I neglected Apex Arena for a long time because I was intimidated by playing high-level PvP against the best elite players. But you shouldn't let your under-developed PvE heroes or lack of experience deter you from jumping in and getting weekly rewards. There are a lot of players in your shoes, and you can have success without a bullet-proof meta box.
I show an example of my beginner-level play and how I was able to win a match by using Mercenaries, PvE characters, and pairing up against another player around my level. I didn't have the best heroes, and I made plenty of mistakes, but you don't have to be perfect to start earning from Apex.