I will post them here in Paydirt forums exclusively for a minimum of 14 days prior to posting them to the community forums.
Admittedly, there's not buckets of docs. several would be the right ballpark.
I dunno if it's a benefit, but I hope y'all enjoy.
The first post - and pardon that it's from me - is about Overrides.
It was written in 2020. It's likely out of date in late 2026.
It's lengthy. Let's just say I had a high grain diet and too much free time during the pandemic. Not sure if the img links will work as MFN has seen updates since the article was written, but the plays still have the same names.
I hope it can be a conversation starter about how to use overrides in the current MFN environment.
Enjoy, In Joy!
OVERRIDES:
There has been much discussion as to what matters more:
Camp A: How can I best use Fatigue Settings?
Camp B: How can I use overrides?
Camp C: Which one has precedence?
As I tackle an essay about overrides, I hope to provide a solid foundation to answer all three concerns. I will start with Camp B: Using Overrides, as this is the most frequent question I receive via PMs (and how to use it with Camp A).
Let us begin by breaking down some basics about overrides.
1. Everyone hopes to have the best player, at the right time, in the right place, with the right play.
2. Many players try to manipulate this only by the fatigue sliders.
3. How to maximize the players a GM has, the injuries, and achieving #1.
Each of us is walking a fine line between our starters and our backups, many wondering which path is the best - or easiest - way to do #1. The answer is both overrides and fatigue settings are important.
The difference is knowing that MFN is geared to prefer User influences over AI tendencies.
Let us get it over with: One can cut corners, but every competitive owner in MFN has one area they dictate, and will not allow the AI to control.
I am not addressing those of you with double digit teams.
I am going to start with the basics. It is important to note, IMHO, that the ability to have many browser windows open, easily changed in between, really helps.
First:
Open 2 “Team Home Page” tabs (told ya lol).
1 for stats, one for attributes (FB is the one with the most info for O players, MLB for D players to limit flashing between info options)
Open Depth Chart
Open Gameplanning tab - Offensive plays.
One wants to be able to compare everything. If you are a phoner, get out some paper lol. Most importantly, one wants to have stats, attributes, and the formation easily accessible, and easy to move in between. Memory counts, or at least being able to easily flash between data points is important.
One does get to know their players quite quickly. Memory access requires repetition of information ;)
Alright. Let’s get to it..
I recently had an inquiry about how to do overrides in the shotgun 2/0/3 (Shotgun 2RB 3 WR 20 Personnel). I will start there.
First, we need to look at the plays available.
My coach runs a “Generally Balanced Offence” offensive style playbook.
First, we have the Depth chart/Overrides tab: shotgun 2rb 3wr (20 Personnel).
Then, we have in another browser window our plays available in that formation:
Now, we begin to work our way through the plays we have chosen.
In this case, I am using the WR Curl and the FB In:
WR CURL:
FB In:
Now. It is important to note: In this formation, I eliminated any run plays, and went with only pass plays. The main reason is it allows me to prioritize my Oline: All high pass block, higher STR, Higher ACC.
It allows me to rest players that excel in both Pass and Run blocking, and focus on my olinemen that are quality pass blockers.
It is too rare to have a player that can play anytime. What we need to do is maximize the talent we have.
Does player A have good STR, ACC, and PBLK, over a starter, who is better across the board - but NEEDS REST?
This is the chance to rest your #1, and maximize that specialty blocker.
Step 2: Compare plays:
In this case - pretty easy. 2 plays, both pass plays. Oline is easy. High STR, ACC, PBLK.
We will start there.
Here is my FB roster: https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/team/32 *Might have to use the menu to shift to FB.
We are looking for: PBLK>STR>ACC>SPD>RBLK> in that order for oline for these plays.
I want: 85+, 80+, 65+ 50+, Meh (not running, don't care).
I won't get that too often.
In my experience, I have found high ACC, high PBLK, High STR lineman to perform well in this situation. If QB scrambles/runs ever become a reality, SPD will also become handy. Quick off the line, thus ACC, for the oline is a good foundation.
