Madden 17 Connected Franchise Features Breakdown: Decisions, GamePlanning and More..

Madden 17 Connected Franchise Features Breakdown: Decisions, GamePlanning and More..

Madden 17 CFM 1st New Features Released!

EA Sports finally released the first info for Connected Franchise Mode detailing improvements for Madden NFL 17. This year’s edition offers even more depth, while still managing to streamline the experience and make both the on-field and off-field experience even more seamless and fun. Today also marked the debut of a brand-new Madden NFL 17 trailer at EA PLAY to get fans excited for the upcoming football season.

This year, Franchise introduces Play the Moments, the fastest way to play Madden NFL. Play the Moments allows fans to experience the important milestones in each game while simulating the rest of the matchup. Players will be invited to jump in at critical moments such as red zone drives, vital third downs, game-winning drives and more, offering the chance to prove your mettle in clutch situations. The shortened games allow Franchise players to take their team all the way from opening day to the Super Bowl in just a weekend, maximizing the fun along the way. Of course, those who want to experience the game from kickoff to final whistle can turn off Play the Moments, or opt to jump in and out of moments as they wish throughout the game.

Off the field, players will be able to utilize new Franchise Game Planning to tailor their strategy to amplify their team’s strengths and attack their opponent’s weaknesses, complete with in-game boosts. New Big Decisions also surface important personnel decisions such as bringing players back from injury, signing free agents, negotiating new contracts and more. In addition to all this, Madden NFL 17 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 also features top community requests like practice squads, full player editing and a dynamic score ticker.

The Madden NFL 17 Franchise news comes on the heels of details about the franchise’s most balanced gameplay to date, as well as the addition of the brand-new commentary team of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis.

Madden 17 CFM 1st New Features Released!

Madden NFL Connected Franchise Best EXP Slider Settings

Earlier in the year when EA released the new CFM EXP sliders we showed you guys the results of having them all at 100%, 200% and 300% but we never really gave you our recommendation for the best set of exp sliders. We are here today to give you some help on how to set up your EXP sliders to best mimic the default rosters. Of course, you can always tweak them to how you or your league prefer, but here is our suggested EXP sliders that we have found to be the most balanced:

Quarterback 80%

After the season sim this ended with about 40 guys above 80 overall. A few teams with young rookie backups were over the 80 ovr threshold. This seemed like a good spot give or take for most teams, you really don’t see too many starting QBS come into madden with below an 80 overall. The lowest starters are usually around 76 which I found to be fairly consistent with this sim. It was a little deep in 80-89 guys but I think this is the happy spot. But you can move this a little but up or down, according to your preference.

Halfback/Fullback 130%

I really think this was pretty spot on. In my CFM on normal XP sliders, you truly don’t see many standout HBs. We have had 1 HB who was drafted eclipse the 90 overall mark. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very good ones, but more due to user skill rather than actual attributes. 130% left me feeling that good HBs were actually coming in to replace the aging greats.

Wide Receiver 230% 

Another situation very similar to the HB situation, but more extreme in my opinion. Very few WRs you see really eclipse that 90 overall point, truthfully there really is not many you see eclipse the 85 overall mark other than the ones who already started at that point. 230% makes it much more realistic and allows for those WR stars, but I think it is a bit too much. My suggestion is to lower it slightly.

Tight End 80%

This is really close to where I am feeling that it is spot on. The highest overall tight end in my CFM is a 92, which isn’t bad, but in 6 seasons we have yet to have one come up to that Gronk/Graham overall as well as formers like Gates, Tony G etc.. 80% is a good spot for most guys and I think most users will be happy with 80%, but you may also try upping it a bit.

Tackle 130% 

This is one that has actually given me a bit of trouble. I’ve had some inconsistencies with sims and have had to drop this a few times. 130% was what I had it on for my last season sim, but I truly do feel that it is a little bit too high. Possibly 100 or 110% would be the better number for this one.

Guard 100%

This left me with a great taste in my mouth after having many troubles with the tackles. 100% leaves a good amount of 85-90 OVR guys, and still some over 90 OVR as well. Nice base here, I wouldn’t change it much, possibly lowering it slightly is all.

Center 130% 

Initially had 37 players over 80 OVR in this one, which is just a bit too high in my opinion. So to get this down to around 21-25 we will set it at 130%.

Defensive End 200% 

This is just a small step from being completed. I really liked the results I saw from this sim. It gave us more top end guys who will replace the aging greats, but still is just a bit too skimpy. Go with 200%, or raise it slightly, your preference.

