Player Roles in Franchise Mode: WTF???

[Franchise408]

Okay, so I just realized that player roles in this game make no sense.

Going into Year 2, here are the player roles on my 49ers franchise:

QB - Vince Young
Underachiever
^ Okay, that makes sense. Understandable.

QB - Ransford Young (generated draft class rookie)
Injury prone
^ Okay, I suppose so. I accept this.

HB - Reggie Bush
Underachiever
^ Understood
Fumble Prone
^ Does Reggie have a fumbling problem?

HB - Frank Gore
Feature Back
^ Obviously
Fumble Prone
^ In real life, going into year 1? Yes. Going into year 2? Frank Gore had like 1 fumble all year in my first season.

WR - Michael Crabtree
Underachiever
^ Okay, this is the big one. I can almost understand it in real life (although I don't think he has been), but in my year 1, Michael Crabtree put up 1803 yards (the ALL TIME record is 1848) and 9 TD's. I don't see how Madden could possibly conceive in any way shape or form that after a season like that, Crabtree is an "underachiever"

WR - Ted Ginn
Underachiever
^ Okay, understood

TE - Vernon Davis
Offensive Playmaker
^ Understood

LG - Mike Iupati
Trench Warrior
^ Got it

RT - Anthony Davis
Iron Man
^ ??? Pretty random. My year 2 would be Anthony Davis' 3rd year in the league. Hardly some kind of iron man warrior. Brett Favre or Peyton Manning he is not after 2 years.

LE - Ray McDonald
Injury Prone
^ ??? He didn't have a single injury in my year 1, and as far as I'm aware, McDonald doesn't even have an injury history in real life.

RE - Justin Smith
Run Stopper
^ Got it

DT - Ricky Jean Francois
Injury Prone
^ Same as Ray McDonald. WTF???

MLB - Patrick Willis
Team Leader
^ Accurate

K - David Akers
Injury Prone
^ Excuse me??? Same as McDonald and Jean-Francois
Team Mentor
^ I... guess... ???

So Michael Crabtree is the big one that I just don't get at all. He nearly tied an NFL record, made the Pro Bowl, and is somehow an "underachiever". Holy ****, just how HIGH are the expectations for Crabtree if nearing an NFL record set by the greatest football player of all time is "underachieving"?

And I'm also confused by a few of the others like Anthony Davis, Ray McDonald, and Ricky Jean-Francois, and even David Akers. WTF is the logic behind player roles?

[TeamBuilder]

I agree with you that the roles are really confusing. I started a thread wondering what the rules that govern player roles are.

I'm wondering if there are predetermined roles that a player may or may not achieve based on randomness.

[Darkside63]

Nice post. As the Niners are my team as well, I experienced similar things which made me scratch my head...

Gore is Fumble Prone? No, not really. Hed did fumble in the past but show me a RB who doesnt. I dont think that he deserves that role. Maybe make him Injury prone. Would be more justified than fumbling.

Crabtree Underachiever after year 1, with your stats? Ridiculous, really.

Actually, Ray McDonald has a history of injuries. So I could understand this, if it was a the beginning of year one, though in your season, he wasnt injured. I see no reason why the game gave him the role then? Looks like for certain players the roles after season one are predetermined, no matter how the season went. Sounds poor to me....

David Akers (Kicker) as a Team Mentor sounds good - in theory. Most teams will not have a 2nd kicker on their 53 man roster, so that role is pretty much useless

I experienced something nice though. After my first season, Justin Smith added Team mentor as well - which is nice cause it influences all DEs on the field (at least, not quite sure if it goes on the whole D-Line).

[pandawinner1972 2]

I agree to a point. I mean some of them are spot on and others are.... Well... Way off, They need a dynamic player roles then it would be great!

[nastynatesolder]

worst part is they disappear when you edit players

[TeamBuilder]

Quote: Originally Posted by nastynatesolder

worst part is they disappear when you edit players

Yes! This really bothers me. If I move my "pass rusher" from LE to RE he should still be a "pass rusher."

Ridiculous.

[KBLover]

The injury prone ones, I could see sticking for over a season. Granted, by the same token, I agree that the Iron Man labels are too freely applied.

I would also think it'd be easier to get considered Injury Prone than an Iron Man.

That Crabtree underachiever one, though, that just makes no sense.

I could see a Kicker being a mentor, especially since it only impacts same position (position group?), it just would be...silly, since...who carries more than one kicker and punter? Now, if there was preseason progression...maybe he could help groom one, or a young punter you just drafted if it impacts position groups.

Gore has 26 career fumbles in 85 games. That's quite a few - more than once per 4 games on average. It's not as bad as AP's fumble rate, but I'd consider that "prone" for a HB. Like injury prone, I think it should take a while to lose this as the HB corrects the problem and proves it over time.