Wide Receiver Updates

[Ben C.]

How do the wide receiver updates come into play? In AFFL this week, my receivers have 4 receiving TDs - do the TDs enhance the chances of the QB throwing a TD at all? Or is the TD just to increase the chances of my QB's passing TDs going to that specific WR?

[Goodell]

How do the wide receiver updates come into play? In AFFL this week, my receivers have 4 receiving TDs - do the TDs enhance the chances of the QB throwing a TD at all? Or is the TD just to increase the chances of my QB's passing TDs going to that specific WR?

Currently the QB primarily drives the passing game, but it's something that could be looked at and adjusted for future seasons. There is something to that perhaps where big WR games should help your sim QB, but if (for example) someone had JaMarcus Russell having a horrible game but also just happened to also have Randy Moss getting 3 TDs from Tom Brady in reality should that really mean that Russell throws some extra TDs?

But there is a little something currently in the script for big WR updates to be helpful to the QB beyond just whatever their grades happened to be to get at what you are referencing. Even if your WRs have low grades, if collectively they have big updates (I think 25 catches collectively for 4 WRs and TE in depth chart for average of 5 each) it boosts the WR grade by .5 in recognition of them probably playing above their grade for the week and helping the QB more.

There's maybe more cases to look at and other adjustments to be made, but currently the WRs primarily help with their grades for the QB adjustment and also on each completion contributing to the length of the completion along with QB average completions. But currently don't add any extra TDs to the QB's update other than if they contribute toward the maximum advantage case over the opposing sim defense grades and give the QB an extra TD only in that case of overwhelming grade advantage over the defense.

I could see adding something in the future where if a lot of collective TDs by the WRs for a sim QB raising his performance update, but then you also run into cases where that may not make sense like mentioned above with really bad QB having a bad game who just happens to have sim WRs getting tons of TDs from great QB that arguably shouldn't raise the game of the bad QB -- as well as other less extreme cases where maybe it makes more sense to have that boost the QB with great WR updates. Something to think about next year, but currently the QB mostly drives things with his update.

[Ben C.]

I think it generally makes sense the way it is - I was just wondering as I have such a big game this week. The QB should drive the team, not the other way around.

However, I also am wondering how a 67 yard end around TD run by a WR gets incorporated. I know generally for RB's if the team gets within the 10 yard line they are pretty much going to get their TD, but how does it work if the only rushing attempt is for a 67 yard TD?

[Goodell]

I think it generally makes sense the way it is - I was just wondering as I have such a big game this week. The QB should drive the team, not the other way around.

However, I also am wondering how a 67 yard end around TD run by a WR gets incorporated. I know generally for RB's if the team gets within the 10 yard line they are pretty much going to get their TD, but how does it work if the only rushing attempt is for a 67 yard TD?

I was hoping to add more big plays into the simulator this year but didn't get to. However, that long run by a WR could go a couple different ways. If their number comes up for a carry at mid-field, it should use that as their average per run and give them a big rushing attempt which may or may not reach the endzone depending upon how far away. If the team is closer to the endzone and a run comes up and it checks to see if anyone has a TD it may call their number closer to the goaline and give that TD then.

[Rob_Owens]

Last week Desean Jackson ran for a 51 yard touchdown for me i think so the end around looks like it rewards people for big plays.