destroys another controller with the help of Spin Cycle Brian Whitley. In all seriousness, the remnants of the previous Lions owner became arguably the most destructive rookie drafted in M20 as the Lions built up a mercenary for a RB in just five short years. Back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons helped Whitley pile together a career total of 8,836 yards to go along with 77 total touchdowns and a 2,095 rushing yards in 2024 ranks fifth overall in terms of per-season figures behind the aforementioned Zeke and Gordon. The Lions did achieve one Super Bowl appearance on the back of their star RB, but a bevy of dominant NFC foes likely stole a couple of career achievements away from Whitley’s resume.
RB – Matt Breida
Team: 49ers (selected in 11th round of inaugural draft)
Achievements: 1x Pro Bowl, 1x League Leader in Rushing Yards
The final All-Decade RB spot was a toss-up between Tarik Cohen, Connor Amos and Breida. I ultimately decided to go with the Niner back thanks to his consistency throughout his TBA tenure as five of his seven years saw the speedy back post at least 1,400+ rushing yards. 9,038 career rushing yards to go along with 1,780 receiving yards makes Breida one of only handful to post 10,000+ total yards, and 75 total touchdowns is nothing to sneeze at either. Breida never really threatened any major statistical in-season records but the 49ers were constant playoff threats throughout their six-year tenure in TBA. A 2022 campaign with 1,870 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns stands out as the career year for 95 speed back.
Power Rankings Season 5, Week 9
I’ll be honest, I hate power rankings. Maybe it’s because they’ve become such clickbait in professional sports, or that really when it comes down to a single game, anything can happen on the gridiron which makes rankings such as these irrelevant.
But damnit, we need to give the people what they want. And honestly, I’ve watched enough TBA games at this point that I probably should contribute something of value to this.
A couple of things to note – I’m ranking who I think are the best 10 players in the league. Anything more and it gets to be arduous. Anything less, and I come off as lazy….which I guess is an accurate statement. I also won’t be including myself in the rankings because I hate talking about myself. Finally, I’m taking the totality of someone’s TBA career into the equation. 9-0 is great, but let’s talk when you’re 47-0.
Multiple Super Bowl appearances through five seasons. Three wins against teams with a winning record (including a victory over No. 5 Saints), and a tie against recent NFC Conference champion, the Lions, this season. There’s not really much more to say about Danny’s game, other than he’s the most prolific passer in the league, and is doing it with a completely retooled unit after moving on from Kyler Murray. It’s rare to say the phrase “addition by subtraction” when it comes to the Madden level of Murray, but if it frees up Danny to focus more on passing and less on running, that spells doom for all of us.
Ok, 9-0 is a little hard to ignore given the quality of competition Trycks has been able to demoralize. Wins against the Texans (No. 6), Falcons (No. 8) and Saints (No. 5) are incredibly impressive, albeit just one score margins, and should the Bucs pick up their 10th win in a row --- against the Lions next week --- it’d be hard not to put them at the top. The NFC South is the best division in the league, and it’s not particularly close, so it stands to reason Bucs could lose a game or two to come, but it’d hardly knock them significantly down the rankings.
Quite simply whoever wins Week 11’s marquee matchup between the Lions and Bucs would be considered No. 2 for me, as the Lions have proven to be the most formidable of the crew brought in by Roach. A stingy defense combined with a smart and efficient offense can prove to be troublesome for anyone, which is why the Lions have the fourth-highest win percentage of coaches who have played in 15 or more games (.778). The NFC North isn’t jam-packed with upper echelon talent and Detroit won’t face many other teams with a winning record to build upon their resume, so consider No. 2 a high-water marking should they claim a victory over Tampa Bay.
I think there’s a clear top-6 in the league, as any of the aforementioned teams could be in this discussion depending on the schedule and circumstance. Baltimore might have the best opportunity to solidify their rankings, mainly since they play the ranker twice a season for the foreseeable future. A win against the Texans was the first big calling card on the resume, and they looked so good in the contest that I don’t think even an eligible Theodore Burroughs would have made a difference. But a Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, who have a career 32-40 record through five seasons, is a tough one to ignore.
I really waffled between the Saints and Texans at this spot, but ultimately decided the distinction should belong to New Orleans, simply because they were competitive in each of their three losses. It’s possible the Saints could ultimately tank for some seeding purposes which could automatically lock in a date with the Lions, who they have reportedly owned in past meetings, in a divisional round showdown. But that’s a long way off – plenty of time to rise up the rankings with expected excellent games against the Falcons (x2), Bucs and Texans, to come.
The three-game suspension of quarterback Theodore Burroughs and wide receiver D.K. Metcalf for stat padding and running up the score was a tremendous blow to the team’s chances at a top-5 ranking, but Houston has been a sneakingly mediocre regular-season team, posting just a 19-12 ranking through three seasons. That hasn’t stopped them from making postseason noise in the past, however, and the team still has plenty of statement making contests to come, including games against the Bengals (Week 13), Saints (Week 14), Dolphins (Week 16) and Falcons (Week 17).
I never really know what to make of the Jets. Built on an incredibly strong rushing attack – not unlike the Dolphins’ Melvin Gordon-led attack that terrorized the 2019 and 2020 campaigns – New York has quietly emerged as a team that must be taken seriously at all times. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t quite had the same approach, with a 16-14 regular-season record encumbered by multiple force losses or vacations. COVID-19 might ultimately prove to be the bane of the AFC if it completely reels in the attention of head coach Randy Dandy.
