Depth Chart Issues/Concerns

[jackstunt]

I am running into an issue of players not getting any playing time despite being named a starter or top backup. Is there anyway I can have everyone on my defense get snaps between special teams and regular defense? I hate losing players to transfer because the game doesn't play them.

I'd like the same for the offense as well.

[brooks_piggott]

There were some issues with depth charts prior to some of the patches. Make sure you're on 3.0.3

[blkshrt3410]

Still some pretty big issues. Don't know if it's depth chart issues, or just player rating issues.

Whenever I auto-sort the DC, it'll put my 4th best DT as a started, my best SS as a starting linebacker, etc. Just a disaster.

Unrelated to the DC, but related to the player stats issue, every single season, the league leaders in sacks are uniformly DTs, maybe a LB here or there. Leading tacklers all always uniformly safeties. I'm not even sure why DEs and LBs exist in the game.

[hughesjr]

So, I think that might be caused because you think that the Overall Rating is a measure of who is the best at a given position .. but I don't think that is true.

Certain attributes are more important for given positions than others.

What I would like to see is a breakdown, buy position, of the things that are important. For example, I know that Arm and Accuracy and Intelligence are key for the QB position .. but agility and strength may not be, etc.

What would be really great, in at least generic terms, is a list (by position) of what attributes are KEY to a position, which ones are useful (but secondary), and which ones are totally ignored (like Blocking or Kicking for QB).

So, your 4th best DT in Overall Score .. might be your best actual DT. (At least I think it is possible).

[MattP598]

This is from the 2018 version but I imagine it still applies....

Ratings
Here is an updated version of the explanations in the pdf help.

Strength - Key attribute for making tackles, breaking tackles, holding blocks and breaking through blocks. Influences chance to force/avoid fumbles.

Agility - Key attribute for dodges/cutting when running with the ball. Affects tackling. Influences catches/interceptions. Affects ability to adjust in blocking.

Arm - QB key Attribute for getting a ball to a receiver. Higher Arm means more completions. Factors more on long throws.

Intelligence - Key attribute for awareness on the field. Helps QBs assess and react to blitzes, pull down throws, throw ball away to avoid sacks, avoid interceptions. Helps ballcarriers find holes, react to defenders movements. Key attribute for defenders to assess run vs pass and adjust behavior accordingly, especially getting out of coverage in reaction to runplays. Helps tackling by anticipating ballcarrier movement. Helps interceptions. Affects ability to adjust in blocking.

Accuracy - QB accuracy with his throws. Increases completion pct and lowers interception rate. Factors more on short throws.

Tackling - Defensive attribute for bringing down a ball carrier.

Speed - Key attribute for ALL players.

Hands - Key attribute for making catches and interceptions. Affects handplacement in blocking. Helps avoid fumbles.

Pass Blocking - Attribute to make successful pass blocks.

Run Blocking - Attribute to make successful run blocks.

Endurance - Key attribute for all players. Higher endurance players can stay on the field longer. Factors in on injuries and ability to avoid performance drop late in games.

Kick Distance - For kickers this affects FG pct at longer distances. For Punters this affects punt distance.

Kick Accuracy - For kickers this affects FG pct. For Punters this affects killing the ball inside the 20.

Overall – Overall rating. In DDSCF the game defaults to absolute overall.

Leadership – Allows player to improve the team’s morale. Motivates players to play better. Quells lockerrom mumbling. Lets players lead by example, for instance by standing tall in the pocket and take a hit, or fighting for that extra yard.

Work Ethic – Affects training

Competitiveness – How hard the player plays during the game. Affects morale when winning or losing. Affects performance in crunch time. Contested catches (both defense and offense). Affects training.

Team Player – Plays to win and less for accolades. Affects how well players gel as a team, thereby improving performance.

Sportsmanship – Players attitude towards the other team. Affects penalties.

Disposition – Temperament of the player, good locker room influencer, also affects penalties. Minor affect on development of young players.

Morale – Affects player temperament and performance. Winning games, winning awards all improve morale. Losing, not starting or getting injured and such can detract from morale. If morale gets low enough the player is more likely to affect the locker room negatively.

[blkshrt3410]

So, I think that might be caused because you think that the Overall Rating is a measure of who is the best at a given position .. but I don't think that is true.

Certain attributes are more important for given positions than others.

What I would like to see is a breakdown, buy position, of the things that are important. For example, I know that Arm and Accuracy and Intelligence are key for the QB position .. but agility and strength may not be, etc.

What would be really great, in at least generic terms, is a list (by position) of what attributes are KEY to a position, which ones are useful (but secondary), and which ones are totally ignored (like Blocking or Kicking for QB).

So, your 4th best DT in Overall Score .. might be your best actual DT. (At least I think it is possible).

Of course. Why WOULD the overall rating be any sort of indicator of who my best players are. How foolish of me.

New question: why is there even an overall rating then?

[brooks_piggott]

The OVR is a quick glance rating to help understand how a good a player is overall, but not necessarily for a particular playstyle/scenario. If you go strictly by OVR then you'll have a reasonable lineup, but if you want an optimized lineup you'll have to factor in individual ratings at different positions, different packages of players, different playbooks/plays, different coaching styles, etc.