Veteran Assessment and Compensation – when the software assesses your roster at the end of week 16, expect to lose players. Given you’ll be drafting new ones, the system is designed to generate losses, and will give you compensation based on whether those are excessive. It will take into account overall roster strength and whether you carried LPs into the draft (don’t go waiving players just before the draft in an attempt to beat the system).
Overall Roster Strength – simply put, it’s a massive red herring. A five year old OL 3 is a stronger player than a rookie OL 3 even though they are the same overall strength. The nominal values are there to guide you, and of course determine waiver and fixing values.
Roster Balance – it’s up to you how you set up your roster. Gameplan is a play calling game, albeit the roster will shape your play calling. My best advice is to “call it how you see it”. Even though Gameplan is based on an era when passing was more difficult, the same principles in the modern NFL apply – there are “passing teams” (think the Chiefs) and running teams (Ravens, Eagles). Those concepts still apply……
Vacancies – a “space” on your roster is a player who has retired, or a “no star” player (no nominal value). A one star player with a step loss is not a vacancy, nor is a Conditional Free Agent. You can only draft (or sign a free agent) to a “space” on your roster – if you try and draft someone without a space, it won’t be allowed. Remember also that players already drafted (or signed as free agents) will use up a roster space. However, see below about Conditional Waivers.
Don’t stress about having no-star players on your roster, every NFL team has players starting who would be considered as being a no-star player (fill in your own gag about the Saints or Browns and quarterbacks).
Conditional Waivers – if you don’t have a “space” on your roster for a player, but wish to draft him, then use a Conditional Waiver action. You specify the player you would waive, and he is only waived if a replacement is signed (e.g. your team has five star OL veterans – you cannot draft a new OL, but you could do a Conditional Waiver on one of the five, and if you draft an OL, that veteran would be waived).
Free Agent Bids, Actions and Draft Picks – are performed in the order shown on the turnsheet, so Free Agent Bids are done before special actions, which are before draft picks (so you can order a Conditional Waiver before making a draft pick, but not before a free agent bid).
Mini Camp – remember that mini camp is your last chance to fix step losses and conditional free agents (if you don’t fix a Conditional Free Agent, they are automatically waived in Mini Camp). You can also sign undrafted rookies in mini camp (usually 1* players) so you may want to plan on having 10 LPs available (remember they are signed as free agents, so before the mini-camp special actions).
Training Camp – training camp is effectively the first week of the new season, and the last chance to move quarterbacks or defense formation without risking form losses. You also get a second chance at signing undrafted rookies.
Examples of Fixing and Waiver Values – the following gives examples of players, and the costs of fixing and/or waiving them dependent on whether they have a Step Loss, are Reduced Effectiveness or are a Conditional Free Agent. Remember the LPs for waiving a player are only available once the player has been waived (so Conditional Waivers triggered by draft picks are processed after the special actions for that turn)!
| Example Player | Nominal Value | Extra Strengths | Status | Cost to Fix | Waiver Value |
| OL 3 ORI ORO OQB | 3 | 0 | Step Loss ORI | 10 LP | 20 LP (2 x 10 LP) |
| OL 3 ORI ORO OQB | 3 | 0 | Reduced | 15 LP (3 x 5 LP) | 24 LP (3 x 8 LP) |
| OL 3 ORI ORO OQB | 3 | 0 | Conditional Free Agent | 15 LP (3 x 5 LP) | 24 LP (3 x 8 LP) |
| DL 2 DRI DBZ | 2 | 0 | Step Loss DBZ | 10 LP | 10 LP (1 x 10 LP) |
| DL 2 DRI DBZ | 2 | 0 | Reduced | 10 LP (2 x 5 LP) | 16 LP (2 x 8 LP) |
| DL 2 DRI DBZ | 2 | 0 | Conditional Free Agent | 10 LP (2 x 5 LP) | 16 LP (2 x 8 LP) |
| WR 2 OPS OPL DKR | 2 | 1 | Step Loss DKR | 10 LP | 20 LP (2 x 10 LP) |
| WR 2 OPS OPL DKR | 2 | 1 | Reduced | 10 LP (2 x 5 LP) | 20 LP (2 x 8 LP + 1 x 4 LP) |
| WR 2 OPS OPL DKR | 2 | 1 | Conditional Free Agent | 10 LP (2 x 5 LP) | 20 LP (2 x 8 LP + 1 x 4 LP) |
| PN 1 OPN x 3 | 1 | 2 | Step Loss OPN | 10 LP | 15 LP (1 x 10 LP + 1 x 5 LP) |
| PN 1 OPN x 3 | 1 | 2 | Reduced | 5 LP | 16 LP (1 x 8 LP + 2 x 4 LP) |
| PN 1 OPN x 3 | 1 | 2 | Conditional Free Agent | 5 LP | 16 LP (1 x 8 LP + 2 x 4 LP) |
| DL 1 DBZ | 1 | 0 | Reduced | 5 LP | 8 LP |
| DL 1 DBZ | 1 | 0 | Conditional Free Agent | 5 LP | 8 LP |
| WR 1 DKR | 1 | 0 | Reduced | 5 LP | 8 LP (1 x 8 LP + 0 x 4 LP) |
| WR 1 DKR | 1 | 0 | Conditional Free Agent | 5 LP | 8 LP (1 x 8 LP + 0 x 4 LP) |
Read the Rules – don’t just rely on this page, make sure you read the rules carefully when you’re in the draft!