Hold the line! In this case, the WR#3 has long developing routes.
Stronger PBLK linemen on the right: 2 WR there, 1 long route on the right in each play (streak and 2 posts) including the WR3 running long developing pass routes as the slot (long).
This means the slot WR needs height. Short slot receivers run short inside/cuts. Tall ones go long.
More info in WR.
The only place an under 5'10" receiver will work is in short slot routes. ...and he better have run blocking, BRA, and SPD or I might go TE.
Stronger PBLK linemen on the right: 2 WR there, 1 long route on the right in each play (streak and a post).
POST2:
Now: The Juicy.
Why do I have that player in that position, and how does it work between the 2 plays? Why do these plays, in this formation work so well, and what other symbiotic plays can I find in every formation?
Can it be done better, and can one expand play options within a formation effectively?
Welcome to the rabbit hole.
Let’s party…
First: Consider similarities between plays. It does not matter if you work from the inside out, (line to WRs) or reverse.
In this example, we will look at the OLINE first. Why? Everything begins with pass protection for these plays.
The Plays: WRCurls : FBIn
Notes: [POSITIONS: My Primary concerns. NOT yours. :)*]
*NOT attribute weighting. NEED for the play.
**Preseason overs (week 1, no less)
OLINE: Pass Block Only. STR, PBLK, ACC. SPD. (DISC/INT)
*STR below 70 is always an issue on both the O and D lines.
(LT) K Butler
(LG) J Knutson
(RG)J Godin
(RT)S Hawkins
The Logic:
The longer plays are on the QB right hand. The right side Oline must be the best, strongest, quickest pass blockers. In both plays, the slot WR (#3 in progression) runs the “long” route.
That WR is on the QB right, one will want the best STR>PBLOCK>ACC>DIS>SPD>INT here.
You will find your best preferences in overs. Be patient.
The idea is to use backups at the best time, best place, and rest the starter.
Start him. Start the very best you have. Linemen are tough (we will address fatigue AFTER we see how overs allow rotation in the trenches).
That stated: Give your developing backs, wrs, and QB the best line to play behind.
In the preseason, unless I have a rookie that excelled in TC, I focus on giving my other OFF players the best chance to perform by giving them the best line.
If you give them **** blocking, they will give you **** results.
Have I mentioned that GMs “should” be deep at the lines yet?
PART 3: BACKS: (currently preseason week 3)
Pre-season week 3. Time to switch some things up. QB Beecher has been tremendous, but it is time to give QB Murray his full game (especially since he is on my trade block after Beecher’s performance; $$$), with the mindset that my QB1 will start pre week 4.
Here is what I used for weeks 1 and 2: https://i.imgur.com/GXkwAtv.jpg
Now is a great time to change things up. I encourage when a RB needs to break through the line, a higher BRA, a very good strength, and all RBs need route running for toss and back field pass plays.
So far, so good over 2 games: https://i.imgur.com/XxXOWJI.jpg
The curl is going towards the RB, note the Yards/times called. The WR routes are all over 5yards. It stands to reason that the QB is dumping out.
Let’s add PCATCH, SPD and ACC to our RB.
In this example, the RB 2 has a pass option in both plays chosen.
Our RB needs: SPD>ACC>STR>RTE>BRA>CATCH.
This is why we sometimes see GMs use a WR at RB. In my example, there are no running plays for this formation. 19 pounds lighter equals a nudge faster. Code places all RBs and WRs between 5’9” and 6’1”. Position assignment determines weight.
Personally, I am a power fullback fella, and the shotgun 2RB 3WR is an excellent place to use a strong, fast, run/pass blocking, pass catching monster.
...which also means a TE can be considered in pass only situations.
Let us take a look at the offensive backs I decided to use in for this example (BTW: what shows on the card, is what has a value in your player weights): https://i.imgur.com/OyunwlC.jpg
FB Hill is on the QBs left as RB2. RB Doolittle is on the QB right as RB1.
RB2 is required to pass block in the WR Curl and a drag left in the FB In.
FB (for this example): ACC>STR>SPD>PBLOCK>RTE>PCATCH>COURAGE.
