What is GAD in Madden 26?

(Image credit: EA)

What is GAD in Madden 26? It’s the question every new player of the official NFL sim is asking, and we’re here to provide the answer. ‘GAD’ is short for ‘gadget’ in Madden 26, and is a new depth chart designation introduced for this year’s entry in the series. Which leads naturally to a follow-up question: what exactly is a Madden 26 gadget player? More on that below, in your Madden 26 GAD guide.

How GAD works in Madden 26

Deebo Samuel's Madden 26 GAD attributes — (Image credit: EA)

As mentioned above, GAD is short for ‘Gadget player’, and you can assign up to three on your roster in both exhibition and franchise mode. Those designated to the GAD position on the depth chart will play there in addition to their standard roles. Madden 26 playbooks feature uniques sets and plays for gadget players, so it’s worth experimenting – particularly with WRs and RBs to see which fits your team best.

The best Madden 26 GAD players

The Jaguars' GAD depth chart in Madden 26 — (Image credit: EA)

Some fans have erroneously used Travis Hunter as an example a Madden 26 GAD player. In fact, the Jaguars’ first round pick has unique stats at both WR and CB – but team-mate Travis Etienne Jr is superior in the game’s GAD role. A better example at a GAD is Commanders’ receiver Deebo Samuel. Stats of 91 Speed, 80 Strength, 94 Ball Carrier Vision and 86 Catching make the former Niners standout tough to defend all over the field. The game’s best gadget player is Saints tight end Taysom Hill, as befits a strong ball carrier who has experience at QB and HB.

Other new Madden 26 depth chart positions

New Madden 26 defensive positions such as MIKE and REDG — (Image credit: EA)

As well as GAD, there are other new depth chart positions to familiarise yourself with – as demonstrated by the Madden 26 X-Factors list. Traditional defensive ends (RE and LE) are gone, and replaced by the more modern REDG and LEDG designations. Linebackers have been reinvented too. For over 30 years we had MLB, ROLB, and LOLB, but instead we now have SAM, MIKE, and WIL. Long snappers are finally included too, under the LS tag. Having a poorly rated one can lead to slow or bad snaps on field goal attempts.

Madden 26 GAD drawbacks and limitations

Taysom Hill's many traits in Madden 26 — (Image credit: EA)

The major thing to keep an eye on when making use of your gadget player is fatigue – particularly with the inclusion of Hunter changing depth charts across the game. “We’ve removed certain restrictions on depth charts so that you can have Hunter starting at both WR and CB if you choose (along with any other WR or CB),” explains developer EA Orlando. “Get creative with your personnel and use WRs and CBs as you’d like, but be ready for Wear & Tear to make it a lot harder for them to be successful if they’re playing every snap of the game.” For more tips, head to our Madden 26 best teams and Madden 26 sliders guides.