17-7 is hardly a mark to ignore for head coach Dabo Sweeny, particularly in the aforementioned difficult NFC South. Primarily a team that relies on David Johnson and Leonard Fournette (883 total yards between the two backs through eight games), it’ll be interesting to watch the development of young wide receivers Emanuel Hall and Wyatt Redford (technically a TE). A balanced offensive attack and better decision making (10 passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions between Tim Folk and Russell Wilson this season) could help Atlanta take the next step.
I had a hard time identifying this ranking, as the Dolphins have only played five games. But 5-0, including wins over the Cowboys (No. 1) and Jets (No. 7) cannot be ignored. There’s a lot to prove right now in Miami, and while about the only thing definitive I can say about the team is that they DRASTICALLY overvalue their linebackers, it’s entirely realistic for the South Beach squad to become yet another dynamic organization despite being run by their third owner in five seasons.
This spot probably should belong to the Bills, 49ers or Eagles – all teams that have competed for playoff spots in the past but for some reason are sucking this season – but why not reward a user who’s been here since Day 1 and, at least at the moment, appears to be in the upswing relative to his playoff-seeking peers. It also helps that Pittsburgh scored a win over two of those first three aforementioned names, AND put together a ravaging beatdown of Texans (No. 6). Credit for the turnover almost exclusively belongs to rookie quarterback Ryan Whitley, who has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns….to go along with 21 interceptions.
Maybe it’s because it’s the offseason, but I thought it’d be a fun exercise to examine every trade that’s ever been completed in TBA. If you want, you can also look at all the trades in the #approved-trade section on Discord. As of Jan. 15, 222 trades have been completed and processed in the league. First, here’s a list of how many trades each franchise has completed throughout the duration of three full seasons.
Veterans of the league always joke about a handful of players that get passed around often, but I actually compiled the five most traded players in all of TBA. Without further ado:
5. Andy Dalton was initially drafted by Chargers, but was traded to the Cardinals in the inaugural season for a scrub corner. He would amass 2,415 passing yards and a healthy 26:25 TD:INT ratio before being traded to Vikings in a deal that ultimately netted the Cardinals two first rounders. The Red Rifle would play a season for the Vikings, accumulating another 2,203 passing yards while registering another 12 TDs to 16 interceptions, posting his highest career completion percentage (71 percent). He found a new home with the Rams in the 2021 season, moved for quarterback Blake Bortles. Dalton finished the 2021 campaign with 2,332 passing yards, 13 TDs to a dismal 41 INTs and is likely to hit the bench in favor of second overall pick, Leonard Womack.
4. Robby Anderson was initially drafted by the Ravens as part of a three-headed speed demon receiving corps, but he’d record just seven catches for 131 yards before being shipped to Tampa Bay in the league’s biggest trade at the time, ultimately acquiring defensive end Aaron Donald in the first season. The 29-year-old would spend three seasons in Tampa Bay but ultimately never made much of an impact, posting a moderate 83 receptions, 1,539 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Anderson was set to move to the AFC Championship contenders, the Dolphins, but after a deal was nixed unexpectedly, was then sent to the Bears this past year for depth pieces and figures to be the team’s top wideout in 2022.
3. Josh Allen started with the Chiefs and was part of the inaugural draft day trade to Cardinals. He’d spend just four days in the desert before being sent to the Bears. Across 2.5 seasons with Chicago, Allen would amass 9,681 passing yards, 75:74 TD:INT and a 62 percent completion percentage while making a playoff appearance. His time in the trade spotlight wasn’t over yet, as this past year Allen would be a piece in yet another massive trade, this time with the New England Patriots for Patrick Mahomes, where he’s currently slotted to start this upcoming campaign.
2. In the turnstile that was the 2019 season, Josh Rosen was caught up in the traded Josh’s carousel, moving from his home in Chicago to Arizona in the trade that saw Josh Allen land in the Windy City. Rosen wasn’t as fortunate as his strong-armed brother-from-hopefully-less-douchy-mother, as the UCLA star was flipped to Jacksonville after a brief audition with the Cardinals. Ironically, Rosen would then spend the next two seasons on the Jaguars bench before being traded to the Seahawks for a second-round pick and Teddy Bridgewater. The 25-year-old easily had his most productive season to date with Seattle, putting together 1,753 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with the Seahawks in 2021 which was enough to earn a six-year, $75.84 million extension. Rosen is expected to lead the Cheathawks in a quest for their first TBA playoff appearance.
1. Ironically, non of the QBs take up the top spot of most-traded. That belongs to none other than LT Terron Armstead. Armstead’s journey began with a trip to Jacksonville, however as an ill-fated decision for the Jaguars to purge all their lineman, he moved to Atlanta for a second and fourth-round pick. In a move to acquire fan-favorite Deion Jones, Armstead was moved yet again, this time to the Rams who he spent a season with. The left tackle was then shipped to the Seahawks in a trade that netted Los Angeles prized (at the time) rookie receiver Mack Drake. Armstead’s final resting place would ultimately become the Jets, as New York would acquire the 31-year-old for first and third-round pick.
In four combined Armstead-related trades, three first-round picks, two second-round picks, two third and one fourth-round picks were moved, proving once and for all that offensive linemen matter in Madden…to at least some people.
