another question... how do you set your depth chart? i know where the tab is for it, but is it the section down below the names where you can click and choose a guy at each position? and should you make sure every guy is listed down there?
or is that for specialized situations (ex 3rd downs, etc)
The depth chart is very important. It determines who starts [an important factor, because starters improve more and show better work ethic], and what the pecking order is in terms of what order they get into games when starters sub out.
Stamina is a factor in this game. Players with lower stamina tire faster and have to come out of the game. And depth is a factor; teams with more talented depth can outlast teams without the same depth.
The first step is to set the percentages that you want players at each position to come out of game. My recommendation is that you go 85% or higher. I have mine at 90%, but that's because I have a great system in place and lots of depth. Players' performance goes down when they get fatigued, so even if you have a stud their performance will get diminished if you play them when they are tired.
Sometimes, you might not have good depth at a position. If you only have 6 offensive linemen, then you need to set their percentage lower, so that those guys stay in the game. Otherwise, the game will swap in the "next" available guys to play OL--usually a defensive lineman who will have low blocking--and there is a position penalty for how those guys perform when they are forced to play out of position.
After you've set the percentages where they come out of the game, the next step is to go down and select the players from the drop down menus. This establishes the starters and sets the order that they will enter the game. For example, the player you list first at QB is your stater; the next guy is the backup, and so on.
When fatigued players come out of the game, they recuperate as a function of their stamina attribute scores. When they are replenished, they'll sub back into the game. The SIM controls this, you don't have to do anything other than set up the order from the pick lists.
Also, your formations factors in. You might have four running backs, but if you play all Trips formation [which only uses one back] or Shotgun [which has zero], then you probably aren't going to use too many RBs during the course of a game. But if you play formations with two RBs [I, Pro Set, ND Box] or three RBs [wishbone], then how you set up the order is important in terms of which ones play.
Ditto WRs--Trips and Shotgun use 3 and 4 receivers respectively, so you'll need the right depth to play those.
Same on defense--if you play a 4-3, 4-4, or 5-2, then you're using a lot of defensive lineman.
Conversely, 3-4 and 4-4 are heavy on linebackers.
Nickel and Dime are heavy on defensive backs.
