For as long as the game mode has been available, players have tried to find ways to win in Madden Ultimate Team.
Madden 22 is no exception, some players prefer the pay strategy, where you buy the best cards. This is done by converting real currency to in-game currency and buying packs.
One way is never the only way as more players are converting to the No Money Spent (NMS) option. Here's how you can build the best MUT 22 team without spending a dime.
Understanding the Madden 22 Ultimate Team Dynamic
This should be number one on your list of things to learn when first firing up Madden Ultimate Team. You have to understand that over the course of the year, better cards are going to be released.
That means the packs that you open in September will probably not be as good as the packs in December. It isn't a bad thing though as you'll constantly be grinding for packs throughout the year.
With that being said, this is why we advise going no money spent for everyone at the beginning of Madden 22, because better cards and packs will be released in the future.
How to build a No Money Spent (NMS) team in MUT 22
Now that you understand the dynamics around the cards and packs in Madden 22 and future Madden titles, let's get to building a team with no money spent.
MUT 22 is about collecting cards and building the best team with the players you have. Considering you won't be buying packs, your best option is by completing tasks.
Missions
By completing missions you'll earn rewards, occasionally they'll be packs or perhaps coins that you can use to purchase packs in Madden Ultimate Team.
The key here for MUT 22 beginners is making sure that you keep an eye on your missions available and complete them when you can. As an NMS (No Money Spent) player, you'll want to take advantage of every mission you can.
Solo Battles
Solo Battles are a great way to win yourself cards and packs every week without doing any online Head to Head playing.
This way you'll battle against the other ultimate teams in the Madden 22 community and can change the difficulty to increase your overall score.
Work your way through the battles and be sure to take down the featured opponent in Madden Ultimate Team to get extra Battle Points.
Challenges
Perhaps the most common way that NMS players are able to build good teams is by completing their challenges. Challenges are single player or co-op tasks where you'll use your Ultimate Team to face off against opponents in different situations.
This is key for a player not looking to purchase any packs in Madden 22 because oftentimes the free packs contain great players. As an NMS player, you have to be vigilant each week and complete all the challenges available because you never know what you're going to get.
The best part is that you can repeat the challenges to collect more stars and have more opportunities to unlock packs in Madden 22.
The Auction House
Inevitably, with as many cards as you'll end up collecting, you'll have some that you don't want or need. If they don't fit in Sets or help with Team Chemistry, it's best to find another use for them. Use the Lineup screen in Madden Ultimate Team to generate the best lineup and look at the cards not worth keeping around.
You'll also have to make sure that these cards aren't marked with a NAT designation. If they aren't the best place for them is the Auction House. This is a great way to take advantage of this feature, all the while not spending any money yourself.
The catch is, EA takes 10% of your earnings at the Auction House so keep that in mind when selling. Honestly though, considering you won't be spending any money in Madden 22 yourself, 10% is nothing to bat an eye at.
Players you can grab for FREE!
We've done the work of checking out some of the free packs in MUT 22 and found some incredible players inside.
We'll be listing the packs we found them in, followed by the player and grade:
Campaign Player Fantasy Pack - All NAT (Not Available to Trade)
- Dalvin Cook - 75 OVR
- Lamar Jackson - 75 OVR
- Stefon Diggs - 75 OVR
- Travis Kelce - 75 OVR
Remember, in the Madden 22 fantasy packs you only get a certain amount of cards to choose from. This particular pack only allowed (1) pick.
Gridiron Club Reward: Gold Team Fantasy Pack
- Xavier Woods - 76 OVR - GOLD
In Madden Ultimate Team, the team fantasy packs are interesting because you can select a team to draft a single player from. So, you could pick your favorite team, or a team like the Kansas City Chiefs and get a 76 OVR Gold player.
Superstars Welcome Pack
- Von Miller - 80 OVR
- Russell Wilson - 80 OVR
Now we aren't sure whether these are two random players or the standard two players that come inside the pack but we're thankful nonetheless.
Either way, you're guaranteed an 80 OVR player with this free pack.
Veterans Loyalty Fantasy Pack
This pack gives you 1 Elite-grade player in Madden Ultimate Team with plenty to choose from, the most notable to us was:
- Ezekiel Elliot - 82 OVR - Elite
- A.J. Brown - 82 OVR - Elite
Like most of these special fantasy packs, you'll have to keep in mind that you'll only get one selection per pack. Make sure it counts and can build team chemistry in Madden Ultimate Team!