Average Age Ranks (Defense)
Almost shockingly, there’s a total of nine teams with either a 3-12 or 4-11 record entering Week 17, and only one of them (OAK/DEN) will face one another to decide how dismal of a season they will have. As a result, Madden’s always reliable standings decisions (this is sarcastic) could play a major impact on the inaugural TBA rookie draft.
But which of these teams is best suited for the future? It’s an interesting question posed by our newest member, and one I wanted to explore further.
A couple of notes –
If you don’t want to read the breakdown because I didn’t make this into some stupid YouTube video, I’d rank it from best (team to take over) to worst – Texans, Giants, Broncos, Jets, Packers, Bucs, Seahawks.
Texans
Core – WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR Corey Davis, DT Michael Pierce, RE Trey Flowers, LOLB Rashan Gary, MLB Devin Bush, MLB Tremaine Edmunds
Intriguing Pieces – C Maurkice Pouncey, RB Nyheim Hines, RB Ronald Jones, WR Antonio Callaway, WR Jakeem Grant, TE Eric Ebron, ROLB Leonard Floyd
Worst area – quarterback
Future move? - Trading Eric Ebron for secondary help
I could have just as easily suggested the Texans trade one of their two young, star MLB’s to get secondary help, but Ebron would probably do the trick as well, perhaps to the staunchest of Ebron truthers in the Steelers owner. That being said, Edmunds and Bush are perhaps some of the most tantalizing assets available among the aforementioned teams, so much so that a rebuilding Texans could easily acquire a number of high draft picks to bolster a decidedly solid young core. Would the Texans consider moving either for a package from the Colts, who despite having Defensive Rookie of the Year winner Bobby Okereke have just two other starters (offensive or defensive) under the age of 25? Or could the Cardinals unrelenting persistence to be a part of every TBA trade help find Edmunds or Bush in Arizona?
Giants
Core – RG Austin Blythe, RT Mike McGlinchey, CB Denzel Ward, CB Donte Jackson, FS Budda Baker, SS Tyrann Mathieu
Intriguing Pieces – RG Frank Ragnow, C Brandon Linder, RB Kerryon Johnson, RB Leonard Fournette, RB Kenyan Drake, WR Courtland Sutton, DE Derek Barnett, DT Bilal Nichols, MLB Rashaan Evans, MLB Zach Cunningham
Worst area – linebacker
Future move? – deal offensive line
The Giants could, and probably should, net a massive package for one of their four excellent secondary quartert members, but I thought it was fairly interesting to note they have the most “intriguing pieces” of the bunch. Compared to many of the bottom-dwelling colleagues, the Giants are blessed with a number of legitimately good, young players. With a bevy of offensive line and a number of teams missing two if not three big-molly parts, it’s at least the easiest place to strike a bargain, particularly with a Madden-generated rookie draft that will likely be light of helpful players after Round 3. Having two intriguing running backs should be helpful, but as we saw this year, most people seem to be fairly locked in with their choices. That might change following a draft that doesn’t appear to be loaded with impressive talent at the position.
Broncos
Core – RG Shaq Mason, RB Phillip Lindsay, WR Stefon Diggs, TE David Njoku, MLB C.J. Mosley, CB Chidobe Awuzie, S Jamal Adams
Intriguing Pieces – C Garrett Bradbury, C Mike Pouncey, WR John Brown, LOLB Tyus Bowser, S Justin Simmons
Worst area – defensive line
Future move? – Accumulation of picks
The Broncos have reportedly suggested they’d be willing to trade their first-round pick for a mid-tier one and more, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Devoid of any truly memorable players outside of Stefon Diggs, Jamal Adams and Chidobe Awuzie, the Broncos NEED star players, something that cannot happen outside of the top 10. Perhaps a large enough trade package could quell my concerns, but at this point, it better be a bevy of draft selections in order for this franchise to make a move from a likely top-5 pick.
Jets
Core – RB Tevin Coleman, WR Michael Thomas, WR Brandin Cooks, CB Kendall Fuller
Intriguing Pieces – C David Andrews, QB Dak Prescott, TE Trey Burton, DE Brandon Graham, DT Damon Harrison, MLB Mychal Kendricks, Nickell Robey-Coleman
Worst area –
Future move? – Deal from the secondary
I had a hard time finding a “worst area” simply because there wasn’t an obviously bad spot like on other teams. Unfortunately, that means the majority of the positions were simply mediocre save for wide receiver and offensive line. Tevin Coleman’s speed will still make him a tremendous asset to someone, but considering the high fantasy-draft pick netted just over 700 rushing yards in 2019, this might be a primary opportunity to sell the star running back while returning some value. The same could be said for a star-studded defensive line that includes Brandon Graham and Damon Harrison, other situated in a run-heavy AFC East, it might be a daunting proposition. At the very least, the TBA equivalent of the Jets is still somehow better off than the mess that currently occupies the Jets in the real NFL.
Packers
Core – DT Fletcher Cox, DE Jonathan Allen, MLB Ryan Shazier, OLB Jadeveon Clowney, CB Adoree Jackson, FS Jessie Bates
Intriguing Pieces – RB James Conner, WR Josh Gordon, DE Robert Nkemdiche, DE Charles Harris, DT Maurice Hurst, CB Gareon Conley
Worst area – offensive line
Future move? – Trading Fletcher Cox
The offense obviously lacks a ton of notable skill position players, but even for someone who does not value the offensive line, this is a brutally ugly crew with RT Marcus Cannon (31 years old) standing out as the highest overall at 80, and RG Clint Boling slotting in after at 76 overall. At least these core pieces are intriguing enough, with at least of few of them likely netting a pretty penny in terms of draft capital or other assets. Cox might be the best suited of the crew to be moved and would likely slot into a contending NFC team in need of interior muscle, particularly with run-heavy attacks such as the Saints, Falcons and Panthers looming at the top of the standings.
