No Kicker until the playoffs strategy (1 Viewer)

[nickel&dime]

I'm thinking of NOT rostering a kicker until the playoffs. Please let me know what you guys think AFTER reading the background info.

Background Info:

- For this league, I'm in first place by a comfortable margin and have locked a playoff spot. I could lose the #1 seed, but it's unlikely.

- There are no awards or payouts for "most points" so it's all about win/loss records.

- I have suffered a rash of injuries - Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Marshall, Mike Williams (SEA), Malcom Floyd, Ryan Mathews and Torain.

- Our kicker settings are fairly conservative, so they usually average about 4 or 5 points per week.

So, basically, I've got an emergency room full of wounded players that I don't want to drop (OK, Torain is getting close...and Mathews is not too far behind). There are also some longshot/high-upside players I'd love to roster but have zero room for (James Starks, James Davis, etc.).

I'm thinking, why not just free up a space by not having a kicker? Sure, I'll lose a few points each week, but my downside right now is just losing the #1 seed for the playoffs. And, I think I just need to win one week out of the next 3 to lock it down. Maybe people get healthy or cloudy situations clear up within a week and I can go back to having a kicker before the playoffs.

Am I missing something obviously bad with this strategy? I gotta make a call on it before kickoff on Thursday.

Thanks for your help.

 

[glong989]

Nothing really to this question.

Your goal before the playoffs is to make them and to have the strongest starting lineup possible. #1 seed is desirable, but in no way does it guarantee you win in the playoffs.

I also don't really see the huge advantage it gives you to keep that extra spot for a Torain or Mathews. Torain has been fine some weeks, but even a 100% healthy Mathews isn't worth having in the playoffs. Are you really going to put them in a starting role during the playoffs when you obviously have some studs if you are in 1st comfortably?

The only thing I see as an advantage when managing your roster for the playoffs is grabbing defenses that have great matchups in the playoff weeks. Your going to start your studs regardless and having that extra Torain or Mathews isn't going to put you over the hump.

 

[nickel&dime]

Nothing really to this question.Your goal before the playoffs is to make them and to have the strongest starting lineup possible. #1 seed is desirable, but in no way does it guarantee you win in the playoffs. I also don't really see the huge advantage it gives you to keep that extra spot for a Torain or Mathews. Torain has been fine some weeks, but even a 100% healthy Mathews isn't worth having in the playoffs. Are you really going to put them in a starting role during the playoffs when you obviously have some studs if you are in 1st comfortably?The only thing I see as an advantage when managing your roster for the playoffs is grabbing defenses that have great matchups in the playoff weeks. Your going to start your studs regardless and having that extra Torain or Mathews isn't going to put you over the hump.

Thanks for the advice...very helpful. The only thing I would note though, regarding bench RBs, is that I won't start them in the playoffs IF I don't get injuries to my current starting RBs. This past week wrecked havoc on my WR core, so I'm feeling like a dark cloud is hovering over me.

 

[glong989]

Alright then.

The answer is no, it's not a dumb strategy. Like you said, nothing to lose except possibly the first seed, and if you really want to have that extra security against injuries then forfeiting the measly 4-5 points per game is worth it.

 

[Perfect Tommy]

I would play a PK every week even if you don't need it. Your opponents are still playing for their playoff spots and it is only sporting to make them defeat a full lineup. I would be upset if somebody tanked their game by not starting a PK when I needed that team to win for me to make the playoffs. Just pick up the kicker you want for the playoffs and play him.

 

[puckalicious]

It's pretty safe to drop Nicks and Torain, assuming this is redraft. Plenty of roster space.

 

[Billy Costigan Jr]

I would play a PK every week even if you don't need it. Your opponents are still playing for their playoff spots and it is only sporting to make them defeat a full lineup. I would be upset if somebody tanked their game by not starting a PK when I needed that team to win for me to make the playoffs. Just pick up the kicker you want for the playoffs and play him.