Defensive Tackle 100%

This was another one that’s a little tricky. The depth was a little too deep in my opinion, but there are a good amount of good-average DTs in the NFL, but the top end was perfect in my opinion. If you want a little less depth at DT you can lower it; I still think you will see some good results from the top end guys if you lower it.

Outside Linebacker 150%

A very easy one here. You don’t see as many top end guys as years past in Madden, but I think that’s more true to life. You really only have a handful of Linebackers over the 90 OVR mark to start Madden.

Middle Linebacker 150%

Same as the OLB position. You don’t see 7 99 OVR MLBs anymore like you used to in last Madden, this is more true to real life where you really only see 4-5 really dominant MLBs.

Cornerback 200%

The top end, 88+ OVR guys, were a little heavy here, but overall it sticks pretty close to stock Madden rosters; which ultimately is the goal as we get many seasons into our league, to not have an abundance of superstars or duds but remain consistent with actual starting roster overalls.

Free Safety 180%

Short, sweet and to the point here. 180% is perfect. The results were really great with how the distribution of overalls was between good to average guys as well as the top end.

Strong Safety 180% 

This was really spread out evenly between 80-99 OVR, but I’m not sure I like having 13 guys over 90. My opinion is to probably drop this around the 160% range.

Kicker 150%

Very good numbers as far as the overalls go comparing to stock rosters, which as I said is the goal. I wouldn’t change it from this.

Punter 150%

Probably not a spot most people really care too much about, but for consistency sake it is a little too high. This turned out very top heavy in high overalls. Try lowering it to about 130%

I hope this helps for all those CFM guys out there looking to restart on online, or start over in a solo franchise. Most of these sliders are pretty solid and mimic the stock rosters which is what you want as you get a few years into the franchise. With some small adjustments according to everyone’s personal taste, I think this is an excellent guide for those who wish to follow it.

Madden NFL Connected Franchise Best EXP Slider Settings

Madden 17 Connected Franchise Wishlist

We are at the halfway point in Madden 16, and with the football season now over

and Madden being our last remaining football experience, the excitement and

desire for the next Madden is upon us. It is around this time that we all start

thinking about what can make next year’s Madden even better than it already is.

After hours of brain storming, Madden Bomber League, MBL, has come up with

several key features that we think would make Madden 17 a Madden to

remember.

The main feature of Madden for us, as well as the sim gaming community, is the

Connected Franchise mode. CFM has been lacking the past several couple of

years due to the improvement and love affair with Madden Ultimate Team. While

Madden Ultimate Team has its time and place, the force that has driven Madden

to the point in which it is at now is the enriched content in CFM. And we feel it is

truly time that the enrichment and true feel of being an NFL owner or coach is

brought into the Madden CFM experience.

Draft Improvements

The Draft


Let’s start with the most fundamental building blocks of any team: The NFL draft.

The NFL Draft is one of the most publicized events after the conclusion of the

NFL season. Nobody knows who will be a boom or bust; just educated guesses

can be taken. It’s the same for Madden. The draft is one of the most fun and

anticipated stages in Madden. Chaos constantly ensues in the war room. No

matter whether you are trying to trade up, down, or trade for picks in the following

season, we all love the draft and more work needs to be put into upgrading the

dynamics of the draft.

Draft Board

The draft board was a simple feature in the early days of online franchise that

has since been removed from the game. While the draft board does not need to

be any sort of elegant feature, it is a fundamental aspect and should be in
Madden every year. In the CFM world and community that Madden and EA have

created, full 32 owner leagues are the lifeblood of an ever growing sim

community. With that being said, a draft board is essential because gamers

aren’t always available. Many folks put a lot of time and dedication into running

CFMs, as well as just being a player in a CFM. If we aren’t available to make the

draft, a draft board would solve all those problems.

College Stats

NCAA, and just college athletes in general, are what make the NFL what it is for

years to come. During a Madden season, there is limited amounts of information

given about the upcoming draft class. We get several stories but not much

substance is given. The once up and coming Peyton Manning who is having a

poor season is briefly touched on as we hear his performance against the top

teams in the nation are suffering, but that’s about all. The ride of watching your

#1 prospect grow or fall in his last college season is part of the thrill and

excitement we want to see in CFM.

Scouting

The scouting system received a huge overhaul in Madden 16, and for that

we are grateful. However, it is still not where it needs to be. When scouting a

player, a scout has access to virtually unlimited knowledge of the player. Stats

and achievements should play a part into who and why you’re scouting a

particular player. The Draft has so many unknowns, and drafting that #1 QB we

see a general guideline of their attributes determined by our scout, but what we

don’t see is what they did. No season stats or career college stats are given.

