Playbooks

Fade HB Wheel

Shotgun·Doubles·11

Fade Wheel Pass Play

Play diagram for Fade HB Wheel from Shotgun Doubles in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetDoubles

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

Elites OffenseOffense West Coast OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Fade HB Wheel out of Shotgun Doubles is a man beater built around a two level stretch on the right side. The outside receiver runs a fade to isolate his corner deep, while the HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route that climbs the sideline behind him, creating a natural pick or leverage conflict for any defender trying to cover both. On the backside, the slot receiver runs a deep in and the far outside receiver runs a comeback/curl to occupy underneath zone defenders. The primary read progression starts with the HB wheel against man coverage or a blown assignment, then works to the fade for a one on one shot, and finally comes back to the deep in as the checkdown against zone drops.

Defensive Reads

Man coverage on the outside receiver combined with a linebacker or slower defender assigned to the HB is the ideal matchup for this concept, since the wheel route will win the foot race up the sideline. Cover 3 and Cover 1 shells are the most vulnerable to this play because the flat defender or the man defender on the HB rarely has the speed to stay on top of the wheel. Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties give the defense help over the top on both the fade and wheel, so the deep in from the backside becomes the more reliable option in those coverages. Watch for a user controlled safety rotating over late to double the wheel route, which is the most common defensive answer to this concept in competitive play. Zone blitzes that bring extra rushers off the edge can disrupt the timing of the wheel route, so be ready to check to a quicker breaking route if the protection shows a hot blitz look pre-snap.

Usage Tips

Look for man coverage indicators before the snap such as corners aligned tight on the outside receivers and a linebacker shaded over the HB, since that alignment is what makes the wheel route so dangerous.

If the defense shows single high safety look, prioritize the fade route immediately since the corner will likely be isolated with no safety help over the top on that side.

Use motion or a quick glance at the flat defender to confirm whether he is sitting on the wheel route, if he bites on the HB's initial release he will get beat over the top.

Pair this play with Curl Flats or 45 Quick Base earlier in a series to condition linebackers to jump underneath routes, then hit the wheel for a big play once they start cheating up.

This play works best on second and long or first down situations where defenses are more likely to play zone match concepts that create confusion on who has the HB out of the backfield.