Bucs
Core – LT Trent Williams, RT Taylor Moton, RB Nick Chubb, WR Kenny Golladay, WR Robby Anderson, DE Stephon Tuitt, DE Matthew Ioannidis
Intriguing Pieces – QB Cam Newton, WR Nelson Agholor, OLB Ja’Whaun Bentley, MLB Lavonte David, CB A.J. Bouye, CB Jimmy Smith, FS Lamarcus Joyner
Worst area – Lack of young players
Future move? – Trade Newton, secondary
Looking around the league, there’s enough teams in need of a quarterback that Cam Newton could be the exact type of franchise-cleansing move the Bucs need to make. Instead of chasing washed up veterans, a move towards accumulation of picks is certainly the smart way to go, and the Bucs have both offensive line and quarterback – arguably two of the most needed pieces in TBA so far – in supply. Robby Anderson and Kenny Golladay could be solid trade pieces as well, especially after the emergence of X-factor extraordinaire, Nick Chubb.
Seahawks
Core – RT Mitchell Schwartz, QB Andrew Luck, WR T.Y. Hilton, MLB Bobby Wagner, CB Desmond Trufant
Intriguing Pieces – LT Charles Leno, RB Lamar Miller (begrudgingly), WR Keenan Allen, LE Akiem Hicks, RE Justin Houston, CB Mike Hilton, OLB Preston Smith, FS Devin McCourty
Worst area – tight end?
Future move? – Get young
One of a few teams that was unable to participate for large portions of the fantasy draft, this looks to be a multi-year rebuild that will require a number of high picks in order to land success. The good news is a number of teams – in particular ones with playoff aspirations – could use help in the secondary and at wide receiver, the two strengths of the Seahawks. Hilton’s speed will make him an unquestionably interesting target, but Devin McCourty and Mike Hilton would be an obvious upgrade for a half dozen teams.
In any Madden league, there’s a clear barometer between the “best” teams and “bottom of the barrel”. At least from what I’ve noticed in TBA through the first eight weeks is the vast amount of “middle tier” players that are currently around.
At first I attributed this just to people simply trying to figure out their style in a Madden game that made drastic improvements (yes, I mean improvements) to the meta for the first time in what feels like 5+ years. But the more I thought on it and continued to watch film, I started to notice a trend which I’m going to call “One Good Game” (if you don’t know already, I suck at naming stuff).
General characteristics that stand out from the OGG – weather plays a factor, players make ridiculous runs or catches that you can’t usually count on, and turnovers generally seem to play a key. Considering just about everyone has run into a OGG game thus far, I thought it was interesting reviewing the top of the standings and identify the truly elite teams thus far, and how they’ve been able to maintain success in a tumultuous first season. Consider this a tool to base your game around if you’re aiming to jump in the tier that’s mentioned below. Because I’m lazy, I figured I’d also use this opportunity to rank the top 5 players thus far, and go over their keys to success.
1. Saints (BLD)
Key Stat – Tyree Jackson 106-134 pass attempts/completion (79.1 completion percentage)
For a team that has a 67 overall starting quarterback and was much lauded for during the actual fantasy draft, the Saints have put together an impressive run in quite clearly the best division in TBA.
Yes, Zeke has over 1,200 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns thus far, but Jackson has attempted 134 passes compared to 163 carries for the star RB – far from a run-oriented offense that was predicted following the Jackson fantasy-draft selection. Having confidence in one’s defense helps make smart decisions, but it’s incredibly telling “how” patient you have to be to get nearly 80 percent completion percentage with a sub-70 overall QB. Keep that in mind when luck-chucking it to your favorite veteran WR wideout – to be consistently productive means smart game-planning and reliable decision-making.
2. Dolphins (DestroyYesterday)
Key Stat – 34.7 rushing yards allowed per game (six played)
Making a team one-dimensional is another key to success, so it shouldn’t be a surprise the Dolphins are the only undefeated team remaining in the AFC. A sim-win and a bye certainly help the key figure overall, but considering the rest of the records of Miami opponents is 21-14-1, it’s not as if opponent skill level should come into question. Credit goes to the defense, in particularly the run defense, in shutting down what has been a high-scoring league to date. Against the Chargers (114.4 yards per game with Todd Gurley) and Bills (136.6 yards per game with Chris Carson), Caleb managed to hold the duo to a combined 66 yards rushing, forcing Brad and the Chargers to tilt off the planet by the second quarter, and the Bills to cursing their divisional-rival at a similar juncture.
3. Panthers (Jeff)
Key Stat – 16 sacks allowed
Of quarterbacks with 150 or more pass attempts, Matt Ryan and the Panthers rank fourth-best in terms of sacks allowed, trailing just Washington (nine), the Falcons (10) and Raiders (13). As a staunch supporter of the “oline don’t matter movement”, I’m admittedly a bit surprised to see such an obvious result for the Panthers, who invested heavily in the offensive line to draft the fantasy draft. The fact both Washington and the Falcons have an entire starting line with 75+ overall players including at least one 90+ guys likely reinforces that idea. Good ole Andy and the Raiders is the only one throwing the wrench into the “OLINE ARE GOOD!” argument.
