WilleB shared this with me. I think it can be useful.
PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU REQUEST A MIDWEEK! Many of you have expressed worry over your abilities to control your rosters now that we will be moving to a 3 game day per week format with no mid weeks. This primer should allay all your fears as it describes just how simple roster management is under this format and what pitfalls you need to avoid.
I think that many of you are still traumatized by FOF 2004. In that version of the game rosters were far more volatile in how the game would make adjustments via the AI. In 2k7 this is one of the areas that Jim spent time reworking. In the older version exporting without 46 players active would create chaos but that is no longer the case in 2k7.
Please refer to this screenshot:
It's very important that you understand this screen. When playing without midweeks this is your bible, especially the "Required column". In 2k7 you can export with less than 46 players active, which you might be forced to do if you want to sign a free agent, but I will get to that later.
What is most important is that you export with the minimum *required* players at each position active. If you fail to do this the game will make adjustments that you do not have control of. This means that you can export with 44 actives and 9 inactives and FOF will not sign any players to your roster.
Trades:When making a trade you need to keep a couple of things in mind. All players that join your roster are by default inactive. This is not something you need to worry about as trades are executed after the games are simulated which enables you to activate and fit newly acquired players into your game plans and depth charts.
What you do need to consider is whether you're making an uneven deal, especially when you send 1 player to receive two. This requires very little planning and a minimum amount of attention.
Let's use a couple of sample case studies using the above image as a point of reference.
A) You trade a QB for a RB
Whether you make the request or not, the game will sign a QB for you since you will have fallen below the minimum threshold of QBs on roster. So be sure when making an export in a week when you have traded away a QB that you make an FA request for another QB. If you don't get your first choice the game will sign another.
Where you have to pay attention is in releasing a player since you will need to make space for both the incoming RB as well as the QB that needs to be signed. You will need to waive a player from a position group that has a surplus of available players to fulfill the Required category.
I'm not sure if the order manages in how you make your roster moves but I've always followed a logical chronology, which would make the steps look like this:
a) confirm trade on board
b) finish game planning
c) waive player to make roster spot - in this case a RB to make room for my incoming RB and because I don't want to carry 5.
d) make offer for QB
You can waive ANY player at this spot since between the time the game is over and the next game the Required field doesn't matter. If you waive a kicker AFTER a game you still have time to sign one for the next game.
A) You trade a QB for a QB and RB
It might sound drastically different but it's a nearly identical situation, only this time you don't have to deal with a free agent signing.
a) confirm trade on board
b) finish game planning
c) waive player to make roster spot
Free AgencyAs always, at no point can you have 54 players signed. If you successfully sign a 54th player then all bets are off, the game will throw your roster into the spin cycle and what comes out is what comes out.
Thankfully, in 2k7 Jim added a great feature which can be used repeatedly during a given export. You can now make roster cuts contingent upon successfully signing a player so that you don't get caught with your pants down.
Referring back to the same Position Distribution, let's assume a case in which my starting center just got injured during the last game and is out. The inactive center that is also on my roster is also out with a strained hamstring. The game still shows that I have an active center but that's only because he hasn't been deactivated yet.
To remedy the situation:
a) finish your game planning
b) prepare your roster by deactivating the center - you will now have 45 actives, 8 inactives and 53 on roster
c) make an offer on a FA center - the game will now warn you that you can not have 54 players on your roster, not to worry.
d) go back to your roster screen and waive an any player you wish, either an active player or a non-injured inactive. At no point may you release an injured player. When you attempt to release the player you will be asked by the game if you should make this roster move contingent upon your last offer being accepted.
That's pretty much it.
Now you do need to be careful of a couple of things. First off, if you waive a player in a group that leaves you will less than the required number of bodies the game will make adjustments.
And this is VERY important: if you make this move with 46 actives the game will play beach blanket bingo with your roster.
So all roster management in the game can be reduced to the following points:
- Always be aware of your Required and On Roster numbers. Those are your guides.
- Trades are processed *after* games.
- Free Agent requests are processed *before* games.
If you have any questions please post them directly here, do not PM or IM me as I don't want to have to explain this on a one by one basis to the entire league.
**Written by Nero**
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