Do you use any "strategy" in who you start at kicker? (1 Viewer)

[StopTradingMeTebow]

We all know that kickers should never be taken except in the last round - and you love it when they start going in round 9+...

While they are the biggest afterthought on any fantasy team, you're starting a kicker no matter what so you must put some thought into it, however small.

Yet I really don't recall reading an article in recent memory (i.e. 5+ years) as to any strategy involved.

So besides:

- Coin flip

- Like the way his last name sounds

- Wears them stretchy pants nicely

Do you have _any_ logic as to who you plug in?

I went with Bullock in all my $$$ teams and after two games, I need to make a switch. While the Texans might still have faith in him, and I know 3 of his misses are 50+, he's missed a couple he NEEDS to make. I don't care how much of a rocket leg he has, his accuracy (or confidence) is #### right now.

My logic all along has simply been to:

1) Either start the kicker with the greatest leg I can find IF my league does not penalize for misses but rewards for distance

2) Start the best available kicker on the highest scoring team

Edit: I should add that I used to try and find a kicker/team that has a good offense but died in the red zone a lot - but that proved to be pure hokey pokey so I stuck with #1 or #2.

Yet when I check rankings week in and week out, you have guys this week like Hauschka. Owned in ~35% of leagues yet many sites have him in top 2 or 3. Hartley on a high scoring team (in theory) is owned in around the same number.

So what do you use besides a dart to determine which kicker you grab in the last round or if you stream them, what is your criteria?

 

[Short Corner]

Good offense.

Indoors

In Denver

eta----late bye week

 

[FUBAR]

Good offense.

Indoors

In Denver

eta----late bye week

/thread

Honestly, the rest depends on scoring. Extra points for long kicks, you want a strong kicker. Every field goal worth 3, emphasis goes to the offense. Negative points for missing, get the most accurate guy you can.

Or just draft the leg.

 

[joffer]

I'd love to find a no kicker league, cause I'm the absolute worst at picking a kicker. FYI, I'm dumping Bullock this week, so go pick him up, he's about to go off.

 

[rickyg]

Good offense that tends to sputter in the red zone.

Big leg

Plays in a dome.

 

[Donsmith753]

we've gone no kicker in my new leagues. In existing ones i just try for a middle third offense.

Too good and you miss out on FG's.

Too bad and you're jacksonville.

 

[just_want_2_win]

I look for kickers on teams that historically kick lots of field goals, for example, the Giants. See this useful page for current and historical FG kicking by team data: http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/field-goals-made-per-game

In leagues with bonuses for distance, I look for Ks with a strong leg. Those with penalties for missing behoove you to find an accurate guy.

As everyone said already, good weather/dome kicker and those on teams that stall in the RZ but can get there regularly are preferable.

 

[rascal]

I look for kickers on teams that historically kick lots of field goals, for example, the Giants. See this useful page for current and historical FG kicking by team data: http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/field-goals-made-per-game

In leagues with bonuses for distance, I look for Ks with a strong leg. Those with penalties for missing behoove you to find an accurate guy.

As everyone said already, good weather/dome kicker and those on teams that stall in the RZ but can get there regularly are preferable.

That's an awesome link.

 

[AcerFC]

I look for a guy who has a late bye so I dont have to worry about the position til week 12 or 13

This year was Haschuka

 

[ebsteelers]

I look for a guy who has a late bye so I dont have to worry about the position til week 12 or 13

This year was Haschuka

alex henrey here same idea. just really liked the offense and figure it will have times where it stalls out inside the 30

I usually like to get a guy who kicks in a dome or good weather situation also (hartley is a good option, 8 home games, + falcons gives him minimum 9 dome games.

 

[weebs]

Legatron. Strongest leg, late bye(week 11)

 

[Insein]

Legatron. Strongest leg, late bye(week 11)

Same.

 

[Ignoramus]

Good offense that tends to sputter in the red zone.

You and I have differing ideas of what constitutes a "good offense."

 

[dmac37]

I go by the "Kicker Guru Herman" and have Bullock on every team

 

[TheAristocrat]

I'd love to find a no kicker league, cause I'm the absolute worst at picking a kicker. FYI, I'm dumping Bullock this week, so go pick him up, he's about to go off.