4. Falcons (Trever)
Key Stat – eight interceptions thrown
A previously undefeated member of the staunch NFC South might have very well fell victim to the OGG theory in their Week 8 loss to the Seahawks. Having thrown just five interceptions total in the previous three games, Trever wobbled his way to three picks in the upset loss, opening the door for Lamar ARE YOU KIDDING ME Miller to run wild. I don’t think it’s much of a surprise but it’s worth reinforcing – the No. 1, 3, 4 and 6 overall teams in terms of standings are among the top-5 in INTs thrown. Limiting turnovers is arguably the most important thing in real-life football and Madden. Look, a comparison that actually makes the two somewhat realistic!
5. Cowboys (Danny)
Key Stat – Adrian Colbert, seven interceptions
Tied with four other members for the second-highest INT total, it should be fairly obvious to many that a good user is the difference between a good Madden player and an elite one. However, there’s a misconception this year in particular that a good usable “user” can only be a linebacker. After EA rightfully nerfed animations for LBs, controlling a safety in obvious passing situations – sometimes subbing them in as a pseudo-linebacker – is a critical separation point when trying to improve your skills. Safeties still get the ridiculous over-the-shoulder pick animations and generally end up being faster than even the high end MLB users; something to note when it comes to improving your game. I admittedly can’t tell you how often Danny does use his safety as a user, but it’s telling that he’s one of just two S in the top five in terms of picks.
Well, I had typed out a whole elegant message only for Daddyleagues to once again shit the bed on me as I was about to send.
Forgive the shitty formatting, as I’m not devoting another hour to making this pretty. Starting this Madden season and hopefully every Madden season to come, the panel will be getting together to discuss the given year and work towards creating/changing the league for the better. Whether that’s adding more rules, taking some away or simply adding more fun things for the future, we want to continue making RML one of the best Madden leagues out there right now. I’m going to run down a list of changes which will be implemented starting today - consider this an amendment to the current rules, which will be updated to reflect the changes shortly after.
RML Health and Wellness
Keepers are here baby!!!!
A given owner will be able to bring X amount of players over to Madden 20 from their current team. The only players eligible to be kept will be Madden-created players. An owner will get to make the choice out of one of these three options:
You can keep three 80 overall and under players
You can keep two 81-85 overall players
You can keep one 86-90 overall player
We felt this was a fair compromise between bringing over impact players but also not allowing any one player to be amazing. One thing to note, contracts will be the same from Madden 19 to Madden 20, so keep that in mind when choosing your keeper.
A new user who joins the league a month or less prior to the start of Madden 2020 will have the opportunity to pick keepers from a pool of eligible options in order to be fair to everyone.
New users who joined during a given season can release up to five players during the Re-Sign period of a Madden season and have their cap penalties wiped.
Let’s be honest, it would suck to take over Lope’s team, what with all his old players and everyone having bad contracts (sorry Snake for being the guinea pig). This is meant to be a rule that helps a new owner have a larger stamp on their team, giving them more control while not affecting the totality of the league to a large degree.
Two grey area rules to note - we’ll be monitoring moves made throughout the season by a new user, mainly focusing on a potential accumulation of massive trade penalties to be wiped as a result. As such, the panel has the right to place cap “penalties” on a user in the event they attempt to circumvent the rules.
Second, this rule does not apply if an owner in the league leaves, then takes over a franchise within the following two Madden seasons.
If you have a spot at the end of M19, you are guaranteed a spot in M20
I feel like this rule is fairly self explanatory.
Normal rookie draft will commence in 2022 (next draft), but we will also incorporate a Compensatory Draft similar to last year, where users will be able to pick two rounds of players eligible in the real-life 2019 Draft (Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, etc.)
Praise be to Sentra! In addition, the 2023 Madden Draft will “likely” use an imported Draft Class featuring the real-life 2020 eligible players (Jonathan Taylor, Tua, etc.) I didn’t want to bold/underline this as I suspect we might change the format depending on the league’s opinion, particularly keeping the prospect of keepers in mind. All of this to say, we will be changing “something” with the 2023 Madden Draft, so be mindful if and when you choose to deal those picks away.
Players found handing out four force losses in a given season will be subject to be removed from the league
No team will be allowed to relocate
Users are eligible for a dev upgrade if they play all their games from Week 1-8. Players are eligible for a dev upgrade if they play all their games from Week 9-17. (Reminder) Players will lose their dev upgrade from a given period if they receive a suspension.
Accelerated clock will be removed.
All of these rules feel fairly self explanatory. The amount of tanking that occurred last season was B A D, and we want to correct that for the future. I expect the panel will continue to tinker with these rules in subsequent seasons, but for now, intentionally giving out force wins to improve draft position is not cool.
Gameplay Rules
What I’m about to say is not a reflection of the panel’s opinion, but of my own directly. What occurred during the Super Bowl this past season was not acceptable under the RML vision. Winning at all costs, and what’s more, acting like winning is the only thing that matters is not what I want in a productive league, and not what should be required from a productive member. Those who place winning above all else are not welcomed here and should take that into account when it comes to their actions, perceived or otherwise, when playing their games
With that being said, here’s a couple of amendments to the current gameplay rules.
Players can cross the 250 receiving/rushing yard thresholds up to 25 yards on a given play. If they go past 250 total receiving/rushing yards on the play, they must then be removed and will not be punished.
