FOF2K4: What is your 53-man roster distribution?

[Ben E Lou]

I'm just curious what others use. Here is my "default" distribution, which is subject to change if I want to keep around an extra guy at a certain position because I think he might break out one day.

QB 4
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3
WR 5
C 3
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
ILB 2
OLB 4
CB 5
S 4

[Ben E Lou]

Oh...and this is my "typical" active roster:

QB 3
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3
WR 4
C 2
G 3
T 3
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
ILB 2
OLB 3
CB 4
S 4
46

[Easy Mac]

QB 3
RB 4 (1 inactive)
FB 2
TE 3 (1)
WR 5
C 2
G 4 (1)
T 4 (1)
P 1
K 1
DE 4 (1)
DT 4 (1)
ILB 2
OLB 4
CB 6 (1)
S 4

[Maple Leafs]

Pretty similar, but I usually carry only three QBs and have an additional defensive lineman or middle linebacker. In some cases, I'll use the spot for a special teams guy, or even an extra kicker if I have a good FG/lousy kickoff starter.

[cthomer5000]

QB 4 (1 inactive)
RB 4 (1 inactive)
FB 2 (sometimes 3, see below)
TE 3 (1 inactivce, I always have a total of 5 TE/FB)
WR 5
C 2
G 4 (1 inactive)
T 4 (1 inactive)
K/P
DE 3
DT 2 (I play a 3-4)
ILB 4
OLB 4
CB 5 (1 inactive)
S 5 (1 inactive)

[Fritz]

QB 4
RB 4
FB 2
TE 3
WR 5
C 2
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
ILB 3
OLB 3
CB 5
S 4


more or less

[Easy Mac]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
DT 2 (I play a 3-4)
[/b]

freak

[Ksyrup]

I carry a QB, a RB, a WR, a C, a T, a G, a P, a K, and 45 LBs, 3 each for the following sub-positions:

MLB
SLB
WLB
MILB
SILB
WILB
RILB
LILB
MOLB
SOLB
WOLB
ROLB
LOLB
CRAPLB
SCRUBLB

[Sidhe]

QB 4
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3
WR 5
C 3
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
ILB 3
OLB 4
CB 4
S 4

I will sometimes drop the 4th QB for a project if I have a QB who stays healthy.

[Leonidas]

QB 3
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3
WR 6
C 2
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 5 (These guys get hurt more than anyone for me)
DT 4
ILB 2
OLB 4
CB 5
S 4

[Subby]

Wow - I am suprised to see so many of you waste a roster spot on a 4th QB...

Any reason?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Hmm, looks pretty similar to yours

QB - 4 (1 inactive)
RB - 4 (1)
FB - 2
TE - 2
WR -4
C - 2
G - 3/4*
T - 4/3*(1)
K - 1
P - 1
DE - 4 (1)
DT - 3
MLB - 4 (1)
OLB - 5 (1)
CB - 5 (1)
S - 4 Other - 1**
* I'll usually carry a total of 7 combined G/T, with 1 inactive
** This can vary widely, depending upon injury prone players, potential & cap issues. Currently, the extra roster spot is taken up by a punter (of all things). He's a stud who I drafted in the 5th round, but my 14 year veteran keeps improving his avg (47+ yds/kick last year) and hasn't retired yet.

[Fonzie]

QB 3
RB 3
FB 2 (1 Inactive)
TE 3 (1 inactive)
WR 6 (1 inactive)
C 2
G 4 (1 inactive)
T 4 (1 inactive)
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4 (1 inactive)
ILB 2
OLB 4
CB 5
S 5 (1 inactive)

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Subby
Wow - I am suprised to see so many of you waste a roster spot on a 4th QB...

Any reason?

"Wasting?"

First of all, my starter always gets injured. At all times I have 2 vets and 2 prospects on the team. I draft a QB pretty much every year, always looking for that late-round steal who can develop into my long-term starter.

I would say that every one of them is worthwhile.