Bringing in the combine was a good idea, but that’s only half the answer. NFL

scouts have a limitless amount of information on these athletes, so why can’t we?

Character and Injuries

Injuries and character issues are an intricate factor in football. When players are

being scouted, some teams stay away from these players regardless of upside.

This should also be implemented in Madden. This will steer CFM owners in a

different direction. With injuries, it will make owners think twice about drafting a

particular player despite their upside. Will you waste a high pick on a prospect

that has a history of getting hurt like RGIII or Sam Bradford? They had all the

upside in the world, but they haven’t been able to stay on the field. With

character issues, it can destroy your team’s chemistry (which we will get into

later). Johnny Manziel is a perfect example of this. Every coach knew what they

were getting into.

Minor Draft Additions

There is also many smaller additions that can be added into CFM to really

immerse you into the feeling of being an NFL Owner or coach. Mock drafts would

be an awesome feature to add, even just mock drafts of the first round that

periodically will be displayed in the news screen throughout the season. The

ticker that is in the bottom of our screen usually displaying real NFL scores/news

is great, but wouldn’t it be even better to show our CFM scores for that week?

And while we are drafting, show who was picked and at what pick.

Overall CFM Improvements

Let’s move forward now past just “The Draft” and move into the broader scope of

CFM as a whole. If you look at CFM over the past few years and over the last

decade of just the franchise mode in general, it has taken steps forward and also

steps back. I believe CFM right now is not perfect, but it has the building blocks

set up that can make it truly a one of a kind experience.

Team Chemistry

Let’s start off with what we in MBL think is the most fundamental and best

improvement Madden 17 can possibly offer. And that is Team Chemistry. This is

something that is essentially already in the game, but only utilized in the MUT

mode. It would make team building an even deeper strategy than it already is

while you now have the added bonus to attempt to make a team “gel” together as

they play together more and build chemistries and connections between players

who have the same scheme and have played on the same team for multiple

seasons.

Schemes

Schemes are something that you have had in madden for several years now but

essentially has only changed the numerical number value of the players overall.

It’s time to make schemes mean something to the team. Players that play under the same scheme receive bonus chemistry, as they already know the system. We think the confidence system in Madden works well, but we also don’t think it ever really turned out to what you in EA have expected it to be. But the system can be easily implemented to be more dynamic by changing this to team chemistry.

Chemistry Broken Down

Chemistry will be broken down into several specific parts and divided by the

groups on your team. Offensive line will have chemistry with each other, D-line

together, secondary; linebackers, and lastly a QB will have chemistry individually

to each WR.

The idea to have a deeper dive into CFM can be accomplished here. Who is

going to create the next Legion of Boom? Who will create the next Steel Curtain?

All these are possible with the implementation of allowing teams to organically

create and develop players to have chemistry with each other; a team that each

players strengths is his counterparts weaknesses. This creates a true team

building experience in the ultimate team building sport of football.

Personality

Every NFL player has their own personality. It’s time to make this “personality”

trait that has been in Madden more organic and actually mean something

now. Personality has been a feature in madden for several seasons, restricted

primarily to the selling of jerseys and things similar, but that’s really where it

ends.

Morale

Morale is something that was again in previous Madden games had but is no longer

available and we feel goes hand in hand with personality. A team, and a player

more specifically, will have higher morale because of several conditions. Teams

that are performing well, utilizing the player, and a player that is playing under his

scheme will attribute to players morale. Morale will contribute to

a player’s happiness towards the team, ultimately linking to our central concept of

team chemistry.

This player now with high morale would have added chemistry with the team

because they are happy to be there, and playing in a scheme they know. Also,

contract negotiating would be slightly easier because they want to be on this

team. On the flip side, a player with low morale would have the opportunity and

possibility to hold out, or decline contract negotiations because they don’t want to

be on the team.

Contract Overhaul

While we are on the topic of contracts, this is a feature that really consistently

gets no love because it is pretty cut and dry. Previously in Madden owners could

decide to front or backload contracts, but unfortunately it is not an option for

owners anymore. Additionally, something we think should be implemented is the

ability to renegotiate contracts. Aging players who have declined in productivity

should be able to renegotiate to take a pay cut to remain on the team. This is

something used in the NFL today and should be able to use in madden as well.