Lacking a FB, use a TE. There are no TEs on the Oline in this formation. Here is an opportunity to rest a player. Rest the FB, or rest all the TEs. Definitely rest your high rated run blockers if possible. With only 2 plays, it is a great spot to use a backup RB as well.
10 plays. 2 games. 5 plays per game someone is on the bicycle.
In this example: one can rest 3 position plates between the TE and offensive backs, plus line men.
Potentially 10-15 starters getting plays off.
That is how fatigue settings are manipulated.
It is also time to increase my fatigue settings from 55 to 60 for all positions except QB and K, which are always at 100.
My regular season fatigue settings are 70, so time to start making changes to achieve that.
...Time to start getting the right STARTER in the right place at the right time.
We are starting to see which rookies and FAs are working in our system. Time to see what team we want on the field for the regular season.
Remember, the lower the fatigue setting, the more often (tired or not) a player is removed from the game to the bench.
Now might be a good time to mention an injury exploit: Just remove the player from your depth chart completely. That player will not get played, and the team has 46 players active.
With a little practice with overrides, however, that should rarely be a concern moving forward.
PART 5: WIDE RECEIVERS:
Once again, let us review our 2 plays, this time focusing only on what the wide receivers are doing.
WR Breakdown:
WR#3 is the slot receiver. He’s running long and deep - height , SPD, and ACC will matter. That WR is not on the line, so BRA can be lower than the #1 and 2 WR positions. #1 WR is on the QB right, #2 on the QB left.
#1 & #2 WR: BRA>CATCH>COURAGE>ROUTE.
If there was a running play in the mix, the WR on the edge the play runs towards needs to also have STR and RBLK.
#3WR: CATCH>COURAGE=ROUTE>BRA
It is important to note in v4.5 both courage and punish are critical underlying player weights. Both impact routes, which should have more of an importance within the AI. Both impact catches (caught and defended). As it should be.
How these underlying weights are used is going to continue to be a key, regardless of version.
An entire different essay, to be sure.
Now let us focus on WHO to use where.
This is our current lineup:
It should be noted, as it is pre-season week 4, I am starting my #1 QB, and have moved him into the appropriate place in the depth chart.
The entire point is to get the best player in the right place at the right time. Having worked on the “best supporting cast” over 3 weeks, it is time to see what they can do with my commander on the field.
...and get the lazy fella into some veggies and work.
I am also increasing my fatigue settings to 65 for all positions except QB and K, which are always at 100.
Here are the receiver progressions:
Personally, I always start with the slot receiver. I have been using Stewart due to his SPD, CATCH, and COURAGE. In the best situation, he blows by the SLB or CB3 and fights a quality Safety. ACC matters as he is behind the line of scrimmage and off the blocker.
Having used Stewart for 3 games (100% receiving), it is time to mix it.
We can check our changes post game by reviewing our offensive plays and setting games to 0.
Some will also go deeper into a quick film review of the play(s). You do you.
Opening our roster, we drop down to WR attributes. https://i.imgur.com/DX6pPGT.jpg
I want to focus on Barber. After all, he has an area of improvement. ..but it's BRA. Dern he is fast, though. Oh. STR 44. VS A LB? NOPE. Next.
What I need to focus on, due to likely facing a LB, is STR. Unfortunately, not on the WR attribute list. What I have is: Caldera: 64. Gertie: 95. Curcio: 80. Stewart: 93.
I’m in a good spot at WR this year :)
I’m going to move Gertie to the slot, which means I need to find the best #1 WR (at least for this formation!!) to replace him.
Every player can be a #1. Never forget that.
Ok.. #1. 4 yard in and 5 yard post. Stop, pop, and go. BRA>RTE>CATCH=COURAGE>>STR. ACC is helpful as it is a stop and go route. Courage because he is going to have DBs all over him.
What I am going to choose to do is move Curcio over to the #1. He has STR and RBLK. IF the pass is completed in the WR Curl to the RB1, that RB is going to need someone that can bulldoze. Gertie also has high STR and RBLOCK in the slot to support the RB1 drag. Best player, right place, right time. Preseason week 4. The time is now.