[Fonzie]

Originally posted by Subby
Wow - I am suprised to see so many of you waste a roster spot on a 4th QB...

Any reason?

I was surprised to see that too, but I can see why they'd do it. If your starter gets hurt and is "out" then you can't create a valid depth chart without cutting somebody else and signing another QB.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Subby
Wow - I am suprised to see so many of you waste a roster spot on a 4th QB...

Any reason?

Two main ones here:

1. When my #1 guy gets hurt, I can't stick any old position player in as QB#3. Every other position (except P/K) has an "alternate plan". (In other words, even if TE#3 gets hurt, I can stick FB#2 there and he probably won't play anyway except in goal-line situations.) I don't like to have to sign a QB just to fill that slot for a week or two.

2. It allows me a take a flier on a QB who might break out.

[TroyF]

Pretty much the same as SkyDog, though it's one of the few things about FOF that frustrates me. I should be able to carry only 2 QB's if I want. I don't like being forced into carrying four QB's knowing that a one or two week injury to the starter means a flurry of moves.

Oh well, it can't be perfect.

TroyF

[cuervo72]

Yup, I've been keeping a 4th QB as well after Fritz explained the reasoning for keeping one in the GroupThink, only 3 were kept, and then everyone started getting injured. (edit: particularly important in FOF4 with roster restrictions - chemistry - and limited options at QB considering you can never bring cut guys back).

I vary on what I keep, but this I think is generally it:

QB 4
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3
WR 5
C 2
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
ILB 4
OLB 3
CB 5
S 4

If I don't have a particularly good 3rd TE though I'll sometimes drop him for help elsewhere. Sometimes I'll go with 3 DT and pick up an extra LB.

[Subby]

That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation...

[Doug5984]

My active 46
QB 3
RB 3
FB 1
TE 3
WR 5
C 2
G 3
T 3
P 1
K 1
De 4
DT 4
ILB 3
OLB 3
CB 4
S 3

I normally have a QB, RB atleast 1 OL, and atleast 1 DB on the inactive roster...then the other 3 are just players I really want to keep at other positions

[Honolulu Blue]

I tend to run lean 'n mean, with as close to 46 players as I can get. I pick up players as I need them to cover injuries and such.

My active roster has been reported here before; I'm too lazy to look for it. It's similar to most other players' though.

[JonInMiddleGA]

HB -- That's something I did quite a bit in a past FOF version, pretty much for cap & financial reasons.

So far, I've managed to avoid having to do that, but sooner or later ...

[VPI97]

QB 3
RB 4
FB 2
TE 2
WR 5 (1 inactive)
C 2
G 4 (1)
T 4 (1)
P 1
K 1
DE 5 (1)
DT 4 (1)
ILB 3 (1)
OLB 4
CB 5 (1)
S 4

[Kodos]

I'm like Adam Viniateri (however it is spelled).

Nothing but kickers, baby!

[OldGiants]

Originally posted by TroyF
. I should be able to carry only 2 QB's if I want.

Oh well, it can't be perfect.

TroyF

LOL, sounds like Spurrier. His plan C was to sign the lesser Hasselbeck off a construction crew.

That wasn't perfect either.

Mine is not much different

QB 3
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3
WR 6
C 2
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
MLb 2
Wlb 2
Slb 3 (really a young LB at any spot)
CB 6
S 3

I find the extra CB or WR is the best trade bait for the odd draft pick or throw-in. The sixth CB is usually my KR and willl be switched to S if I need a body there. I insist on durable Safeties, and work for that.

Seeing everybody carry 4 safeties was the biggest surprise to me, more than the 4QBs.

[oykib]

I have a floating extra roster spot based on where my best prospects are. I carried four QBs just to get a mentor in for the time when I had a young starter and two decent prospects.

