Who are your favorite bargain players on draft day?

I will make a few statements and then I have a few questions for anyone able to answer or comment on.

I have had the game for a few months.

First off, I love the franchise mode/salary cap on

I play on All Madden level. The reason being Mike Vick. I haven't read all the threads here yet, so I am sure this is no new revelation for some. But taking Vick with my first fantasy pick is a must for me. I tried beating the All Madden level with Manning and other stud QBs, but until I started drafting Vick I had a rough go of it. Dropping back to pass with Vick and letting your receivers run deep patterns opens up all kinds of space for him to run. That is pretty much my offense.
Vick recently had to retire in my current franchise and lucky me, I found a white QB of all things that has 97 speed. Ya RIGHT! Pretty funny using a white guy that is faster than Vick, (GO WHITE BOY) but that is how I score on offense. Running the QB.
Anyway...working around the cap, trading, and scouting new rookies is very cool. Love 04!
To my questions....
My favorite part is the draft...I have become familiar with most rookies or young players that eventually become studs. Some of my favorite players that you don't have to spend early picks and/or alot of $ on are as follows...
Keep in mind I know that Ray Lewis is the best MLB on the game and that Moss is the best WR, but I don't like spending all the cash and 1st round picks on these types. Most of the players I list you can get at bargain prices, before they become studs. I would like posts telling me what some of your favorite young bargain players are when starting a new franchise using a fantasy draft.

QB Vick (no bargain but a necessity)
RB Henry or William Green (I know there are better, but these guys are solid and I don't have to spend an early pick to get either of these guys)
FB Heath Evans
WR Andre Johnson, Lelie, Stallworth, Gaffney, Washington (steal where you can draft him),A Bryant, K Campbell, T Jacobs
TE Jeramy Stevens
LT Levi Jones, Langston Walker
LG Hutchinson
C Woody
RG Bentley
RT Gross, Mckenzie, Mike Williams

LE Seymour, Peppers
RE A Carter, Justin Smith
DT Jim Kennedy, W Bryant (I know there are more here, I just draft these 2 usually)
LOLB Suggs, Boss Bailey
MLB Nap Harris, Hartwell
ROLB Barton, Gold, Diggs, Polley
CB Newman, P Buchanon, Dyson, Ross, Jammer, Clements, Trufant, Woolfolk, Smoot, Baxter
FS Roy Williams, Mike Brown, Schulters, Smith, Mcree
SS A Wilson, #41, Lewis, Archuleta, #46, Ed Reed, Tank, Wire

Any comments or more importantly input from your experiences would be appreciated.

[cashpath]

Comments?? Ok

1) Are you going to get Madden 05? Cause if so you better start learning how to play without running Vick all over the place.. so go get manning and learn to stand in the pocket and pass on All-Madden or 05 is gonna take a while for you to learn.

2) Mike Vick is fun.. but I feel in 04 he makes the game way to easy.. if I play vick I am unstoppable.. its not fun.. so I play quincy and then whoever we draft

3) draft value guys? Whoever has speed cause speed kills in Madden.. (and that should be fixed...)

4) as far as guys I trade for? T Suggs who can play both DE and LB then I run a 3-4 and use him in Dime Nick sits as a DE keeps my cap charge down.. Also - Boss Bailey, and Teyo Johnson. That was in 04 though.. 05 will be a whole new ballgame..


Peace out all I'm going to get my copy of NCAA 2005!!! Wooty woot woot woot

Oh by the way the speed of darkness is instant. If reaching the speed of light allows you to travel through time.. reaching the speed of drakness would allow you to stop time.. simply because its instant... that's the truth think about it if you could move instantly everything around you would stop. So essentially on a huge scale the faster you can move the more time around you slows down, thus faster players are better (deion sanders) essentially time is slowing down for him... Albeit a very small amount.. but it's happening...

Thanks for the input.
Off work today so I will be working Manning out. Guess its time I learned.
Going to get my NC05 here in a few hours as well. Wonder if it will be tough to get. People freak over that game around here. Never tried it, so I am curious to see how I like it.