WR#2: What did I say about Barber with room to improve at BRA? Well, he also needs to improve at RTE. The WR2 is running an 8 yard in (WR Curl) and a 10 yard cross (FB In).
Either way, he’s going to have his opportunity at about the same spot (WR Curl) unless defensive failures occur. There is no time in the QB progression in v4.5 for the WR2 to reach the hash marks.
Both of these plays are stop and pops, but require better route running due to the high angle cuts to the inside. BRA.CATCH.RTE.ACC.COURAGE.
Odds are the CB#2 is lower in SPD and BRC.
What better place for Barber?
In the background, RG Hawkins is out with an injury, and by my depth chart, RG Wilson will replace Hawkins in all formations in preseason wk 4.
RG Wilson: https://i.imgur.com/EzKqtD5.jpg
Wilson has 1 year remaining on his contract, a decent STR, excellent SPD, ACC, and DIS, but very mediocre blocking attributes. A very good pull lineman… Mostly. He’s performed well, but do I really want to spend that much for a long term BU? Make or break, buddy. Step up, lol.
I do not need to make any override changes, as Hawkins’ injury is short term, and Wilson is who I want is my #2 anyway. I will address this a bit more in the conclusion.
That takes us here for our final lineup heading into the regular season. Based on the YPA so far, it is highly likely this formation, with either the wk 3 or wk 4 overrides, will be used throughout the season. https://i.imgur.com/NxQne1P.jpg
TBC….
CONCLUSION: BACK TO THE FRONT:
Now, to try to leave the reader in a place to move forward.
So much about sliders, overrides, and rules is personal preferences, it is impossible to be definitive.
Now, let’s take a look at where we are with our Shotgun 2rb 3wr plays (WR Crl and FB In) over the last 4 weeks.
Silly me made some personnel changes based on catch % a few weeks back, as well as some slide adjustments. Forgive the time, as time flies.
It is important to note my FB Hill has been out for 3 weeks, and the numbers have steadily declined.
It’s alright, the shotgun 2rb 3wr has some concerns. Sometimes, no matter how skilled of players, no matter how much they are in the right place, sometimes plays do not work.
Such has been my personal experience in this formation over multiple teams, coaches, and seasons. My experiences do not hold true for all players, to be sure.
In the spirit of discourse, I will keep these plays - for now. Under normal circumstances, I would have eliminated and / or replaced these plays weeks ago.
Of course, laying out exactly what is in this formation may or may not be assisting my competitors. It’s all good. :)
Let’s take a look at the Nuke’s mid week 14 injuries, moving towards the playoffs.
Sooner or later, everyone has THE game that whacks players to the bench. I had mine a couple weeks ago.
Still, I am in a great place - resting players that others would play.
Keep in mind: the probables will be available by wk 15-16, the questionable - and perhaps the doubtful ready for the playoffs. Half are backups. Conditioning matters.
We have yet to properly address Camp C: Which one has precedence?
I have waited until the end to address the impetus for this essay for a reason.
We have approached some implied conclusions.
In truth, there is no wrong choice. One of the many beautiful things about MyFootballNow.com is that any user can be as involved in any and all aspects of finding their own “Eureka” moment.
It is a personal choice.
One will have to live with the path traveled, or be willing to radically change in the face of repeated negative outcomes.
The exception would be Fatigue Settings.
There’s quite a bit of math since the move to parabolics. Nothing wrong with that, but it can be a prohibitive level of effort for the time limited, casual orientated, and differently prioritized. :)
Daz a lot of .csvs.
In Fatigue Setting Sliders, the trend is more injuries the lower the setting. Just as a set gets called less and less, so does the player conditioning when they are placed into the game.
The lower the fatigue setting slider, the more often players are rotated, the more time they spend on the bench, looking for a muscle pull. The less likely you will have your bull in that goal line set.
Very realistic, in my humble opinion. Kudos, JDB.
Overrides are user controlled, always take precedence, and therefore provide the best opportunity to limit injuries over the course of a game - and season.
