Current Weights

Weights for 0.4.5 found in this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bWKAP70R1LB21BMTA0k_n1QP8QLwgSUa/view?usp=sharing

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<Older Posts Below>

Occasionally, I see my post on the most important attribute by position re-posted. I'm grateful when I see it used because I originally made it to help newer players understand the complexity of creating their own weights. I'm glad that players have found it useful.

The original post is somewhat dated because of the version change. I also reflect on my weights and revise them often. I wanted to shared a revised and updated analysis of how I'm setting my weights right now.

Full disclosure, these reflect my opinion on attributes right now. The number in parentheses is how I have the attribute currently weighted. I have seen other players excel with players that have different attributes than these. So take them as you will.

Enough prologue.

QB
Attributes: Accuracy (100); Speed (66); Look Off, Field of Vision, Scrambling (33)
Analysis: Why speed over scrambling? Easy. Scrambling helps mitigate a passing accuracy penalty for throwing on the move. Speed can completely negate a penalty for being under pressure. Fast QBs can scramble out of pressure, set their feet, and throw without coming back under pressure. Or they can take off running and still pick up positive yards.

RB
Attributes: Speed (100); Carry, Break Tackle, Avoid Fumble (50)
Analysis: The big four. There are some attributes we could talk about here, but they are just flavor if you have the big four. I recommend having a minimum of 75 SP on RBs, but I've seen players get by with less.

WR
Attributes: Route (100); Speed, Catch, Courage (66); B&R Avoid (33); Carry, Break Tackle (16)
Analysis: The jury is still out on speed here. I have had plenty of slow WRs do just fine. In fact, one of my favorite things to do is move RBs with good WR attributes, but slow speed, to WR. I also go back and forth on whether route running or courage is more important. Having both is great, but it's really take your pick.

TE
Attributes: Route (100); Speed, Run Block, Catch, Courage (66); Strength, B&R Avoidance (33)
Analysis: I've gone to a TE centered offense in most of my leagues. For this offense, I need a TE that acts more like a WR than a traditional TE. Run blocking and strength are still important, but pass blocking is not important at all since the TE will be running routes.

FB
Attributes: Run Block, Pass Block (100); Strength (50); Speed (33)
Analysis: These guys block. If you want them to do more, you want a H-back. See below.

H-Back
Attributes: Run Block, Pass Block, Route (100); Speed, Catch, Courage (66); Strength (33)
Analysis: This is not a position that is officially listed in MFN. The best way to consider this position is subbing in for a RB or FB in passing situations. Like subbing in for the RB in the 113 Shotgun HB Flare Short/Medium or the 203 Split Backs short passing play where the RB runs the flat and the FB blocks or runs the short hook. Either way, recognizing the value of the H-Back in these situations can really change your game plan.

OT
Attributes: Pass Block (100); Run Block, Speed (60); Strength (40)
Analysis: I haven't noticed speed making much of a difference on the edge, but I'm leaving it for now. Pass blocking is essential here.

OG
Attributes: Pass Block, Run Block (100); Strength (60); Speed (10)
Analysis: If you can get them, a 100 speed, strength, and run block OG can be your best friend in the run game. However, speed is not usually important, blocking is.

C
Attributes: Short Snapping, Pass Block, Run Block (100); Strength (60); Speed (10)
Analysis: Centers. Otherwise known as guards that snap.

LDE
Attributes: Speed, Pass Rush (100); Tackle (75); Run Defense (50); Strength (25)
Analysis: Your LDE should be your classic edge rusher. Find a 100, 100 player and let him dominate in the passing game.

RDE
Attributes: Speed, Run Defense (100); Tackle (75); Pass Rush (50); Strength (25)
Analysis: I did a lot of extensive scouting for awhile, and I've found that rough 90% of all runs go to the weak side of the line. This means that your RDE should be a run stopper more than a pass rusher. You can always sub one of your back up LDEs in for the RDE in passing situations.

DT
Attributes: Run Defense (100); Tackle, Strength (75); Pass Rush, Speed (50)
Analysis: Let these guys eat space and push the pocket. If they can clear the C or G easily, speed becomes a killer.