I did the same thing for OLB to try to develop a couple of propects there. I've also done that with defensive tackles. I'm planning on trying it with my secondary sometime, too.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Honolulu Blue
I tend to run lean 'n mean, with as close to 46 players as I can get. I pick up players as I need them to cover injuries and such.

I used to do this, but with the possibility of later-in-career breakouts, I like to keep as many guys around as is possible.

[Daimyo]

Do guys ever break out without playing time?

[Buccaneer]

Looking through the different examples posted, I don't any matching mine:

QB 3
RB 4
FB 2
TE 2
WR 6
C 3
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
LB 7
CB 5
S 3

(Either the 5th CB or a 7th WR would be a KR/PR specialist)

I have yet to learn which position(s) is more injury-prone but this was the same distribution the last time I played FOF back a couple of years ago when LBs get injured by the dozens.

[kcchief19]

QB 3
RB 3
FB 2
TE 3 (1)
WR 5
C 2
T 4 (1)
G 4 (1)
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 4
OLB 3
ILB 3 (1)
CB 4
S 4

That is my minimum roster settings. I use the other 3 roster spots as flex space. One will always be a 9th DB, but I'll usually go with the best young prospect in that spot regardless of S or CB. One is usually a 7th LB, leaving one roster spot for a young player at any position.

I RARELY carry a 4th QB. The only instances I do is when I came across a QB in a late round that looks too good not to give a chance to or if my starter is in the last year of his contract and I'm trying to groom more than 1 candidate. The only way I sign a fourth QB is if a QB is out and can't go on the depth chart. I rarely run into problems like that, and if I need a fourth QB I just drop one of my projects and sign a backup. I find that my QBs don't go down all that often, so there's no reason to keep a QB with little upside if it means I can't keep a player at another position with a great deal of upside.

One other thing -- with FOF 2k4, I try to have a mentor at every position, so if I don't have a starter as a mentor, I'll sign a backup who is a mentor even if he's horrible.

[Honolulu Blue]

Some random replies:

OldGiants:

Seeing everybody carry 4 safeties was the biggest surprise to me, more than the 4QBs.

I almost always carry 4 safeties. It seems that corners don't translate well as backup safeties, and the backup FS doesn't do well as a backup SS, and vice versa.

SkyDog, in response to my point about running lean 'n mean:

I used to do this, but with the possibility of later-in-career breakouts, I like to keep as many guys around as is possible.

I think that keeping subpar guys around and hoping for a breakout is like sticking a tooth under the pillow and waiting for the tooth fairy. Just my opinion, of course.

Buccaneer:

I have yet to learn which position(s) is more injury-prone but this was the same distribution the last time I played FOF back a couple of years ago when LBs get injured by the dozens.

I haven't seen an injury-prone position in the latest version. QBs seem a bit more durable than you'd expect them to be. However, I've seen dozens of injury-prone PLAYERS, at all positions, that keep getting hurt again and again.

[OldGiants]

Originally posted by Daimyo
Do guys ever break out without playing time?

Not only can they breakout without PT, but I've seen a Denver WR (on an AI team) breakout while spending most of his career on IR. He went from about 35 to 75 while missing 60 of 64 games.

Caught a pass, though.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally posted by Daimyo
Do guys ever break out without playing time?

IMO, it can happen, it's just not as likely nor is the breakout as dramatic.

In my case, I'm hoping for the occasional guy who'll at least breakout enough that he's not painful to give adequate playing time to (in order to get the major breakout)

[Scarecrow]

QB - 3
RB - 3 + 1 Inactive
FB - 2
TE - 3 + 1
WR - 5
C - 2
G - 3 + 1
T - 3 + 1
P - 1
K - 1
DE - 3 + 1
DT - 3 + 1
ILB - 2
OLB - 4
CB - 4 + 1
S - 4

[WussGawd]

QB-3
RB-4
FB-2
TE-3
WR-6
C-2
G-4
T-4
P-1
K-1
DE-4
DT-4
ILB-2
OLB-4
CB-5
S-4

I will sometimes vary from this if I have a guy who I think can develop into something in a year or two and need an extra spot for him, or if I'm particularly hard hit by the garden variety 2 to 6 week injuries at a particular position.