Free Agency Changes and Additions

Over the past few Madden games, FA has seen a few major changes and some not so

major ones. But ultimately there has always been one main thing in common: FA

in Madden has really always been about offering the most money/years and

praying. We’d like to see a deeper dive into FA going forward. NCAA Football

recruiting is a great place to look at for a blueprint. You should be able to give

pitches to FA’s in an attempt to sway their choice. That pitch should be based off

what’s important to the FA (winning, scheme, starting, location, etc.). If you make

a pitch and don’t hold up to the pitch then the penalty can be a decreased

interest from other FA’s in the future, or a holdout (If you incorporate that

previous suggestion).

Also you should be able to queue guys in FA. If I need a LT, I should be able to

offer three guys a contract but only sign one. Some sort of FA planning that says

“LT: Need 3 Order: 1, 2, 3; Number to sign: 1” This would let me offer three guys

and only sign one. Who I sign is based on who are willing to accept, and then my

preference of those who will accept.

Head Coach

Madden has always neglected one of the most important aspect of a NFL team,

the head coach. A coach is the building block and most central part of your team

chemistry. Every coach has their own scheme that should tie directly into the

chemistry of your team. Certain players and coaches simply just don’t work

together. Furthermore, coach challenges should be more in depth and allow for

the user to determine what they are challenging. It doesn’t happen too often, but

there is times in Madden where when I challenge a call, it does not challenge

what I want. The option to choose specifically “Challenge catch” or “Challenge

spot” would be a huge addition that would avoid all challenge problems.

Coordinators

Assistant coaches need to play a bigger role in CFM. What I mean by this is

incorporate offensive and defensive coordinators. They should have some kind of

the effect like the head coaches. When a new offensive or defensive coordinator

comes in, they can completely change the style of offense. Depending on the

success of the offense or defense, coordinators should be able to be promoted to

head coach or test the waters and see if another team is interested in their

services whether it’s as a coordinator or head coach. Take for example the real

life New York Giants and Ben Mcadoo. He came to New York and completely

changed the style of offense. It took a year or two but the offense regained

chemistry under this new system. And now, he is promoted to the head coach.

This could only have boosted morale and chemistry in the locker room as

someone who they have now worked under for two seasons is the head coach of

the team and they will continue to use the same system.

If you have any Madden 17 Connected Franchise improvements you would like to add let us know on social media or in the comments below!

Follow us at www.twitter.com/BomberLeague
Our website at www.maddenbomberleague.com
League history at 365.maddenbomberleague.com

Madden 17 Connected Franchise Wishlist

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Top 10 Sleeper Cover Linebackers

After detailing the 3-4 Rush Linebackers here are some of the most underrated Cover Linebackers in the game based on the ratings that actually matter so you can find possible sleepers that other guys would trade for minimal value in Madden 16 CFM.  A few of the factors taken into consideration in the selection process were the ease it would be to get ahold of that said player and their location on their perspective team’s depth chart. With that said here are our Top 10 Sleeper Cover Linebackers in Madden 16 Connected Franchise:

10. KOREY TOOMER (RAIDERS/26 YEARS OLD/ROLB): 64 OVR/86 SPEED/88 AGILITY/87 ACCEL/73 HIT POWER/73 PURSUIT/52 PLAY REC/70 MAN COVERAGE/73 ZONE COVERAGE

Toomer used to be on the Seahawks so you already assume he’s fast and at 86 speed, he’s the 4^th fastest outside linebacker in the game. Toomer is not going to be laying anybody out with his 73 hit power, but at 6-2 with 95 jump, he’s a perfect user linebacker.

9. NEIRON BALL (RAIDERS/23 YEARS OLD/LOLB): 67 OVR/84 SPEED/80 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/78 HIT POWER/77 PURSUIT/55 PLAY REC/67 MAN COVERAGE/77 ZONE COVERAGE

At 23 years old, Ball has 84 speed and 88 acceleration, to go along with 79 tackle 78 hit power. He also has one of the better zone coverage ratings at 77.

8. KEVIN PIERRE-LOUIS (SEAHAWKS/2 YEARS OLD/ROLB): 78 OVR/88 SPEED/87 AGILITY/92 ACCEL/67 HIT POWER/78 PURSUIT/60 PLAY REC/61 MAN COVERAGE/73 ZONE COVERAGE

Pierre- Louis has 88 speed 87 agility and 92 acceleration making him of the most athletic players at linebacker. Build up his pursuit, zone coverage and play recognition and Pierre Louis could turn into a monster pretty quickly.