LB
Attributes: Tackle (100); Speed (75); Run Defense, Punish (50); Pass Rush (10)
Analysis: Not distinguishing between LB positions is is probably the most controversial part of my weighting system. I do this for good reason. All LB position should be able to tackle and shed a blocker. Why not pass rush though? Because all LBs blitz the gap. You don't need pass rush if you do not engage that often, and the most likely time an LB will engage is with an RB or FB. If your opponent is relying on that to stop your blitz, you've won the blitz anyway.

CB
Attributes: Punish (100); Speed, Tackle (75); M2M Cover (50); Run Defense (10)
Analysis: Punish machines that need enough cover to stay close to a WR. I'm still torn on how much speed matters here since your pass rush should be putting your opponents QB under pressure.

Blitz CB: Speed, Pass Rush (100); Tackle, Run Defense (75); Punish, M2M Cover (50)
Analysis: Another position that is not officially listed in MFN. Consider these types of CBs the ones that sub in on a Nickle CB3 blitz. The game generates a lot of these, so it's always a good idea to keep one on the roster to sub into this role. Fortunately, the best CB blitzes out of the Nickle are either out of the Nickle Blitz or Nickle Strong personnel set. Also useful to sub in for the SS in the 46 SS MLB blitzes.

SS
Attributes: Punish, Tackle (100); Speed (60); M2M cover (50); Zone Cover, Run Defense (25)
Analysis: Like CBs except slower and tankier. A SS with 100 tackle and decent speed should lead your team in tackles. Like LBs, SS mostly blitz the gap, so pass rush is an unused luxury most of the time.

FS
Attributes: Punish, Speed, Tackle (100); Zone Cover (50); M2M Cover (25)
Analysis: I play mostly single high safety so that is the reason for zone over M2M here. The most important thing for the FS though is speed, punish, and tackle. Ideally, the FS will do all three well, but must absolutely do two of the three. I can get by with a slow FS if he can tackle and punish well.

Kick Returner
Attributes: Kick Catch (100); Speed (33); Break Tackle, Carry, Avoid Fumble (16)
Analysis: In v.3.x this position was largely ignored. It was throw the fastest player you had back there and watch him pick up lots of TDs. In v.4, there are still lots of PR TDs and KR TDs to be had, but now, kick catching is absolutely essential. If the player bobbles the kick, he is very slow to take off and will end up fair catching a punt, downing a kick off, or not gaining as many yards as he should.

I'm not sure what to think about your OT weights.

I've always had pass blocking at 100 here, and now it doesn't seem to matter. But, neither does strength, or speed, or acceleration, or....

In short, I have no idea what makes a good OT now, or if that's even possible any more. I can't find any consistency between guys who get beat every other play, and guys who don't.

I agree. These are currently set on what JDB says should work and partially on experience. If I'm going to go to a run heavy team, I sometimes switch the weights to 100 run block and 100 strength for my LTs.

And there's the rub. What should work, and what does work, are rarely the same thing.

The worst part is what does work is nearly unidentifiable for some positions, varies from play to play, or is just random from play to play.

Right, I completely agree. The weights here, though, are my best representation of what should work when it does start working (again, ever). I assume that some time it will work. But by that time, I'm probably going to need to swap speed and acceleration or something like that.

This is why my plan revolves around getting guys who are 100 at everything.

Duh.

:p :D

I've given up trying to figure it out anymore.

My assumption is that there will be a new version out that addresses these issues soon.
Well, not soon (based on the lack of changes I've seen in MFN-1 so far), but still long before I could figure what matters and what doesn't in v0.4 (if that's even possible).

I'm really just trying to figure out the OL and QBs.

I already know what is most important to every other position: SPEED! (I'm half kidding about this part).

I think I make a new set of weights everyday, but the latest I named AL Davis......

For only one reason. We got guys who run 9 second 40 yard dashes. Most players here run 5+ second 40 yard dashes. That's a 100 rated player weighing 260 pounds running a maximum of a 5.20 fourty.

If your Kicker and Punter don't have 100 Speed, you're doing it wrong.

Do you even MFN, bro? :P :D

I want my P and K to have Speed and Tackling.