He's not tanking for a loss...He's got a strong team and thinks he can still compete without a kicker until the playoffs.Essentially he thinks he can afford to lose the PK points, still possibly win, and shore up his roster for the playoffs without having to drop anyone but a PK.FWIW, if I was playing this guy in the first round of the playoffs I would try to pick up as many of the top kickers as I could...LOL

 

[Perfect Tommy]

I would play a PK every week even if you don't need it. Your opponents are still playing for their playoff spots and it is only sporting to make them defeat a full lineup. I would be upset if somebody tanked their game by not starting a PK when I needed that team to win for me to make the playoffs. Just pick up the kicker you want for the playoffs and play him.

He's not tanking for a loss...He's got a strong team and thinks he can still compete without a kicker until the playoffs.Essentially he thinks he can afford to lose the PK points, still possibly win, and shore up his roster for the playoffs without having to drop anyone but a PK.FWIW, if I was playing this guy in the first round of the playoffs I would try to pick up as many of the top kickers as I could...LOL

By my reckoning, that is tanking.

 

[Dark Matter]

Have you checked your league rules to see if it says anything about starting a full lineup? In the leagues I play in, you get fined if you don't start all your position players. It makes for more transactions and it deters from tanking. Kickers get minus points for missed FG and XP so there's always a chance the Kicker can take you backwards but that's just the breaks.

 

[Flash]

it would be an illegal lineup in my league and you would get zero points for every week you dont start a legal lineup.

 

[dagwood]

I'm thinking of NOT rostering a kicker until the playoffs. Please let me know what you guys think AFTER reading the background info.Background Info:- For this league, I'm in first place by a comfortable margin and have locked a playoff spot. I could lose the #1 seed, but it's unlikely.- There are no awards or payouts for "most points" so it's all about win/loss records.- I have suffered a rash of injuries - Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Marshall, Mike Williams (SEA), Malcom Floyd, Ryan Mathews and Torain.- Our kicker settings are fairly conservative, so they usually average about 4 or 5 points per week.So, basically, I've got an emergency room full of wounded players that I don't want to drop (OK, Torain is getting close...and Mathews is not too far behind). There are also some longshot/high-upside players I'd love to roster but have zero room for (James Starks, James Davis, etc.).I'm thinking, why not just free up a space by not having a kicker? Sure, I'll lose a few points each week, but my downside right now is just losing the #1 seed for the playoffs. And, I think I just need to win one week out of the next 3 to lock it down. Maybe people get healthy or cloudy situations clear up within a week and I can go back to having a kicker before the playoffs.Am I missing something obviously bad with this strategy? I gotta make a call on it before kickoff on Thursday.Thanks for your help.

Any Kicker is way better than James StarksIf this is a redraft league, this is a terrible idea

 

[tkrull]

Any first round byes involved with playoff seeding?

 

[DoubleG]

it would be an illegal lineup in my league and you would get zero points for every week you dont start a legal lineup.

Same in mine.

 

[DepthCharts]

it would be an illegal lineup in my league and you would get zero points for every week you dont start a legal lineup.

The OP "thinking" needs to be commended, brilliant management to say the least. Next year your rules should reflect like Flashs' league however

 

[dagwood]

it would be an illegal lineup in my league and you would get zero points for every week you dont start a legal lineup.

The OP "thinking" needs to be commended, brilliant management to say the least. Next year your rules should reflect like Flashs' league however