7. LAMIN BARROW (BEARS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 66 OVR/84 SPEED/86 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/84 HIT POWER/81 PURSUIT/58 PLAY REC/58 MAN COVERAGE/68 ZONE COVERAGE

The LSU product has 84 speed and more importantly 86 agility to be able to turn on a dime sharply. Barrow has good hit power at 84 with 81 pursuit and 75 block shed starting out.

6. JONATHAN ANDERSON (BEARS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 68 OVR/87 SPEED/84 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/72 HIT POWER/77 PURSUIT/70 PLAY REC/67 MAN COVERAGE/76 ZONE COVERAGE

Anderson is the 3^rd fastest middle linebacker in the game and has solid starting numbers with 77 pursuit 70 play rec and 76 zone coverage.

5. BRANDON WATTS (VIKINGS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 61 OVR/88 SPEED/86 AGILITY/93 ACCEL/76 HIT POWER/79 PURSUIT/56 PLAY REC/66 MAN COVERAGE/73 ZONE COVERAGE

Watt dropped 2 speed points between Madden 15 and 16, yet he’s still one of the fastest linebackers in the game . Being 6-2 with cornerback like athleticism gives Watts an advantage not many linebackers have.

4. BEN HEENEY (RAIDERS/22 YEARS OLD/MLB): 69 OVR/86 SPEED/79 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/73 HIT POWER/84 PURSUIT/72 PLAY REC/73 MAN COVERAGE/72 ZONE COVERAGE

Heeney has 86 speed and 88 acceleration with 84 pursuit and has the 3^rd highest man coverage rating in the game at middle linebacker. So Heeney is a solid option especially if you favor man defense.

3. KHARI FORTT (JAGUARS/23 YEARS OLD/MLB): 68 OVR/82 SPEED/85 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/87 HIT POWER/75 PURSUIT/64 PLAY REC/70 MAN COVERAGE/74 ZONE COVERAGE

A personal favorite of mine(I traded for him in my CFM last Madden) Fortt being 6-2 with 87 hit power 79 block shed and 74 zone gives you great starting points to turn him into a nice starter by years end.

2. DAREN BATES (RAMS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 62 OVR/87 SPEED/81 AGILITY/85ACCEL/86 HIT POWER/79 PURSUIT/58 PLAY REC/72 MAN COVERAGE/76 ZONE COVERAGE

Bates is already one of the better balanced coverage linebackers in the league with 72 Man and 76 Zone. He also has 86 hit power and 87 speed already giving him the two of the hardest traits to come by for linebacker.

1. ERIC PINKINS (SEAHAWKS/24 YEARS OLD/ROLB): 62 OVR/90 SPEED/81 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/76 HIT POWER/80 PURSUIT/68 PLAY REC/68 MAN COVERAGE/77 ZONE COVERAGE

He’s 6-3 with 90 speed and 91 jump, so good luck trying to throw near him. and Pinkins 77 zone coverage already puts him into the Top 10 in zone coverage ratings for outside linebackers. So whether you user or leave it to the CPU he won’t be a liability

Stay tuned and subscribe to our YouTube for more Madden 16 CFM Tips as we bring you more analysis to get the most of out of your rosters and tips to get your team to the the Super Bowl in your leagues. Be sure to checkout our other parts of this series:

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Running Backs

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Wide Receivers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Quarterbacks

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Cornerbacks

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Safeties

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Offensive Line Sleepers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Tight End Sleepers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Top 10 Sleeper Cover Linebackers

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Pass Rushers

Here are some of the most underrated players in the game based on the ratings that actually matter. With that said here are our Top 10 Sleeper Pass Rushers Sleepers in Madden 16:

10. DEIONTREZ MOUNT (TITANS/LOLB): 63 OVR/84 SPEED/81 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/78 PWR MOVE/68 FIN MOVE/64 BLOCK SHED/82 STAMINA

Mount is one of the easiest on the list to acquire because of the team he’s on. With Morgan, Woodyard, Zach Brown and Orakpo as more established played he shouldn’t be that hard to acquire The 22 year old rookie starts off with 84 speed, 89 accel and 78 power move so he could become a solid starter by the end of his rookie year.

9. DAVID KING (CHIEFS/DT): 70 OVR/81 SPEED/73 AGILITY/86 ACCEL/77 PWR MOVE/49 FIN MOVE/80 BLOCK SHED/82 STAMINA

King is the 2^nd fastest defensive tackle in the game and is especially valuable for leagues that have weight requirements on who can play the position. He has the makings of an impact d tackle with his 81 speed to go along with 77 power move and 80 block shed.

