The early game in Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) is always a fun time. With very few impact players and very little capital to build a star-studded team with, starting out in MUT can be both challenging and exciting for players who are unable or unwilling to buy packs and coins.
If you want to succeed early in MUT, you are going to need to get creative and find the best cheap players you can in order to win challenges and earn coins.
These players should be core gold players with mid-70s overall ratings, with prices on the auction block between 750 and 2500 coins.Â
The best cheap players in MUT for Madden 23 won’t be your typical household names and superstars. If you want to win games in this mode without spending loads of money on in-game purchases, you will have to rely on sleeper players you may have never heard of before at the start.
Without further ado, here are the best cheap players you should get for your Madden 23 Ultimate Team.
Kellen Mond, QB
With his throw power and throw accuracy attributes near the top end for all core gold quarterbacks, Kellen Mond might have the best arm of any quarterback rated under 79 overall.
It’s not just his arm that impresses, however, it’s his great agility and speed numbers that reflect his real life combine numbers from a year ago. Kellen Mond is a true dual-threat QB, and he should be quite a cheap player as well.
At only 76 overall, Mond should be one of the best players you can get under 2500 coins in MUT 23.
Other quarterbacks to consider:
- Jameis Winston
- Malik Willis
- Baker Mayfield
- Tyler Huntley
Trenton Cannon, RB
Despite his 79 overall rating, his value isn’t likely going to match his relatively high overall, due to a lack of name recognition. Cannon isn’t the highest-regarded NFL player, but that doesn’t mean he can’t carry your Ultimate Team.
At a whopping 90 overall in the elusive archetype, Cannon represents elite-level skill without the hefty elite-level price to anyone who’s looking for a slippery runner.
Trenton Cannon’s got 80 speed and 82 acceleration as well as juke and spin moves that are also near 80, so he’s certainly got the skills to succeed as a cheap MUT player.
Other running backs to consider:
- Boston Scott
- DeeJay Dallas
- Joshua Kelley
- Dontrell Hilliard
Quez Watkins, WR
Madden 23 loves Quez Watkins, his ratings are extremely good this year, and I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t matter! Go out and swipe Quez Watkins as soon as you can.
With 85 speed and 80 catch, Watkins is only cheap because of the lack of name recognition, and the fact that his overall score is 78 as opposed to the much higher-priced 79 overall players.
Even with Watkins’ being cheap for his skill set, he still might end up being one of the more expensive options on this list, expect his cards to go at auction at times for as high as 9500 coins!
If you have patience, however, and search the market during the wee hours of the night, you may find him for as low as our target price of 2500 coins.
Other wide receivers to consider:
- Marquez Valdez-Scantling
- Elijah Moore
- K.J. Hamler
- Dante Pettis
Trey McBride, TE
The first rookie on this list, McBride’s value isn’t as artificially high as other top rookies on this list, perhaps because he was a third-round pick, or perhaps because he is stuck behind Zach Ertz on the roster for the Cardinals, which sinks his name recognition slightly.
McBride has got the two best traits you look for in a good Madden tight end. He is fast and he can catch the ball in traffic!
With 77 speed and a 76 catch-in-traffic rating, McBride ranks highly for all gold tight ends with those attributes.
Other tight ends to consider:
- Taysom Hill
- Noah Fant
- Albert Okwuegbunam
- J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
John Franklin-Myers, EDGE
Franklin-Myers is a player that shouldn’t ever get too expensive, his overall score is only 77, and he is considered by many as an interior rusher, which is a much less valuable position, his price should stay low.
While his price might be low, his ratings are not, with one of the best blends of power rush ratings and finesse rush ratings, Franklin-Myers should be a beast for any team that deploys him.
He is 6’4’ and 294 lbs., a size that typically plays the inside, but his athleticism and speed rush moves are high enough to make him an oversized edge rusher.
Due to him not being considered a true edge rusher, and for him being a relatively unrecognizable name, don’t expect his asking price to rise much more than 1500 coins or so.
Other edge rushers to consider:
- Arden Key
- Malik Reed
- Romeo Okwara
- Devante Bond
Johnathan Hankins, DT
The veteran defensive tackle isn’t the most athletic player, in fact, he’s got 50’s ratings across the board when it comes to speed, acceleration, and agility.
Lucky for you, defensive tackles rarely have to use these ratings, instead, what is far more important for DTs is strength, awareness, and tackling ability. Hankins hits high 70s ratings for all of those attributes.
If you need a literal anchor to sit down in the middle of your D-Line, there is nobody better than Hankins.
Hankins should also be one of the most affordable players in the position due to his lack of athletic attributes.
Other defensive tackles to consider:
- Grover Stewart
- Matthew Ioannidis
- Travis Jones
- Tyler Shelvin
Jamin Davis, LB
The most athletic gold linebacker on the market, Jamin Davis has 79 speed, 82 acceleration, and an incredible 85 jump rating. Plus, he has a very high tackle rating as well, sitting at 77.
A dream come true for players who user at the LB position, he’s going to be able to keep up with receivers and running backs, and will actually be able to run down just about every tight end in the game as well.
While this attractive athleticism sure does keep his cards from staying on the market for too long, if you can find Jamin Davis on the auction house, you should be able to nab him for less than 2500 coins.
Other linebackers to consider:
- Ty Summers
- Troy Anderson
- T.J. Edwards
- Channing Tindall
The last player on that list, Channing Tindall, also features in our list of the best Rookie Premiere players in Madden 23, and you can unlock the upgraded elite version of his card through challenges and objectives – no coins needed!
Tre Flowers, CB
One of the best overall coverage corners for core gold players, he has a 70+ rating on all coverage attributes.
At 78 speed he will also be able to keep up with many receivers as well. A skill needed in MUT as players try to exploit speed whenever possible.
Tre Flowers is a solid coverage corner who shouldn’t cost you much more than 1250 coins.
Other cornerbacks to consider:
- Jalen Mills
- Sidney Jones IV
- Bryce Hall
- Josiah Scott
Rodney McLeod Jr., Safety
Rodney McLeod Jr. is a versatile defender, which is always a plus in MUT. He can play either safety spot or cornerback at a high level.
He is one of the better zone defenders in the core gold program, which is incredibly valuable to the safety position in particular. He is also a very physically dominant player who can hit stick guys and come up with forced fumbles.
At 77 overall, a McLeod card should be able to be bought at auction for a very reasonable price.
Other safeties to consider:
- Camryn Bynum
- Will Parks
- Tyree Gillespie
- Xavier Woods
To go with your new cheap pick-ups, you should also learn how to earn coins quickly in Madden 23. Or, if you’ve got a few coins spare, check out the best budget elite players.
