While Madden 22 turned its focus toward Franchise Mode for the first time in several years, Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) continues to be the preferred way to play for most fans. While most MUT players have their team-building strategies on lock, new Madden players may feel overwhelmed by the player cards, sets, auctions, and head-to-head games.
With the ultimate fantasy team at your fingertips, here are some helpful tips and tricks for Madden Ultimate Team in Madden 22.
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What is Ultimate Team?
In Madden Ultimate Team, players build the team of their dreams with every player in the NFL at their disposal. They’ll even get their hands on NFL legends like Ed Reed and Ladanian Tomlinson. Players come in the form of cards that are plugged into your offensive and defensive lineup. Each player has an OVR rating and archetype that’ll affect how they perform in your system.
Players are organized into four tiers based on their OVR and passive abilities. However, you might find several iterations of the same player with different OVRs and abilities. For example, there are two different Dalvin Cook cards you can find. One starts at a 73 OVR (can be upgraded using training points). The other is an 85 OVR Elite card, acquired through completing his set. We’ll go over training points and sets later on.
Once you’ve built a team, you can head to the field in several game modes. Try your luck online in Head-to-Head seasons and work your way to the Superbowl. If you’re looking to practice with your team first, you can head into the Challenges menu to play situational football with special rules and bonuses. Challenges in MUT are the best way to earn coins and players when you’re first building your team. However, it begs the question: What kind of team are you?
What kind of team do you want to build?
It’s up to you to decide what kind of team you’re going to be. Are you going to Ground and Pound like the ’76 Steelers, or are you a pass-heavy team like Brady’s ’07 Patriots? Perhaps you’ve accepted the new age of the NFL, and you’ve mastered the RPO (Run, Pass, Option) game. Sure, you can play a balanced team, evenly split between running and passing the ball, but the best ultimate teams in Madden 22 pick a specialty and build their team around it. You can always run or throw the ball when you have to.
Building your offensive line
You’ll want to pay attention to the player archetypes listed underneath their position on their cards. If you plan on being a pass-heavy team, you’ll want to build an offensive line with pass-protection linemen (LT, LG, C, RG, RT). On the other hand, opt for power linemen for increased run block stats if you’re looking to run the ball more.
Wide receivers and tight ends
Weapons-wise, you’ll want at least two route-running WRs and a deep-threat WR. Why? Because spreading the ball around before taking a deep shot increases your chances of connecting with your deep-threat WR. Route-running WRs make better cuts and run more precise routes based on the play art. For example, comeback routes (when the WR runs out about 20 yards before retreating toward the sideline) are easier to time and hit with a route-running WR.
When it comes to Tes, possession TEs are the best. These big targets are every QB’s safety valve. Just ask Mahomes and Kelsey or Brady and Gronkowski. You’ll be hitting them on quick routes when you need to convert a third-and-mid/long. Your possession TEs are also helpful on deep corner routes and drags in traffic. In short, you can always lean on them to catch the ball when you need them to.
If you’re building a run-first team, you can opt for blocking TEs, but most TEs in MUT, especially the 80-plus OVRs, can block well enough to get your run game going. You’ll eventually need them in a pinch, so better catch ratings get the edge.
Best MUT quarterbacks
Gone are the days of the pure pocket passer. Patrick Mahomes can make every throw Tom Brady can. When you factor in Mahome’s mobility, he wins the “best MUT QB” contest. However, you’ll be hardpressed to find the best Patrick Mahomes card any time soon, so opt for a mobile QB like Russel Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, or Josh Allen. While they aren’t the fastest QBs in the game, they’re still able to scramble out of the pocket and run for first downs while maintaining elite throwing ability.
If you’re leaning on a heavy RPO game, Lamar Jackson is your best option. He’s as fast as a WR who can still throw the ball. Some Rookie QBs this year can prove helpful, too. Justin Fields and Trey Lance can take off running with the best of them. However, there’s no reason not to use Lamar Jackson.
Building a defense and special teams
Speed and Zone Coverage are the keys to building a solid defense in MUT. As you move up the ranks, you’ll be playing teams stocked with the fastest WRs in the game. They’ll inevitably outrun your DBs in Man Coverage and torch you for RAC yards and deep balls. A speedy defense specializing in Zone Coverage forces the opposing QB to find the open hole and make accurate passes. Your DBs are also chasing less and keeping their eyes on the QB. You’re playing the law of averages with this strategy, but it’ll ultimately work in your favor.
Furthermore, a Zone Coverage-heavy team can execute intricate blitzes and stop the run since they’re always watching the line of scrimmage. Having power rusher and speed rusher LBs increase their chances of getting to and sacking the QB. Adding this kind of pressure forces the opposing QB into errant throws, leading to interceptions in your Zone Coverage. Finally, you can always manually blitz LBs covering the middle of the field or a CB covering a flat zone. It’s risky but pays off if no receivers run a route in that zone.
When it comes to Special Teams, you’ll want to find a decent 80-plus kicker. They mean the difference between kicking a 50-yard field goal or punting from the 35-yard line. Your kick/punt returner should also be the fastest player on your team, but don’t overuse your WR1. For example, if you’ve got a decent backup RB that can break tackles, throw him in on kick returns.