Consider 250 essentially a “soft” cap. We don’t want to hinder a potentially game-winning play just because someone is worried about crossing the threshold, but we also don’t want to abuse the stats by getting up to 249 yards then throwing a bomb. This feels like a good compromise between the two.
Ex) - Joe Dingleberry has 220 receiving yards and his Cheeseheads are trailing by two points with 45 seconds remaining. The Cheeseheads complete a 46 yard pass (266 yards) to move to the opponent’s 10-yard line. Dingleberry is removed from the game at that point, and as a result, will not receive a suspension.
Were the Cheeseheads to keep Dingleberry in for the next play and throw a touchdown pass to him, he’d be suspended, no questions asked, because he crossed the receiving/rushing 275 “hard” cap, and because they kept him in the game despite crossing the “soft” cap. This would warrant a four-game suspension as a first offense, with either penalty drawing a two-game suspension for first offense.
Rolling out 15 or more yards behind the line of scrimmage AND past the numbers will require your quarterback to either throw the ball away or run.
There’s been too much complaining about “rollout” cheese during the season, and this is our attempt at trying to stop it. The goal was to create a “pocket” which was defined and obvious for all to see. The less grey rule, the less area to complain; at least that was the idea. So long as you remain in those confines, you are free to throw a pass without penalty.
This is one of the only rules in which the panel is willing to change during the season - we tested this out in a “sim” setting across multiple games, but if the league feels this isn’t an accurate solution to the problem, we will adjust. Frankly, I expect we will adjust, as a crowd-sourcing approach might be best for this specific case.
These plays will be banned from RML effective immediately:
PA Crossers out of Gun Trips TE Offset
PA Post Shot out of Gun Tight Flex
Manually blitzing a middle linebacker out of the 3-4 Odd Cover 3 Hard Flat
I’ll attach images of the plays at a later date so everyone is aware, but these plays will be removed because there isn’t a direct counter, and are known “one play” touchdowns. This should have fallen under previous “cheese” rules, but the panel is going to be more direct about it. Owners found using these plays will be subject to a suspension, or just outright booted from the league.
Texans (11-1)
Remaining strength of schedule (21-23)
Key game: Week 17 against Indianapolis
Chance of claiming the No. 1 seed – 89 percent
That sound you hear is me snickering about my player rankings from last week, in which I predicted Dope would be the best team this season. Three advance periods later and the Texans appear poised for a No. 1 seed, with just a ho-hum matchup against the Colts posing any sort of immediate threat. Wins over the Jags and Raiders in successive weeks have essentially guaranteed Dope a top-2 finish, although there remains the faint possibility he could actually lose the division lead and No. 1 seed should Tillman win out. I would try and project the divisional round matchups from here, but if the seeding were to hold, I couldn’t tell you who wins between Doughboy and Danny, which would directly impact who Dope would then face in the playoffs.
Steelers (9-2)
Remaining strength of schedule (27-29)
Key game: Week 17 against New England
Chance of claiming a top-two seed – 76 percent
I think the Steelers lose one of these next three games – home against the Lopes, home against the Monkeys and a road matchup against the Rams – but I couldn’t tell you which one. One loss won’t be the complete end for the team’s chance at top-two spot, but two losses would be, making those three matchups plus a potentially playoff-breaking Week 17 tilt against the Patriots ultra-important. Given two of the top three teams in the AFC are in the South division, Mike could very well luck into the second bye week spot should he take care of business in those matchups.
Raiders (8-3)
Remaining strength of schedule (23-21)
Key game: Week 14 against Indianapolis
Chance of claiming a top-two seed – 24 percent
I don’t know what would happen if Mike and Danny finished with the same record, but the only way that scenario happens is if Danny can upset Tillman in Week 14. As are most of the AFC South games towards this time of the season, it’s going to be a fascinating and critical matchup to watch given the stakes involved. As mentioned earlier, Tillman still has a shot at the division, but let’s say a beyond-difficult schedule proves to be too much to win out – the prospects of facing the AFC East division winner in Round 1 are still very much in the cards. To add more fuel to the fire, if Tillman were to win over Danny and eventually claim the No. 5 spot, the two wouldn’t have to face one another until the Conference championships, which I suppose would be more of a prize if the AFC wasn’t strong from top to bottom. I probably have the odds too low given Danny’s abilities as a Madden player, but that has more to do with Sentra’s schedule and position in the standings as opposed to what the Raiders are capable of.
Jaguars (9-3)
Remaining strength of schedule (19-25)
Key game: Week 15 against Indianapolis
Chance at No. 5 seed – 51 percent
It’s as simple as this – the Jaguars will win the No. 5 seed and by default not have to face Danny in the opening round if they beat the Colts in Week 15. There’s nothing else to it. The Jags essentially control their own destiny when it comes to a Wildcard opponent, but sometimes, it’s easier said than done. Of course, the Colts could still lose two games and still beat the Jaguars, which would make this whole bit a moot point. There’s too many variables as we get down to this point to confidently predict something, but my gut tells me that Tillman’s schedule is just too daunting to overcome, and Jacksonville’s remaining games are too easy to lose.
Colts (9-2)
Remaining strength of schedule (39-19)
Key game: All of them?