Question for ya cash...
I am trying to sim games (watching the games play out) However I can't figure out how to change offensive and defensive schemes. It reverts back to 4-3 and Carthon's offense. Any idea on how I can change things here?

Thanks

Kurt, Seymour and Peppers aint bargains any more. In fact, all four of your DEs usually get taken in the first round with updated player rosters I've got on the PC.

I agree with cash though, playing with vick aint no fun. Drop your difficulty to all-pro (thats where i play) and use a decent guy like Brooks or Hasselbeck to play some more realistic ball.

Btw, speaking of young QBs, I just feel the need to share this. I was running a franchise with the Bills, was working on Losman, second year I think. then the draft comes around, i get some good picks, then i go to free agency, and there's a freaking 85 QB at 21! He got drafted with like the first pick, but the team didnt have the cap room, I was gutted coz I'd just given Losman a brand new 7-year deal. Course I signed the guy and traded him, but he was one of those talents.. and at 21.. i could've got him at 99 by 24 or 25 at the latest.

Anyway, wont these people hurry up and release madden already!!

by the way fantasy draft evens things out. i prefer to use the default or updated rosters and build my team thru the draft.

Oh I love it. That is what intrigues me about this game. Snagging a gem like that makes it a blast. You never know I guess. After reading that, I believe I will keep closer tabs on those free agents.

If you or anybody can tell me how to switch defensive and offensive formations while simming (watching the game) I would appreciate it. It keeps reverting back to 4-3 and the Dallas offense when I try to switch it up.

Thx guys

[cashpath]

Set the formations with the controller on it... start the game then go into settings and move the controller back over to the middle before the kickoff.. you may have to kickoff now and then.. but it sets the playbooks..

[titansrule]

personally i take mcnair first, then a defenseive player or o-line. but from there i go with the flow, and i do not need a good rb, i often get the guy from st.louis who is a speed demon, travis somebody, trust me that leaves the rb pick for another player instead. and personally i like an explosive O and D, so you want speed, my wrs are low stats except for my go to guy, usually mason or boston ( someone good but not harrison good ) and then speed guys( like az-zi hakim or whatever his name is, they are fast and so throw to them on short pass plays and hope thata they get some room to run. well thats what i do, but my draft plan is really not that consistent, i change to keep it fun

[broncos1170]

I usually take a running back (Tomlinson or Portis) first and then I look for a qb (Manning, Culpepper, or Brooks) or o-line (like Marvel Smith, Luke Pettigout, Damien Woody) in the next 3-4 rounds. Then I take a linebacker and usually a corner or wide receiver next. After that I will just draft to my needs and look for good young players.

[SlickRick1382]

I always go D first because I can make almost any QB and RB good. I prefer getting a Champ Bailey type player. before updated roster i got Kris Jenkins, KGB and Peppers on the same line.

As for steals i think like cahs taught me, Suggs is one of the best. I mean i got that guy to 90's in 2-3 seasons playing at DE instead of his LOLB position.

As for WR's i usually go for good hands or fast guys. I don't need a go to guy. I usually have like 70-80 overall WRs and build them up through drafts since i focus so much on D. As for QB's i wound up trying Palmer once, i used Pennington already, Hasselback, Boller even.i also draft one in my 1st or second season and start him right away.

At RB Henry is a steal because he falls real far in the draft as do TE's so you can get Heap, Shockey like mid draft at time but i prefer Heap or a Alge Crumpler type, even Randy McMicheal.

Lelie and Stallworth are worthy pics because their young and their speed.

Barnett is great for MLB. i got rid of THomas and Barnett (Packers) is at 94 after 3 seasons. Terence Newman and Jammer are also good late picks, especially Newman who really develops nicely.

[broncos1170]

Originally Posted by SlickRick1382

As for steals i think like cahs taught me, Suggs is one of the best. I mean i got that guy to 90's in 2-3 seasons playing at DE instead of his LOLB position.

Suggs also gets to 90s in 2-3 season playing OLB. He is an 85 for me after one season.

[phatboyty]

yeah hhe does

[SlickRick1382]

yeah but it easier to draft a good LB to play the L or R OLB position than a good DE.