8. SHAQ RIDDICK (CARDINALS/LOLB): 61 OVR/84 SPEED/83 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/65 PWR MOVE/85 FIN MOVE/63 BLOCK SHED/77 STAMINA

The 22 year old Riddick has the highest finesse move rating on the list at 85 and might be harder to pry from Cardinals owner due to the team’s lack of alternative options at his position.

7. BRANDON COPELAND (LIONS/LOLB): 64 OVR/87 SPEED/83 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/78 PWR MOVE/58 FIN MOVE/69 BLOCK SHED/86 STAMINA

At 87 Speed, Copeland Is one of the fastest linebackers in the game and has similar pass rush ratings to one of the more popular rookies Bud Dupree.

6. RONALD POWELL (BUCCANEERS /LOLB): 64 OVR/83 SPEED/85 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/84 PWR MOVE/65 FIN MOVE/67 BLOCK SHED/84 STAMINA

Powell has the highest power move rating on the list at 84 . and Considering Tampa runs a 4-3 and his ratings read like he’s a defensive end I’m not sure why he’s listed at linebacker so he’s good candidate for a position change and a overall rating boost if you get him.

5. DAVIS TULL (SAINTS/LE): 66 OVR/87 SPEED/82 AGILITY/93 ACCEL/60 PWR MOVE/77 FIN MOVE/61 BLOCK SHED/80 STAMINA

You all know Donte Fowler, Dion Jordan and Randall Gregory? Well, Tull is faster than all of them and has the 2^nd fastest acceleration in the game only to be beaten by another guy  yet to be named

4. JOSH SHIRLEY (RAIDERS/RE): 60 OVR/86 SPEED/82 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/42 PWR MOVE/76 FIN MOVE/70 BLOCK SHED/86 STAMINA

Dude has  86 Speed and 90 Acceleration so we know he  can fly. To go along with 76 Finesse 70 Block Shed and more importantly 86 Stamina Shirley really has no weaknesses in his game to start with considering he’s a rookie.

3. HOWARD JONES (BUCCANEERS/LE): 75 OVR/85 SPEED/79 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/57 PWR MOVE/77 FIN MOVE/78BLOCK SHED/92 STAMINA

The 25 year old Jones has 85 Speed, 89 Acceleration and one of the highest stamina ratings at his position in the league at 92, to go along with decent finesse and block shed ratings making him a starter Day 1 with room to turn into a dominant pass rusher in a year or 2.

2. LARRY WEBSTER III (LIONS/LE): 69 OVR/86 SPEED/84 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/65 PWR MOVE/83 FIN MOVE/67 BLOCK SHED/78 STAMINA

He’s my personal favorite, as I always try and get him in every league I’m in. He’s 6-7 with 86 Speed so in my opinion he’s a baby Julius Peppers

1. JULIAN STANFORD (JETS/ROLB): 72 OVR/87 SPEED/88 AGILITY/95 ACCEL/56 PWR MOVE/77 FIN MOVE/69 BLOCK SHED/78 STAMINA

Stanford has 87 Speed and the highest Acceleration for a linebacker in the game at 95, paired with 77 finesse and 69 block shed  and at 24 he’s a must get in you have the opportunity too.

Stay tuned for more Madden 16 Sleepers as we bring you more analysis to get the most of out of your roster. Be sure to checkout our other parts of this series:

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Running Backs

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Wide Receivers

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Quarterbacks

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Cornerbacks

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Safeties

Madden 16 Top 10 Offensive Line Sleepers

 

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Pass Rushers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Top 10 Tight End Sleepers

Here are some of the most underrated players in the game based on the ratings that actually matter so you can find possible sleepers that other guys would trade for minimal value in Madden 16 Connected Franchise.  A few of the factors taken into consideration in the selection process were the ease it would be to get ahold of that said player and their location on their perspective team’s depth chart. With that said here are our Top 10 Tight End Sleepers in Madden 16 Connected Franchise:

10. KENARD BLACKMON: 66 OVR/84 SPD/82 AGIL/86 ACCEL/76 CATCH/44 ROUTE/82 CIT/68 SPEC CATCH/85 JUMP

One of the benefits of airing Blackmon is that he received the most XP for each season goal completed in CFM.

9. GEOFF SWAIM: 64 OVR/82 SPD/79 AGIL/86 ACCEL/62 CATCH/64 CIT/71 SPEC CATCH/85 JUMP

If you’re a fan of blocking tight ends Swaim is your guy. Not only is he 82 speed, Swaim  has the highest blocking rating by far on the list (77) and one of the best in the whole league.

