One thing I haven't been able to figure out is how some players seem to increase their abilities without ever playing a game (or playing 1-2 games a season). In that, I'm not sure how the game calculates such a thing. In terms of players on an actual team, does it matter if they dress? Is it better to not dress them if you don't plan on playing them? Vice versa?

With young players is it better to throw them in the deep end and play them 25-33 games or to merely play them every time their fatigue level drops below 100%? If a player increases significantly at age 18, should you expect continued improvement at least through 22-24?

Does a player's position matter at all? As in, would an 18 yr old Defensemen improve more at RB or LB? Is their a default position for players and how does that impact improvement?

Any answers or theories or thoughts is appreciated.

First thing, I can't remember if we were told or if we just figured it out, but each player in this game seems to have a hidden rating which determines growth curve/rate. It's trial and error to find the "special" ones. At one time I used to speculate on a couple of young players each season, just to see if they would grow without playing any games. Lottery tickets, if you will.

I've seen other owners home grow their own great teams by just buying up 18-year-olds and playing the snot out of them. Something else I've heard another owner say that he's done is play some 23-24 year olds a lot and even if they've been planted on the bench once they start playing regularly it kick starts their development.

Most of the time a player is fully developed by age 27 but overall growth is still possible up to age 30 or 31. As you know age 32 is when players retire if they aren't under contract, so they've maxed out by 32 but skill growth can still happen assuming a player accumulates experience.

Position does not seem to matter IMO, just playing time. I know there are some owners who believe experience bars at a certain position are important for the player's performance, but it's never been important to me. I rarely play them out of position anyway.

Thanks for some answers, damag. I DID know that there is a "hidden" development stat (and found out sadly that one of my 18 year olds who had improved considerably from seasons 1-3 DID not continue to develop...like at all, in season 4).

That being said, I did not know the retirement cutoff is 32...makes me mad thinking about some of the guys I could have signed at 31 or whatever but figured I'd have another year or two.

Again, thanks for the answers!

Yeah, about the hidden development stat, thinking about it now I think I've seen enough to say that each player seems to have a programmed max overall. You'll see a player develop, develop, then hit a ceiling. And whatever age he hits it at isn't consistent, seems to be an individual thing.

I have noticed that an 18 year old will gain about 3 points O/A if he just sits. Won't grow a superstar that way. If you play an 18 year old as much as he can, the average is about 7 points O/A gain, if he can play over 30 games. Some players will gain more then that in the first year, some will gain less. The ones who gain 7 or more I expect good things from. The others, depending on the skills they need and the skills they gain, they may or may not stay. I won't take an 18 year old unless I commit to using him.
Here is my rule of thumb for young players:
18 7 O/A gain
19 6 O/A gain
20 5 O.A gain
21 4 O/A gain
22 3 O/A gain
23 2 O/A gain
24, 25, 26 1 O/A gain [maybe]
by 27 they should be done growing and after 32 or 33 they start to go down. By the way, this is all my opinion.