Me too, dude. Me too.

That -4 last week was awesome. I would have been angry had I actually been in contention to win. Thankfully, I was done before Bullock starting shanking them.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

This can be done, and it is worth it. A kicker can be a big difference maker.

You can look at:

1 - FG attempts per game, especially in the last 3-5 games.

http://www.fftoday.com/stats/fantasystats.php?Season=2013&GameWeek=Season&PosID=80&Side=Scored&LeagueID=1

2 - Opponent FG made allowed per game. This relates to only a game by game basis.

http://www.fftoday.com/stats/fantasystats.php?Season=2013&GameWeek=Season&PosID=80&Side=Allowed

What you want is where 1 meets 2. For this week I would think about Hauschka, Josh Brown, Sturgis.

I don't know why Seattle never does better, good defense, great run game, dominating at home. But they are never that good of a K play. I did pick up Hauschka for this week though, dropped Bullock. The Jags matchup should just produce a lot of opportunities. Last week Janikowski had 5 FGA's vs Jax.

Contrarily last year and starting this year too Carolina generally allows a lot of FG's & K points. I don't know why that is.

Season long, considering how popular a guy like Z'lein has become, someone like Sturgis can also really hit long kicks with a so-so offense, so he could be someone to watch. I avoid any kickers that have one bad week, like 2 or fewer points, you just don't want that cropping up if you can avoid it. Consistency is key. If someone puts two good (double digit) weeks together I grab them and see if they can stay with it. So far only 2 guys have done that and they're both rostered.

I know this idea is hilarious to many (how can you predict K points?), but having Bullock last week miss 3 FG's that could have been say 9 extra points, well that's pretty much the difference between starting a WR1 and a WR3, the difference between a win and a loss.

 

[Junior McSpiffy]

Strategy on which kicker I start?

I look at my roster, find the kicker I drafted, and click "Start."

 

[ebsteelers]

This can be done, and it is worth it. A kicker can be a big difference maker.

You can look at:

1 - FG attempts per game, especially in the last 3-5 games.

http://www.fftoday.com/stats/fantasystats.php?Season=2013&GameWeek=Season&PosID=80&Side=Scored&LeagueID=1

2 - Opponent FG made allowed per game. This relates to only a game by game basis.

http://www.fftoday.com/stats/fantasystats.php?Season=2013&GameWeek=Season&PosID=80&Side=Allowed

What you want is where 1 meets 2. For this week I would think about Hauschka, Josh Brown, Sturgis.

I don't know why Seattle never does better, good defense, great run game, dominating at home. But they are never that good of a K play. I did pick up Hauschka for this week though, dropped Bullock. The Jags matchup should just produce a lot of opportunities. Last week Janikowski had 5 FGA's vs Jax.

Contrarily last year and starting this year too Carolina generally allows a lot of FG's & K points. I don't know why that is.

Season long, considering how popular a guy like Z'lein has become, someone like Sturgis can also really hit long kicks with a so-so offense, so he could be someone to watch. I avoid any kickers that have one bad week, like 2 or fewer points, you just don't want that cropping up if you can avoid it. Consistency is key. If someone puts two good (double digit) weeks together I grab them and see if they can stay with it. So far only 2 guys have done that and they're both rostered.

I know this idea is hilarious to many (how can you predict K points?), but having Bullock last week miss 3 FG's that could have been say 9 extra points, well that's pretty much the difference between starting a WR1 and a WR3, the difference between a win and a loss.

kickers can get you up wards for 8+ points could be the difference between making the playoffs or watching them.

 

[Grateful Parrot]

Good offense that tends to sputter in the red zone.

Big leg

Plays in a dome.

This is the right answer. Sometimes tough to find that criteria.

 

[ShamrockPride]

Like another guy said, good offense that sputters in the redzone. You want a good, but not overpowering offense. An offense that can drive the ball downfield, yet doesn't know how to consistently put it in. A good comparison for me on my team, given I have a 16-team, 40 man dynasty, I have the kickers for Seattle & Green Bay. Hauchka, or however you spell it lol, that offense can get downfield, but with the offense being so young (talented nonetheless, but young), they haven't learned how to consistently push across the goalline. Hence why he has the past 2 seasons put up more fantasy points than Crosby, and why he is on my bench except for 1 week a year. Rodgers is just too good with wayyyyyy too many weapons. GB just knows how to score TDs, as should have been apparent after last week.

