"All I want is a running back who is fast on his feet, breaks tackles like a truck, can run a short route and make valve catches reliably."

Tough.

Every position has a similar wishlist attached to it. An offensive guard? You want a super-strong, excellent run and pass blocker who doesn't commit too many penalties and gets moving fast enough to stop those quicker defensive ends. Sure, that's the dream but there are only a handful of those guys in the league, everyone else is making compromises.

Okay, so you want a guy with 95/95/95/95/95/95 or better in all his desirable stats but you don't have one and nobody wants to sell you one, and that one you just drafted rolled snakeyes at training camp. What are your options?

A player who is rated 70/70/70/70/etc will do okay. That's a pretty typical look for a backup, ****, even a starter if you're desperate. The problem though is that while they might do adequately, they'll be mismatched against solid starters they face off against but far worse is that they may also lose against players rated 25/25/25/100/25/25.

That player, friends, is a mutant.

Let's make one thing clear from the outset, a mutant player will always lose out eventually against a properly specced opponent but they might just provide great value - and amazing contract savings - in a pinch. This is a guide to identifying what a viable mutant might look like. There aren't any hard and fast rules, that's what makes this philosophy fun, and some stats are more obvious to focus on than others. If you're being forced down a compromise route it's well worth experimenting to see if you can find some weird gold rather than someone mediocre.

So, how to find your oddball players.

First, consider the position. If you need a guy in that position to be great at just one thing, what's the one thing? Sure, you can't go wrong with an big-time attribute (speed, strength) or go for the "must have" (pass accuracy) but is that the only way to go? I honestly don't know, but I do know a few more I'd try.

I'd love to give a QB with 100 field of vision, 100 intelligence but only 65 accuracy a spin. Or how about a running back with 95 strength, 95 break tackle and 40 speed/acceleration?

I've been a SPEED FIRST obsessive for a while, and it works, but I've passed up countless players who might have been really something. What about a 30 speed cornerback with 100 bump and run? After all, you don't need to keep up if you wrecked the guy's route already. Or a slower than dirt middle linebacker with no pass protection skills, but does have 100 strip ball and 100 tackle. Maybe he'll be a fumble making monster - if he ever runs into a ball carrier.

Now, there are some stats that just aren't worth worrying about. Avoid fumble? Nope. Doesn't make enough of a difference. The same goes for pass catching. Guys with under 10 catching make the play aplenty and often won't be the player with the most drops on a team. No, it doesn't make sense but there it is.

Where mutants can get really fun is that there are likely dozens of them on the free agency list right now. Booming players who just happen to be dead slow or can't catch, or defend a pass. Probably some brutally strong linemen who don't know the first thing about blocking. Or maybe they can run block perfectly but passing is like a foreign language.

If you feel like embracing the mutant, a few tips for you.

- Ignore your weights. They'll most likely help you find a perfect player, but you'll be passing up mutant guys with a future rating of 40.
- Be prepared to fix player use with overrides. You don't want that monster run blocker looking befuddled when you're throwing on third down.
- Give them time. If you're not in contention for the bowl, you have nothing to lose. Study how your mutants perform over half a season or more. Use what you learn from seeing them in action to decide whether the stats they have are the right ones or not.
- Don't be afraid to cut and try something else. A chancy player on a 2 year minimum wage contract really isn't going to hurt your cap much.
- Adapt your gameplan to your strengths. If you're focusing on a few key stats make sure the plays you're calling fit with your setup. Consider a 5-wide, slow, bump and run avoiding, pass courage heavy lineup of receivers: sure they'll be covered, but maybe it won't matter. I don't know. It'd be fun to find out.
- If you can't win games you can at least make them fun to watch. Get the 5 fastest receivers in the league who just so happen to be awful and throw long on every play. 10 sacks a game? Yeah, going to need 2 QBs... but when those passes are caught? Fireworks! Maybe! Who knows?


In summary, I very much like my broken toys approach to the game (yes, they are supported by some genuinely good players) and while they may well lose their edge when playing "proper" players, it's a whole lot of fun to watch a 50 rated player smoke the opposition.

There's nothing wrong with playing "best I could get" if those gold-standard starters aren't available and the mutant philosophy might not be for you as you have to be prepared to take a thrashing, weekly. It's another way to go but isn't for everyone.