I’ve hit 1300 words by this point, so the burnout is real, but seriously, a 39-19 schedule the rest of the way makes it way harder to predict what could happen. Games against the Texans, Raiders and Jaguars will be challenging, and a contest against the Ravens isn’t a joke either. Just one loss against any of those four ruins any chance at winning the AFC South, and a second loss guarantees the No. 6 seed. But Tillman is good enough where it’s not entirely unreasonable to assume he could win out and vault into the No. 1 or 2 seed depending on how Sentra finishes the rest of the way. I’m fascinated to watch this unfold in the same way you drive slower near a car accident – it’s going to be messy and people are going to get cranky, but damn these are some good teams competing against one another to round out the season.
You can make a case that division alignments are bad. It would be a compelling case. But listed below is the case “for” the division alignments – that being a plethora of competitive games to come during the final five or so weeks. The Friendship division (Cardinals), NFC South (Falcons), AFC West (Raiders) and AFC North (Steelers) have essentially set up their representatives, but just about every standings position is in flux, not to mention the other four divisions. I wanted to take a look at who had a realistic shot at competing for a playoff spot, and in the case of the AFC, where they might finish. The percentages were just arbitrary numbers that I determined – think of them like Doughboy’s confidence picks essentially.
Rams (6-5)
Remaining Strength of Schedule (25-30)
Key game: Week 15 against Steelers
Chance of making playoffs – 18 percent
The lagfest 30-0 beatdown by the Vikings last advance period drastically lowered Cody’s odds of taking a loss in the wildcard round. While the Rams could realistically win out, that’s about the only scenario in which the upstarts from Los Angeles have any hope of reaching the final 12. A game against Bruce’s Ravens looks more difficult than the record indicates, but with Sentra knee-deep in a spot for a top two seed in the AFC, a win over the Steelers appears to be the most difficult task in front of the Rams. Cody needs some major help from Danny and the NFC North division in the final few weeks to have any chance.
Vikings (6-5)
Remaining strength of schedule (32-23)
Key game: Week 17 at Oakland
Chance of making playoffs – 38 percent
Wins over the Rams and Giants could become pivotal when it comes to the final Wildcard spot, but Jumpman has the second hardest schedule behind the Colts, with matchups against the Redskins, Packers and Raiders still left on tap. If Seth were ever to play one of his games, Minnesota would essentially have zero margin for error in its ensuing five games, as every team listed above and below them on these rankings have at least two games in which you would assume easy victories for the playoff-hungry teams. Still, I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised if the Vikings win out, particularly when it comes to the Week 17 matchup against the Raiders which could see Danny already locked in to his seed.
Redskins (7-4)
Remaining strength of schedule (24-32)
Key game: Week 13 at Minnesota
Chance of making playoffs – 35 percent
One way or another, aspirations of a playoff run will end for one team in Week 14 when the Redskins travel to take on the Dolphins. If you were to just match the skill of the players, you would figure Dan would lose to the Vikings (Week 13) while secure wins over the Dolphins (Week 14) and the Patriots (Week 15), but the fact that’s even a consideration makes me a bit worried for Dan’s chances. If the Giants were to have this remaining schedule I would assume Bundy would win the division, but I could see the normally turnover-prone Redskins coughing over at least one game against an AFC East hopeful. And then there’s a game against Snake, who would likely be the favorite in that contest if you could guarantee he was playing his hardest. To make the playoffs, the Redskins can afford to lose one game, but anything after that will likely spell doom for Washington’s playoff hopes.
Giants (7-5)
Remaining strength of schedule (18-26)
Key game: Week 15 against Detroit
Chance of making playoffs – 60 percent
Thank god I don’t feel the need to put down a team’s percentage chance for winning the division because I feel less confident about Bundy winning the NFC East as I do about winning the final Wildcard spot. Finishing 10-6 should put the Giants in a tie with the Vikings (and maybe Rams) and that would be enough to take the final spot, but were Bundy to win the division, the Redskins would then immediately cause a scenario where Madden’s tie-breakers could become pivotal *gulp*.
I’m going to do my best to reasonably project how the rest of the season will play out. Having won multiple Pizza Prediction contests, including last year’s unceremonious victory that is being denied by Not Gay Andy’s cat-caught tongue, it’s time to provide the bulletin-board material for teams with aspirations of a fruitful playoff run. This article will serve a couple of goals – A) identifying who are the 5 best teams currently in RML, B) both best and worst case scenarios for this season and C) projecting long-term success. Given the wide variety between each topic I’ll likely be unable to complete any of the aforementioned tasks, but hey, I haven’t written anything in awhile, might as well just do something (thing poking with a stick meme).
Current record – (7-1)
End of season record – (14-2)
Week 10’s colossal Shark Tank rematch between Dope and Danny will likely decide the “real” No. 1 seed in the AFC, as a Week 1 victory over 2018 Super Bowl-winner Tillman means at the very worst Dope will split the AFC South. Looming is a rematch with the only team to serve the Texans a loss – the Jaguars – in what I can only assume was a simulated 40-0 massacre in Week 5. Should Jacksonville claim the win again, a Week 15 contest against Indianapolis could then throw the entire division into the Shadow Realm. Make no mistake, there will be three playoff teams coming out of the AFC South, but in what order remains to be seen. I think Dope is the best player in RML at the moment which would suggest Houston may have a virtual parade in its near future, but the AFC is stacced (pronounced like thicc, but saying the word stacked instead) which makes any notable Lope-esque hot take a particularly squeamish idea for me.
Long term – Good players are good regardless of their roster. If this statement proves to be true, RML may be in for a prolonged reign of terror, as the Texans simulated fantasy draft had the roster looking like something out of Jurassic Park entering the new campaign. Young additions to the depth chart, particularly at QB, WR and LB, will only make Dope more formidable. That sound you hear is the 20-year-old assistant-AD-to-be *gulping* from Tennessee.
