Draft On

From the main menu, select the Draft Champions panel to get started building your team. Once you select solo or head-to-head, you can enter a draft and start selecting your team. The game will give you a starting roster with base players who generally have around a 68 to 70 Overall rating. You won’t have enough selections to fully create a lineup, so keep an eye on these players, as they will see the field at some point. All of these players have strengths and weaknesses, so try to get the most out of them if they make the lineup. Know which positions you need elite talent at and which ones you don’t value unless something great comes up. If you grab an elite QB but keep a base left tackle, will you have enough time to consistently throw downfield? This is what makes Draft Champions so compelling. Remember that there are no wrong answers.

Team Styles

Building up your team style is a great way to get your team some boosts during gameplay. Keep an eye on what items you are starting to collect and start to build out a lineup. By flipping over an item, you can see how much style it will add to your team. Make sure to get your players in their proper positions to receive the boost. Styles and boosts work the same way as in Madden Ultimate Team, so test them there and find one you are comfortable with. This way you can experiment with the effects of style. For example, is a plus-50 boost enough or do you like to go higher?

After the Draft

After the draft is complete, you can adjust your lineup and play your Draft Champions game. You can also evaluate your coaching and equipment like uniforms and stadiums. Taking a few seconds to adjust your lineup can pay off in a big way once you hit the field. Make sure you get all the talent you selected into the best positions to make plays. If you selected two HBs, consider moving one to receiver if he has a high Catch rating. If you selected two OLBs who play the same side, move the backup to the other side to replace a base-level player.

All the small tweaks will help you get the most from the lineup once you get on the field. Using the Compare Items option in the Lineup screen is a great way to evaluate players’ abilities and see who matches your team’s play style. Finding good Formations is crucial to success. For example, you want a formation to spread out the defense if you went heavy on receivers, but you’ll need different options for pounding the ball if you went with a halfback and strong offensive line. Check out play-calling sheets in the Teams chapter to help find the best plays in your playbook.

Your opponent will have some great players but will also be weak at a few positions. Try to target them and get your best talent matched up against their weaker positions (but know that they will do the same). Using the matchup stick in-game is a good way to keep an eye on these potential ratings mismatches.

The game will keep you up to date on your wins and losses. Don’t worry if you take a loss, because that just means you get to do another draft! If you keep racking up the wins, you will keep earning better rewards. If you chose the solo challenge route, you need to win three games before you lose one to earn rewards. If you chose head-to-head, you must win four games before you lose one. Once you lose, you get your rewards depending on how many games you won, and then you draft a new team all over again.

Offensive Styles

• Short Pass style boosts Catch in Traffic and Pass Blocking to improve your ability to complete short to intermediate passes.
• Long Pass style boosts Route Running and Pass Blocking and improves your ability to complete intermediate to deep passes.
• Ground and Pound style boosts Trucking and Run Blocking, thus increasing your effectiveness with a power running game plan.
• Speed Run style boosts Elusiveness and Run Blocking, increasing the effectiveness of a running game plan built around quickness.

Defensive Styles

• Zone Defense style boosts Play Recognition and Zone Coverage, so there’s an increased chance of success when you call zone coverage plays.
• Man Defense style boosts Play Recognition and Man Coverage for an increased chance of success when you call man coverage plays.
• Pass Rush style boosts Pursuit and Block Shedding, so players blitzing the QB are more likely to escape blocks.
• Run Stuff style boosts Tackling and Block Shedding, so defenders have a better chance of shutting down plays.