MUSKET

POSITION

ARCHETYPE(S)

ROLE

QB

Pocket Passer or Backfield Creator

QB

HB1

Elusive Bruiser or North/South Receiver

HB1 & PWHB*

HB2

East/West Playmaker or Backfield Threat

HB2, 3DHB, & PWHB*

HB3

East/West Playmaker or Elusive Bruiser

HB3 & 3DHB2

FB*

Blocking (TE) or Blocking (FB)

FB

WR1

Contested Specialist or Speedster*

WR1

WR2

Physical Route Runner or Route Artist

WR2 & SLWR1

WR3

Gritty Possession or Route Artist

WR3 & SLWR2*

TE1

Pure Possession or Gritty Possession

TE1

TE2

Gritty Possession or Pure Blocker (TE)

TE2

TE3

Vertical Threat or Physical Route Runner

TE3 & SLWR2*

LT

Pass Protector or Well Rounded

LT

LG

Agile or Pass Protector

LG

C

Pass Protector or Well Rounded

C

RG

Raw Strength or Agile

RG

RT

Agile or Raw Strength

RT

Notes :

• QB : Arm Talent & Mentals are tops here. Backfield Creator gets a mention because it's the next best fit + has On Time, but the only true option is a Pocket Passer. Literally all 5 abilities come into play (especially in SIM) here: DOT!, On Time, Sleight of Hand, Resistence, Step Up. Plus the added athleticism to Pocket Passers this year, completely rules out any need for a mobile focused QB with much worse arm talent + abilities. The big thing for SIM, will be the hidden DNA traits that we can't see, they can make/break even a stud QB. But that's simply RNG, so never be afraid of QB competitions in SIM scenarios.

• HB : With pulling guards, I've found that high 80's SPD (85-89) seems to be the sweet spot (especially in SIM) for the run game to run more smoothly. The faster & shiftier backs are great for change of pace HB2 + 3DHB out of the gun, but under center they're often too fast for the timing of the blocking development. I also prefer the abilities/badges in comparison.

• FB : Recruits suck for FB, plain and simple. They're not good enough, strong enough, big enough, any of it. BUT, this scheme utilizes both a FB & motion-blocking TE, but it features them differently. So I don't want to create redundancy there, and whats the fun of featuring a FB so heavily, without rostering one? The ideal archetype would be a really good blocking Utility, so I would focus recruiting towards undersized TEs and North/South running back types and developing their blocking before switching their position. If moving a Blocking TE to FB, upgrade their Hands first, as that category often becomes capped or nearly capped upon becoming a Blocking FB. There will be plenty of 11 personnel playbooks in the future which feature using an OOP TE here, but since this scheme features it so prominently, I suggest including the FB, at minimum for the purpose of design & the novelty they provide.

• WR : Being a timing based attack, throwing into windows of opportunity, Route Running & CIT are tremendously important. Normally WR1 is the X, and the #1 WR on your team, but in this scheme I use WR1 as the Deep Threat. Either to take the top off with Speed, or get physical with 50/50 balls. With this, WR2 is actually your #1 WR, because they will play more slot type roles in 2WR sets, and also kick in to play SLWR1 for priority targets. The Wildcard here is WR3, who can either be a shiftier Route Artist capable of also playing some slot, or a Gritty Possession guy on the outside to boost run blocking (as he plays WR2 in 3WR sets). Elusive Route Runners & Gadget score the lowest on my scale, and therefore have no use other than as a Returner.

• TE : Possession archetypes are ideal here, because of run blocking ability combined with CIT ability. Pure Possession representation has been nerfed into the ground, but the combo of size & athleticism, paired with Sure Hands & Outside Shield makes them my favorite. Gritty Possession is far more common in the recruit pool, and makes for a great starting point for manual progression/development. Vertical Threats are the next best starting point, as they are arbundant represented, and come with the ability to upgrade their Run Blocking. More likely to become PRRs who can block, than Possession archetype, but as long as their run block is upgraded prior to changing, should be fine. Physical Route Runners are oversaturated, and are probably the best receiving TEs, and hands down best RAC archetype. But the inability to block & upgrade blocking, is what keeps them out of this scheme as it is super dependant on the downhill run game.

• OL : Primarily looking for Pass Blocking on the blindside, and Agility/Power on the opposite side. Well Roundedness can work just fine too, but it gets expensive trying to upgrade them to full-time starters. Switched to a Pass Protector center this year, from favoring Raw Strength in last year's game, mostly due to Pass Block abilities (Pass Shield, PA Shield), to help offset the interior pass rush in this year's game.