8. WES SAXTON: 63 OVR/84 SPD/82 AGIL/84 ACCEL/72 CATCH/39 ROUTE/68 CIT/82 SPEC CATCH/86 JUMP

The youngest player in the Top 10 at 22 years old, Saxton starts off with a respectable 84 speed and 82 spec catch.

7. BLAKE ANNEN: 64 OVR/88 SPD/76 AGIL/88 ACCEL/70 CATCH/46 ROUTE/70 CIT/75 SPEC CATCH/84 JUMP

At the end of the day speed still rules the day and Blake Annen is one of the better “unknown” speed tight ends in Madden 16.

6. GERALD CHRISTIAN: 65 OVR/80 SPD/82 AGIL/89 ACCEL/72 CATCH/46 ROUTE/63 CIT/82 SPEC CATCH/80 JUMP

Christin is one of the better tight ends after the catch with his 74 elusiveness, 76 spin and 81 juke move.

5. JAMES O’SHAUGHNESSY: 69 OVR/83 SPD/82 AGIL/88 ACCEL/79 CATCH/50 ROUTE/75 CIT/76 SPEC CATCH/85 JUMP

O’Shaughnessy starts off with good receiving numbers to build upon, especially his 79 catch and 75 catch in traffic.

4. JE’RON HAMM: 66 OVR/83 SPD/82 AGIL/84 ACCEL/68 CATCH/43 ROUTE/78 CIT/83 SPEC CATCH/87 JUMP

Hamm has the makings of becoming a decent vertical threat with 83 speed, 87 jump and 83 spec catch.

3. MYCOLE PRUITT: 75 OVR/86 SPD/77 AGIL/87 ACCEL/82 CATCH/63 ROUTE/78 CIT/82 SPEC CATCH/88 JUMP

Probably the most complete tight end on the list, giving that he has the 2^nd best route running to go along with near 80’s in every other receiving category, but Pruitt’s biggest weakness is he has poor stamina (78) and low injury (84).

2. TREY BURTON: 71 OVR/86 SPD/88 AGIL/88 ACCEL/76 CATCH/67 ROUTE/72 CIT/80 SPEC CATCH/81 JUMP

Burton has the best speed, agility, acceleration combination on the list and also sports a 90 stamina rating  which is one of the best in the league for tight ends.

1. DEMETRIUS HARRIS: 67 OVR/86 SPD/88 AGIL/87 ACCEL/76 CATCH/49 ROUTE/71 CIT/82 SPEC CATCH/88 JUMP

Harris possess  unique size(6-7) and speed (86) to go along with his 88 jump and 82 spec catch making him a matchup nightmare already.

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Top 10 Tight End Sleepers

Madden 16 CFM Tips: Top 10 Offensive Line Sleepers

Here are the best players in the game based on the ratings that actually matter so you can find possible sleepers that other guys would trade for minimal value in Madden 16 Connected Franchise. How I did the order and selection of the sleeper list is quite simple. I first only selected players that were under 75 overall since most owners still see overall as a significant sign of a player’s value. If they were under 75 overall then I would only select players that had at least two or more blocking attributes over 80 overall. Continued then where they were on their roster, a team’s depth in their position, how easy/cheap it would be to get ahold of that said player, and if that player can be a starter in the first season of a league. These are just a few of the factors I took into consideration in the selection and order of the top ten offensive line sleepers.

#10 RT Cyrus Kouandjio: 65 OVR/83 RBK/73 PBK/79 IBL/ 84 STR/ 49 AWR/1 EXP

• Cyrus will be one of those players if you are really desperate for a tackle or any offensive lineman. He is a bit of a project with nothing really refined except his run blocking which even then is just about average for a good starting lineman. Reason for him being on this list apart from his okay attributes for the position is he is a very young talent that you can get for dirt cheap or wait and see if he falls to free agency because of cuts if you are very desperate for a quick to temporary fix at the line.

#9 RG Rokevious Watkins: 71 OVR/81 RBK/78 PBK/80 IBL/87 STR/48 AWR/3 EXP

• Watkins is the only free agent on this list. His blocking attributes are nothing to really jump for joy over but they are still very good seeing that he is still pretty young for his position and that you will not have to make a trade for him if you are fast enough to grab him before another team does. His redeeming qualities are his strength which is a very difficult and almost a waste of experience points trying to boost that attribute. His blocking attributes as I stated are nothing to get excited about but they are still good if you need a player to fill in for a season or to build up as a permanent part of the line rather than trying to use a pick in the draft or spend big money on a better player when you have concerns in other positions.