[titansrule]

yeah that is true and thats why i use him at DE rather than OLB.

i would use the TE pick on Teyo Johnson. 21, and 68 ovr, with 82 spd. he'd fall late. i prefer to pass rather than run the ball. i don't use vick, ok i do scramble, but only when theres a clear lane and usually a clear lane to the sideline. phillip buchanon is a bargain player, as you don't have to spend a very early pick to pick him up. as for the 1st pick, i pick the best player left.

other bargain players

WR daunte stallworth
RB michael bennett
MLB napoleon harris
QB carson palmer
OLB terrell suggs
MLB nick barnett
RB willis mcgahee

also dont bother using early picks for safeties. a young 70-79 ovr range safety will suffice, safeties are the easiest players to develop, even if they are not a starter they progress at least 3 ovr every season when their young

talk about progression, i've developed a 3rd round QB (A.Ford) for my new raiders franchise

started 66 ovr
mini camp +2 (68)
preseason +4 (72)
progression +1 or 2 i think.

so if he has a good mini camp and pre-season, i trade kerry collins and go with ford as the starting QB.

[titansrule]

using a TE on offense is possibly the best thing to do, along with the fb, most defensive schemes dont pick them up (cpu) and playing against a human they wont do so if you use it very occasionally in pressure situations, if they do though, then it will open the field up for your second third or even 1st wideout...or even a scramble as all lbs will be in coverage

i like to pass to as many players as possible, including the RB and FB. i like to get my TE involved as much as possible, although i usually throw half of my passes to my go-to WR. i only tend to run in the 4th quarter to run the clock down.

[titansrule]

man you should run more, it opens up the pass...loads. also if you dont run that much, at least use a few draws to keep the D on their toes, dont ever give that D a break, you really out to run the ball

[SlickRick1382]

I use the dolphins so I pound it in as much as I can, and wait to get the team offguard. Especially with players who like to use the playmaker option, I catch them offguard with the play action all the time and make them pay. As for throwing the people, I get it to everyone. I always have like atleast one reception by 7 different receivers. I'm just nice like that. =p

[titansrule]

same here slick, i love to get those guys off guard and i always spread the ball around, i even get it to schifno sometimeshe sucks like no other

the other time i run the football is at the beginning of the game, usually i always start with a run play, and sometimes i just do hurry up offense and just use the same run play again and again and again, then i chuck in an audible when i think their run down enuff. but its difficult to anyone to guess who i'll pass it to. i use play action, counters and draws a fair bit, or if not i'll scramble on the odd occasion.

[titansrule]

with gannon?!?!?!?!?! or tuasusopo or what ever his name is?

oh yeah, with gannon and all. he can run u know. i dont use tuiasopopo or whoever u spell his name. although when i draft i dont take speed into account unless i've got a choice.

[titansrule]

yeah i know he can run but i mean all itd take is one hit and the guy would have to go into retirement, doesnt he get injured a lot from scrambling(being old and all)?

oh no. i dont scramble like certain other users who simply acquire mike vick and simply scramble with him all the time. if theres a lane then i'll take it, but i aint gonna scramble just for the sake of scrambling.

ur also confusing the madden 04 gannon with the real life gannon. they are somewhat 2 different animals

[titansrule]

yesah thats true, but i like to stay true to reality, makes it somewhat more fun and im the same adam, i take the scramble if the lane is there but never mike vick scramble...

[SlickRick1382]

so much for pounding it in there and then throwing the ball to 7 or 8 different recievers. I'll be lucky to run for 60 yards a game now without Ricky.

[titansrule]

yep, it must feel like your life has caved in, well not that bad, but pretty damn awful...

i think ricky will still be on madden 2005. not that i'd ever use him, infact i'll reduce his stats so he's like a cripple, so if any team ever uses him it'll be like

"handoff to ricky williams, oh wait a minute warren sapp is in the backfield, WHACK, he's fumbled it, and sapp has recovered it, he's recovered it and he's off to the endzone, warren sapp has just returned a fumble for a touchdown and wait a minute ricky williams aint getting up, he's being carted off on a scretcher and i think warren sapp has just knocked ricky williams into retirement"

[titansrule]

ill likely do the same