The higher the Fatigue Slider, the more likely one's overrides have that player, and the better one can - wait for the twist - limit player overuse and bad AI substitutions.
Count the plays the player is involved in. Know how many projected carries your backs will likely have per game, and how many targets a WR will get.
I have found that when I am thin on the lines, it does not hurt to go a little lower on the fatigue sliders. I have yet to go below 60 over the 4 seasons I've dedicated to them.
Sliders can be used to effectively maximize the formation used and the type of play (R/P) called. However, ultimately, it is up to the Head Coach. We have all seen the same OFF game planning numbers lead to radically different results. Some of that is down and distance, far more of it is coach tendency (another variable).
"It's only logical, Jim."
Rules, on the other hand, can eliminate the head coach’s tendencies (user over AI) and are preferred by many to try to eliminate “chaos.” However, one must either do a blanket O/D rule, or a specific, situational one. Either way, the wrong time is definitely possible, and the right time might never arrive.
The more narrow the rule is, the more unlikely it is to encounter such a situation. How often are we at 3rd and 1-4 at 5 yards to goal, or 2nd and 8+ from the 25-50 opponent side of the field either offense and defensively? Yup.
Rules also create “direct” GM tendencies and patterns. It is NOT that hard to figure out that a GM is using a specific set once in a while. It is much more research to determine when.
One should note: "If I am going to create a 3rd and short rule for the goal line formation, I should also use overrides to make sure I use my strongest, most powerful back and the best run block oline for 3rd, short, and goal line formation."
"Shut up, Spock."
"Dammit, Jim."
"But if you'll only tell me the yards, I can get the offense back online!"
"Check it, Chekov."
"Oh, myyy!"
The more narrow the focus; e.g. the lesser the slider, and the more narrow the rule is - the less likely the desired outcome will be due to the improbability of the specific situation dictated.
We can, however, determine who is going to be on the field and when, all the time.
We can make appropriate long term subs when injuries occur.
In either case, one must be willing to observe what is working over time within the data given in MFN.
Sooner or later, some numbers will need to be analyzed.
Ideas will have to be rejected, and the unusual must be attempted.
The best thing a GM can do this week is nothing they did last week ;)
If the objective is to limit injuries, using overrides definitely achieves that goal. Much more so than using the Fatigue Settings slider alone. In fact, over rides can minimize the need for dependence upon the Fatigue slider with a little practice.
As in the NFL, sooner or later over a season, any team will have a vicious week when it comes to injuries.
To review:
Camp A: How can I best use Fatigue Settings?
Camp B: How can I use overrides?
Camp C: Which one has precedence?
A: Too low or too high = too many injuries. Overrides allow one to limit player over use but will never completely eliminate the so - called “injury bug.”
If one is selectively using overrides and/or sliders/rules, manipulating who is one the field and for how much can be done with fatigue settings set at 100. Bold. Dumb. ...but absolutely could be managed by using every single player on a team (and a few in the wrong place).
I encourage sticking to the suggestion: 50-60. Go a little low if a little thin on talent and players available at a position, and a little higher if one is deep if one has established players at the position.
Either one is finding out what they have or pounding what they know will win.
There is no in between in football.
Yes there is. They are known as Special Teams Specialists. :).
So special they said it twice in order to justify payroll.
B: We got that covered. The rest is up to your personal game style and preferences. If a player performs, do not ever hesitate to use them - even if they rate at 58 in your weights.
I will forever favor overrides when it comes to injury management.
C: Neither, except for Fatigue Settings. Overrides are certainly easier. Fatigue settings use ratios. Enjoy the math - which is why so many are all over the place, in my very humble opinion. I’ve honestly never bothered with below 50 fatigue settings, and even then only if I am super deep at a position of turnover in the preseason.
During the regular season I run 70 for all but the lines, QB, K, and P.
"Be the User."
“Have you ever seen a Lion stretch before chasing down a Gazelle?”
No. ...but I have seen Peterson on an exercise bike while sidelined.
(hope I tossed in enough random pop culture)
Best of luck!
Kick Grass and Take Games.