How to Fix Starters Not Playing in Madden 24

While some bugs and glitches have already been fixed since launch, players are still wondering why their starters are not playing in Madden 24. With so many differen things to worry about in Franchise Mode, having this bug creep up on you can be difficult.

Fortunately, several players have come up with potential solutions that might be able to remedy the problem and even save your Madden 24 Franchise Mode save. We'll break them all down here so you can make sure your starters are ready to go.

How to Fix Starters Not Playing in Madden 24

The latest Madden 24 update did bring several important bug fixes, but players are still having issues in Franchise Mode with their starters not playing. This can be particularly frustrating as in some cases the problem doesn't present itself until the worst possible moment.

For some Madden 24 Franchise Mode saves, the bug has shown up in the playoffs or even in the Super Bowl itself. If you're worried it could be happening, there are a few ways to try and remedy the issue that can be attempted.

The bug has existed in some form since at least as early as August 2022 in Madden 23, as an earlier EA Answers post includes a few possible solutions from other players. The good news is there are solutions that work, but the bad news is you may or may not be able to salvage your current save.

The issue appears to be entirely linked to the Progressive Fatigue setting in Franchise Mode. If you go to Franchise Settings under Options, then League Seattings, look for the Progressive Fatigue setting and switch it to off.

After doing this, go to the Home tab and Manage Staff. Take a look at Auto Subs, as this can be a big possible culprit for starters not playing in Madden 24. If you're worried, you can try cranking Sub Out all the way to zero for every position, but some players saw success by dropping Sub Out to 40 or 50 and Sub In to 60 or 65 (with the exception of QB with Sub Out at 0 and Sub In at 1.

All of this together may fix your issue, but some are seeing the bug linger despite these changes. If you attempt to Super Sim a few plays in a game it might shake things loose, but several players have been forced to create new Franchise Mode saves with these settings in place from the start. Hopefully, EA can find a fix for this bug in time for the next Madden 24 update.