Just for fun, here's my usual distribution of 60 scholarships in TCY:

QB-4
RB-4
FB-0
TE-3
WR-7
C-3
G-4
T-4
P-2
K-2
DE-5
DT-5
LB-6
CB-6
S-5

Obviously, I run a 1 Back offense, Pass Wacky.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

QB 4 (1 inactive)
RB 4 (1 inactive)
FB 2 (sometimes 3, see below)
TE 3 (1 inactivce, I always have a total of 5 TE/FB)
WR 5
C 2
G 4 (1 inactive)
T 4 (1 inactive)
K/P
DE 3
DT 2 (I play a 3-4)
ILB 4
OLB 4
CB 5 (1 inactive)
S 5 (1 inactive)

It's interesting to see how this has evolved for me. I now do something more like this:

QB 4
RB 4
FB 2
TE 2
WR 6
C 3
G 4
T 3
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 3
ILB 4
OLB 3
CB 5
S 4


Bold = changes

These aren'y hard and fast, but this is now closer to my 'ideal' 53-man roster.

edit: to actually make it add up to 53.

[fantastic flying froggies]

I must say the position grouping is one of the best things Jim has included in the latest batch of patches (forget which one it was exactly), it really allows a lot more roster flexibility.

Post patch, here's my ideal roster:
QB: 3
RB: 4
FB: 2
TE: 3
WR: 6
C: 2
G: 4
T: 4
P: 1
K: 1
DE: 4
DT: 3
ILB: 2
OLB: 4
CB: 6
S: 4

[fantastic flying froggies]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

It's interesting to see how this has evolved for me. I now do something more like this:

QB 4
RB 4
FB 2
TE 2
WR 6
C 3
G 3
T 3
P 1
K 1
DE 4
DT 3
ILB 3
OLB 3
CB 5
S 4


Bold = changes

These aren'y hard and fast, but this is now closer to my 'ideal' 53-man roster.

Hmm, Corey, your ideal 53-man roster only has 51 players on it...

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by fantastic flying froggies

Hmm, Corey, your ideal 53-man roster only has 51 players on it...

We're trying to pinch pennies around here.

[gottimd]

53 Punters.

[jamesUMD]

53 best players, and I have started getting big on my fringe players being good special teams players or kick returners.

[tanglewood]

QB 4
RB 4
FB 1
TE 3
WR 5
C 2
G 4
T 4
P 1
K 1
DE 5
DT 4
MLB 3
OLB 5
CB 5
S 4

[tanglewood]

dola

or more generally

QB - 4
Backfield - 5
Recievers - 8
O-Line - 10
Kickers - 2
D-Line - 9
Linebackers - 8
Secondary - 9

[MIJB#19]

I have only one 'career' in FOF going and my current 46 active players roster is broken down into:
3 QB (+1 inactive)
3 RB
1 FB (+1 inactive)
3 TE
5 WR
2 C
3 G
2 LT
1 RT (+1 inactive)
2 K
1 P
3 DE (+1 inactive due to injury)
4 DT
2 ILB (+1 inactive)
3 OLB (+1 inactive)
5 CB
3 S (+1 inactive)

The kicker is, or should I say are the kickers being a duo. One guy for field goals and PAT duty, the other for kickoffs. Also note that the 3rd TE is a long snapper, although I wouldn't mind going to a long snapping backup C. I will also usually reserve one of the QB spot for an excellent holder. One of the WRs is a kickoff return specialist, I want a top20 specialist in that and the putn returning area, which is now covered by a backup RB. And at DE/DT, I usually have 7 active, with the inactive guy being te one who's injured. Also, usually one CB is injured, meaning not 5 but 4 are active. Last but not least, I don't want to go into the season without 2 LT, one being the starter and one who is at least a decent replacement.