Tis my logic kicker logic lol.

 

[The Hank]

Legatron. Strongest leg, late bye(week 11)

That and he plays only 3 games outdoors (all decent weather cities as well - WEEK 7 @CAR, WEEK 13 @SF, WEEK 17 @SEA)

The rest are in DOMES

 

[BassNBrew]

Good offense.

Indoors

In Denver

eta----late bye week

While these are important, I often like to take a kicker who plays on the same team as my QB. That way when my QB has one of those days where they can't get into the end zone and hang up a bunch of FGs, it helps reduce that pain.

 

[Junior McSpiffy]

Good offense.

Indoors

In Denver

eta----late bye week

While these are important, I often like to take a kicker who plays on the same team as my QB. That way when my QB has one of those days where they can't get into the end zone and hang up a bunch of FGs, it helps reduce that pain.

Interesting idea. May have to look at that next year.

Speaking of next year... hasn't everyone already drafted a kicker this year? Or is this for FanDuel?

 

[SameSongNDance]

As BassNBrew stated, the move has always been to pair up you QB and K. I actually thought this was common knowledge. Mitigation is key when it comes to such a high variance position.

 

[BassNBrew]

Good offense.

Indoors

In Denver

eta----late bye week

While these are important, I often like to take a kicker who plays on the same team as my QB. That way when my QB has one of those days where they can't get into the end zone and hang up a bunch of FGs, it helps reduce that pain.

Interesting idea. May have to look at that next year.

Speaking of next year... hasn't everyone already drafted a kicker this year? Or is this for FanDuel?

Bullock was a consensus top pick and letting people down. The thing is Graham kicked for them last year and Bullock had no history.

 

[BassNBrew]

As BassNBrew stated, the move has always been to pair up you QB and K. I actually thought this was common knowledge. Mitigation is key when it comes to such a high variance position.

That said, league format matters a bunch. I might apply this in a fanduel 50/50 assuming the price was right but avoid it in a winner takes all scenario. Later in the year if I'm a heavy underdog in a matchup I try to avoid mitigation.

 

[Eminence]

Pick a team with a High Powered Offense. Broncos, Falcons, etc.

 

[Voodoo Rage]

With so many kickers available, if my kicker misses a key FG (cough.... FBG favorite Randy Bullock....cough....), I just drop them. I want a "clutch" guy who I know the offense will have faith in as they are moving down the field and making that decision to throw a 6 yard out on a 3rd and 15 to allow their kicker a chance at a 47 yard FG.

 

[just_want_2_win]

This goes along with the good point about late bye week kickers...look for good kickers jettisoned due to bye weeks. You can drop yours before his bye and get the other and never miss a beat.

Also, if you have an outdoor quicker with home games in bad weather areas, consider swapping out for another. You don't have to but at least evaluate the situation.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

I like the idea of QB and kicker combos. I did that a couple of years ago when Mike Vick and David Akers were scoring machines. Worked out well.

I also like the tactic of using kickers opposing QB's. For instance tonight I've got the Philly kicker Alex Henery going opposite the Vick/Desean owner. Yes, I know it's small comfort if they go off, but at least I should have a decent kicker score to mitigate my Sunday morning deficit.

 

[Braktastic]

It seems like the last few years my strategy has been to draft Gostkowski in the final round of the draft and to curse 3-4 times a season when he puts in a game like last week but to otherwise be pretty happy.

 

[Not Sleeping]

I think really as long as you get a kicker from a team that's not likely to be down by 17 points every 3rd quarter then it mostly doesn't matter. I went with Legatron this year...hope I don't see many more 21-0 deficits like we saw last week against Atlanta. I went with him thinking I could trust an improved St. Louis team this year...the jury's still out I guess.

When streaming kickers in years past, I would just use Vegas lines to determine the projected highest scoring teams and find the first available free agent kicker from that list.