Current record (7-1)
End of season record (14-2)
Did I mention that Week 10 has some major ramifications? With a match against the undefeated Packers, and Tillman’s Colts still left on the schedule, there’s a chance that whatever result occurs in two Madden weeks won’t make a lick of a difference. But the chance to earn a top-2 seed for the second straight year is still in the cards for Oakland, in large part thanks to an AFC West division that has struggled to live up to its immense expectations. Whether Danny can weave through the gauntlet of the AFC remains to be seen, but with potentially just Pittsburgh providing the one main playoff Kryptonite (weather) for the Raiders, it wouldn’t shock anyone to see this team rectify its struggles from last season. So long as Vic stays away from the advance button I should say.
Long term – There will always be an 85 overall DT ages 22-25 available out of Oakland every year. Hell, there will always be a ton of young guys available depending if you’re willing to pay the price. But stat padding and a healthy influx of rookies will always result in a strong roster, particularly if you’re a good player such as Danny. I’m not sure I would ever put Oakland a top the rankings with Dope, Tillman and BLD in the league, but that doesn’t mean the Raiders will ever “leave” that discussion. Imagine what would happen if Danny actually played with a roster above 80 overall.
Current record – (6-2)
End of season record (13-3)
I’m not sure I feel entirely comfortable putting the defending champions in third, but it’s more of a testament to Dope and Danny than it is a knock on Tillman. Ironically it’s the NFC West division that Tillman should be rooting for the most, as both the Cardinals and Rams pose the biggest threats to Pittsburgh finishing with the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Should the Steelers handle those matchups, there’s a realistic possible the AFC South bludgeons itself to the point where Danny winds up the No. 2 seed. While the AFC East division winner will get fed to the second seed to come out of the AFC South, the No. 3 overall seed in the conference will face whatever team finishes third in the AFC South, setting the stage for what figures to be an interdivision slobber knocker.
Long term – Of the top three teams, the Colts roster fits somewhere in-between on the concern scale. That’s 99 percent because I’ve never seen Tillman develop a team, and 1 percent because many of his super studs are creeping towards the retirement home. Seven players have a 90+ overall rating for the Colts, but only one of them is younger than 27 (Odell Beckham, who is 26). Given Aaron Rodgers is already getting displaced as the starter, I suspect Tillman recognizes that same fact and this will all be a moot point this offseason. But that’s going to be largely change based on trades, as I suspect many teams will take an aggressive attitude in free agency. When someone is consistently picking 26 and later in drafts, it’ll be difficult to acquire potentially impactful skill position players, which is about the only thing separating Tillman from Danny’s roster in two years.
Current record (5-2)
End of season record (13-3)
There’s a chance – albeit small – that the most difficult game left for Detroit, a Week 17 contest against Green Bay, won’t matter depending on how the latter plays in their remaining eight games. That would set the stage for a No. 5 seed and likely matchup against the NFC East division winner. It’s a muddled pile of 5-3 teams that complicates that projection, but I anticipate both the Falcons and Cardinals will win the requisite amount of games to avoid a Detroit buzzsaw, which might be the real prize instead of the one-game playoff home field advantage. At the end of the day, it’ll likely be an NFC North rematch of some sort in the NFC Conference Finals, but avoiding as many one-game-and-done scenarios should be any team’s goal. Unfortunately the Lions upcoming qualify of competition likely won’t unlock “playoff BLD”, meaning Detroit will simultaneously benefit from an easier schedule next year if they finish second in the division while still returning to the Super Bowl.
Long term – BLD is currently situated in the easier conference, so by default his success will extraordinary for however long he wants to stay in the league. But for a roster that I deemed among the top five leaving the draft, a handful of critical pieces leaving could drastically shape the depth of this lineup moving forward. Bruising RB Derrick Henry appears to be out the door or at least on the cusp of finding a new home, and Eric Ebron had very nearly been sent off in a trade to Pittsburgh, only for the scheduling gods to screw his opportunity to don the black and gold. Deshaun Watson and John Ross might be all one needs to be successful, but were any other person to take over the Lions team, it’s difficult to say they would easily cross into the top five. That’s more of a testament to BLD the player than any slight on his team building skills.
Current record (6-2)
End of season record (12-4)
I’ve watched more Jaguars (pronounced JAG-wuars, fuck you Dan) than I care to admit, and I’ll be honest, I think Doughboy has turned the corner. Err, rather he’s reached the corner and is revving the engine in an effort to turn. Whatever, this analogy is terrible. While I’m not positive I would take Dough over Danny, Tillman, Dope if my life depended on it, the fact that I would consider going that route is a noticeable improvement from the Doughboy I witnessed last season. If he were ever able to acquire an actually good mobile quarterback, that might be the final key to unlocking his offense. If this paragraph is shorter than the other ones, it’s because I’ve nearly typed 1300 words and I suspect at this point most of you have stopped reading.
Long term – With just one player currently over the age of 25 on the Jacksonville defense, spending the big bucks on a marquee free agent would be the only thing Doughboy could possible do to mess up this future contending team. Smart contracts, smart picks and prolonged success is all a player needs to build a quality lineup this year thanks to the dynamic development system and with a roster chalk full of promising attribute players, it’s difficult to suggest any of the top three teams in the AFC South will struggle in the foreseeable future.