#8 RT T.J. Clemmings: 70 OVR/82 RBK/77 PBK/88 IBL/84 STR/45 AWR/R EXP

• Clemmings is the first rookie to drop on this list. His biggest quality is of course his impact blocking which might not be as important as say pass or run blocking but for a tackle and a user who likes a strong outside run Clemmings would be a nice pick up for the right price. Only issue with trying to get him will be if the owner realizes the talent he has behind the first string RT Loadholt.

#7 C Trevor Robinson: 71 OVR/80 RBK/74 PBK/81 IBL/89 STR/73 AWR/3 EXP

• Trevor Robinson, since he has joined the NFL has been one of those constant Madden sleeper players. Although this is probably the worse he has been since his rookie year in Madden he is still a very good option if you can get your hands on him. Biggest quality he has going for him is his strength of 89 which is at the higher end of the spectrum with the average seemingly dropping closer to 85 strength in offensive linemen. Reason he is not higher on this list is he is a pretty well known sleeper to many of the experienced CFM players and that his blocking attributes are nothing special when it comes to starting at the position. He is just a strong center that you can get for a cheap price if you need to fill in a hole quickly.

#6 LG Dakota Dozier: 71 OVR/82 RBK/75 PBK/85 IBL/83 STR/55 AWR/1 EXP

• If looking for a nice guard to be a permanent staple on that offensive line you probably not need to look any farther. Apart from his below average pass blocking and low awareness which is common of someone his age as a backup, Dozier has the potential to be a starter right away if an owner is weak in that position. If you are lucky he might drop to free agency but if not you might be able to get him for a low price if the Jets owner does not know what he has exactly or is desperate for another position upgrade.

#5 LT Cedric Ogbuehi: 73 OVR/81 RBK/85 PBK/83 IBL/82 STR/65 AWR/R EXP

• Probably the best young talent on this list. For a rookie he has perfect blocking attributes and probably better than most of the first round picked o-linemen of his draft class. He could have easily been in the top 3 if it was not for two big flaws. Cedric has one of the lowest strengths on this list for starters. He is also behind a 33 year old first string tackle so it is more than likely that the Bengals owner will be aware of the talent he has at back up and it might cost you more than say other sleepers on this list.

#4 C Weston Richburg: 71 OVR/76 RBK/83 PBK/87 IBL/85 STR/73 AWR/1 EXP

• Richburg is a great addition to any team be starter or backup. He is a player that is still very young and ready to go right out of the gate especially with awareness at 73 which will allow you to focus more attention right away on improving his run blocking. Might be easier to grab than other sleepers since the Giants offensive line is pretty stacked and they do have holes in other positions.

#3 C Barrett Jones: 72 OVR/80 RBK/86 PBK/84 IBL/82 STR/64 AWR/2 EXP

• I thought about having him at #2 on this list but decided not to since he is a two year vet with only 64 awareness and only 82 strength much like Cedric Ogbuehi.  Apart from those two flaws this guy is definitely a starter that you can build upon. Great for a pass heavy offense and can most likely get him cheap if he does not fall to free agency since he is one of four centers on the Bears roster.

#2 RT D.J. Humphries: 72 OVR/79 RBK/87 PBK/84 IBL/88 STR/53 AWR/R EXP

• Could have easily been #1 on this list with his starter like blocking attributes. Two biggest attributes that are keeping him above the rest on this list is his 88 strength for a rookie and a whopping 87 pass blocking. His lowest blocking rating is his run block at 79 which can easily get up by week 2 or 3 and then you can focus more on his awareness which will help significantly down the line. Might be hard to get a Cardinals’ owner to make a move on trading Humphries but if you can he will easily start for any team looking for a slight to major upgrade in the position.

#1 RG Spencer Long: 72 OVR/82 RBK/79 PBK/82 IBL/88 STR/54 AWR/1 EXP

• So here we are, #1 on the top 10 offensive linemen sleeper list for CFM. Spence shares a lot of qualities similar to Humphries who is at #2. Both can easily start and both have nice strength attribute. Both have blocking attribute that will not need much work improving the first season and can focus more on the awareness. Only difference is that Long is behind the redskins first round pick rookie, so Long will be easily overlooked or not really needed by the Redskins owner. He can be an easy steal for anyone looking to improve the offensive line and for Redskins owners they have a nice trade piece in Spencer Long.

Madden 16 CFM Tips: Top 10 Offensive Line Sleepers

Madden NFL 16 CFM Arizona Cardinals Franchise EP1

Madden NFL 16 CFM Arizona Cardinals Franchise EP1