Chemistry versus overall
Two factors affect your team’s performance in Madden 22. Obviously, OVR determines, on average, how good your team is. Of course, a good Madden 22 player can always win with a bad team with the right tips and tricks at their disposal. Chemistry is how you’ll further boost your team by including players in your lineup from the same team. You can also upgrade players to boost their effect on your team Chemistry. The OJ Howard card above is providing an added boost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team chemistry. In total, he’s adding 2 because he plays on the team and has been upgraded (you can see the Bucs flag in the middle of the OJ Howard card).
Chemistry doesn’t have a massive impact on your team, but those slight boosts add hidden stats that your OVR doesn’t reflect. The +1 to STR and JMP makes the OJ Howard card above better when making high-point catches and shedding tackles.
How to earn more coins in MUT
Coins are your ticket to building the best Ultimate Team in Madden 22. First and foremost, do not waste coins on packs. Stick to the auction house to find the players you’re looking for. While you won’t be getting your hands on cards going for 200,000 coins, you can build an 80 OVR team with solid chemistry from buying players off the auction house. So, how do you earn more coins in Madden Ultimate Team?
Play the MUT Campaign
When you’re first starting out in Madden Ultimate Team, the best way to earn more coins is by playing through The Campaign. The MUT Campaign takes you and your team from the preseason to the Superbowl with challenges and full games. You’ll learn the basics of Madden 22 and get a feel for your team by playing actual NFL teams against the CPU. In total, you’ll earn 100,000 coins, 16 Gold+ players, 230 Training Points, and an 85 OVR Team Captain. While the Campaign does take a while to play, it makes for excellent practice against a challenging CPU, especially on the hardest difficulty. We recommend playing on Hard (Pro/Competitive Difficulty) to earn the most stars if you can’t complete the bonus objectives.
While every game mode in Madden 22 Ultimate Team will reward you with coins, The Campaign is the most consistent way to get in and out of games and build your team from the ground up. Head-to-Head games online require you to finish the season (or at least lose the allotted number of games) before claiming your coin reward, which isn’t that much when you’re first starting out. Furthermore, you’re going to get crushed if you head online before building a solid base for your MUT.
How to get more players in MUT
Besides buying players off the auction house, there are a few different ways to obtain new players in MUT. Yes, The Campaign is once again your best bet when you’re first starting out. However, players looking for 80+ players should head to Superstar Challenges. These challenges will simulate iconic moments in the careers of modern superstars like Russel Wilson and Michel Thomas. Each comes with 10 challenges that’ll earn you 5,000-plus coins and an 80 to 84 OVR Elite player upon competition. Earn the maximum stars by completing the challenges on the hardest difficulty and securing the bonus objectives.
Solo Battles
If you’re looking to play other Ultimate Teams but don’t feel confident enough to go head to head against real players, Solo Battles in MUT are your best bet. Each week, you’ll get a batch of five teams to play. You’ll face one Featured Team and four other teams. Win games to earn Battle Points, which count toward your weekly rank and reward. The harder the difficulty, the more Battle Points you’ll earn. However, you have to win the game to earn points. Losing will drastically decrease points earned, and quitting will cost you points. Make these games count; you only get one chance to play each team.
Don’t waste your week trying to beat teams on All-Madden difficulty. Stick to Pro or All-Pro, depending on your skill level. However, the difference between the two difficulties in terms of rewards isn’t significant. You also earn Battle Points based on performance and score. If you blow out a team on Pro, you’ll make up the difference.
Once you’ve beaten all four opponents, refresh by pressing R2 for a new batch of battles. Play as many games as possible within the week to maximize your reward. However, you can only play 13 games in total.
For the average Madden 22 player, aim to score at least 200,000 points to achieve MVP Rank. MVP Rank rewards you with 43,000 coins, two Hail Mary packs, a midfield pack, and a RedZone pack. Hail Mary packs are what they sound like. You’ll most likely get some silver and gold players, but there’s a slim chance to pull something really good, like elite cards or legendary players.
Training points in Madden 22 Ultimate Team
Training points are a form of in-game currency earned by completing challenges and missions in Madden Ultimate Team. Use them to upgrade players with purple backgrounds to increase their stats, unlock X-Factors, and enable superstar abilities. If you find a better player at that position, you can refund the training points spent to invest in a new player. Other cards, like the OJ Howard Card from above, can also be upgraded. If you want to determine which players can and can’t be upgraded, press the Player Options button when hovering over their card. If they can be upgraded, the Upgrade option will be clickable. If not, the option is grayed out.
Managing X-Factors and Superstars in MUT
You can have three active X-Factors on both offensive and defense in Madden 22 Ultimate Team. When looking at the My Team screen, scroll to the far right with the left stick to bring up your active X-Factors and Team Chemistry. If you have the players, there is no reason to go into a game without six active X-Factors. You can also think of AP like action points in a strategy RPG. AP governs the player’s passive abilities, and you only have 12 AP to spend across your entire team.
For example, the Damien Harris card above is equipped with Reach For It, which costs 1 AP toward the total 12. However, some cards, like the Maxx Williams card in the other picture, don’t have any passive abilities, but they do have X-Factors. X-Factors do not count toward your overall AP.
