Best Playbooks in Madden 24 for Offense, Defense, Running, and Passing

Each year brings plenty of changes as the best playbooks in Madden 24 have already begun to emerge. If you're a veteran player, some things will feel familiar as top plays and formations from previous years continue to hold among this year's highlights.

With some playbooks getting significant changes and completely new alternate options arriving, there are plenty of factors at play when deciding which playbook is going to be the best fit for the way you play Madden 24. Here, we'll break down all the best offensive and defensive playbooks in Madden 24 so you can set your team up for success.

Best Playbooks in Madden 24 for Offense and Defense

While it can be understandably tempting to dive right into the action in Madden 24, taking some time to plan ahead and familiarize yourself with that plan can make a huge difference. Ultimately, some of this decision will come down to preference.

The way you execute plays, the particular players on your lineup, and your overall play style will likely affect which of the Madden 24 playbooks is best for you. However, with competetive play always at the forefront for top players, some stand out as far more powerful than others each year with key plays locked into specific playbooks.

Best Offensive Playbook in Madden 24

Whether you think he's going to be an asset to the team this year or not, Aaron Rodgers has already made an impact when it comes to Madden 24 playbooks. There are some other strong options we'll discuss in a moment, but the clear frontrunner for best offensive playbook in Madden 24 is the New York Jets playbook.

Revamped thanks to the presence of Aaron Rodgers on their team in 2023, it boasts powerful offensive formations like Gun Bunch, Gun Trips TE Offset, , Gun Double HB Wk, Gun Bunch Str Offset, and a returning favorite from recent years with Bunch TE featuring PA Boot Over. These changes and strong plays across the board make the New York Jets the best playbook in Madden 24 so far.

Best Passing Playbook in Madden 24

While the New York Jets playbook could arguably hold this position, let's take a look at two other strong passing options available to players that have their own benefits. First up, there's another reliable favorite in the Buffalo Bills offensive playbook largely influenced by the presence of Josh Allen and a large variety of powerful Gun formations. 

One dark horse that could rise up in popularity for players looking to bring a unique feel this year is the alternate Air Raid offensive playbook, which is completely new in Madden 24. The new Gun Cluster formation is exclusive to the Air Raid playbook and features powerful passing plays like Z Spot.

Best Running Playbook in Madden 24

If you're looking to focus a bit more on the running game in Madden 24, there are a few playbooks which can serve as great alternatives to the top passing options. You'll still see plenty of success if you run first and run often using the play action options in the previously mentioned playbooks, but one dark horse could be the San Francisco 49ers playbook.

While it's got some of the same strong options in Singleback, I Form, Pistol, and Shotgun, the extra spicy option here is Gun Slot WR Backfield. This unique formation will line up one of your top receivers as a pure running back, which can majorly confuse opposing defenses and allow you to keep the ball on the ground without being too repetetive with play or player choice.

Best Defensive Playbook in Madden 24

Finally, let's take a look at the best defensive playbooks in Madden 24. Much like the offensive side of the ball, some familiar favorites remain high on the list this year. Alternate 46, labelled in-game simply as 46, is back on top as one of the best defensive playbooks in Madden 24.

Alternate 46 isn't going to sound new to veteran players, and it features 46 formations along with some 3-4, 4-4, Nickel, and Big Nickel play options. You'll get most of the same options in the Multiple D alternate playbook, but Big Nickel is the notable piece you'll need Alternate 46 to use.

If you'd rather stick to one of the team playbooks, a great balanced hybrid option is the Kansas City Chiefs defensive playbook. It's got solid options in 4-3, 3-4, Dime, Dollar, Nickel, and Big Nickel formations and a variety of different cover formations across the playbook.

As we've mentioned before, some of this will come down to preference. Spend some time trying out all the best playbooks in Madden 24 and testing key plays on higher difficulties in Team Practice before committing to one and taking it to the field in Franchise Mode or elsewhere in this year's game.