You commend people for strange things. But to each his own.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I'm thinking of NOT rostering a kicker until the playoffs. Please let me know what you guys think AFTER reading the background info.Background Info:- For this league, I'm in first place by a comfortable margin and have locked a playoff spot. I could lose the #1 seed, but it's unlikely.- There are no awards or payouts for "most points" so it's all about win/loss records.- I have suffered a rash of injuries - Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Marshall, Mike Williams (SEA), Malcom Floyd, Ryan Mathews and Torain.- Our kicker settings are fairly conservative, so they usually average about 4 or 5 points per week.So, basically, I've got an emergency room full of wounded players that I don't want to drop (OK, Torain is getting close...and Mathews is not too far behind). There are also some longshot/high-upside players I'd love to roster but have zero room for (James Starks, James Davis, etc.).I'm thinking, why not just free up a space by not having a kicker? Sure, I'll lose a few points each week, but my downside right now is just losing the #1 seed for the playoffs. And, I think I just need to win one week out of the next 3 to lock it down. Maybe people get healthy or cloudy situations clear up within a week and I can go back to having a kicker before the playoffs.Am I missing something obviously bad with this strategy? I gotta make a call on it before kickoff on Thursday.Thanks for your help.

Does this mean you would take a zero and a forfeit for an incomplete lineup? If not, why would anyone ever start a kicker if they could start a RB/WR instead?This seems well intentioned, but I agree with other comments you owe it to your leaguemates to fill out a squad.I also don't see the necessariness of this. I've dropped Floyd myself. Marshall is suffering with the loss of his QB's, BMW will come back when? Your WW might do you more good for the playoff run than holding your cards.Also, couldn't you be shooting for a playoff bye? If you can shoot for that you can sit some of your injured players for a week and not face a loss in the 1st playoff bracket.

 

[Londo]

Even if your league doesn't have an anti-tanking policy in place I don't like this idea. You are throwing off the competitive balance of your league by not fielding your best team each week. If I were a bubble team and you gave one of the other bubble teams a free win because you didn't field a full lineup, I would be pissed to say the least. Certainly, if depth for a playoff run is your major concern, there must be someone rotting on the end of your bench that you could cut instead of a starting position. That would be much better than tanking a spot every week in my opinion.

 

[by_the_sea_wannabe]

Your job is to win the super bowl. If you think stashing these guys and forfeiting a kicker for a couple weeks is the best thing for that do it. Don't listen to these guys. It isn't your job to help someone else make the playoffs.

 

[Eminence]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Your job is to win the super bowl. If you think stashing these guys and forfeiting a kicker for a couple weeks is the best thing for that do it. Don't listen to these guys. It isn't your job to help someone else make the playoffs.

I agree with this.I also wouldn't want to drop Mathews, given his playoff schedule. If he comes back 100% he could be a fantasy starter. Or maybe not, but the chance is worth more than a kicker.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

What if he starts a defense with a tough matchup this week instead of picking up a defense with a better matchup, because he likes his current defense's playoff schedule (and therefore doesn't want to drop it)?The object isn't just to maximize points in week 12 with no consideration for future weeks. Sacrificing points this week in order to score more during the playoffs seems perfectly kosher to me.

 

[Eminence]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

What if he starts a defense with a tough matchup this week instead of picking up a defense with a better matchup, because he likes his current defense's playoff schedule (and therefore doesn't want to drop it)?The object isn't just to maximize points in week 12 with no consideration for future weeks. Sacrificing points this week in order to score more during the playoffs seems perfectly kosher to me.

I'm not saying there's anything objectively wrong with it. I'm just saying someone else may be peeved by his unorthodoxed antics; especially if his game determines a "tight race" to a last playoff spot.

 

[Billy Costigan Jr]

it would be an illegal lineup in my league and you would get zero points for every week you dont start a legal lineup.

The OP "thinking" needs to be commended, brilliant management to say the least. Next year your rules should reflect like Flashs' league however

I like the OP's thought process too...but I should say that in my league, you can't even drop the kicker, as you have to roster at least one of every position.(Not starting him would yield an invalid lineup as well.)

 

[by_the_sea_wannabe]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

What if he starts a defense with a tough matchup this week instead of picking up a defense with a better matchup, because he likes his current defense's playoff schedule (and therefore doesn't want to drop it)?The object isn't just to maximize points in week 12 with no consideration for future weeks. Sacrificing points this week in order to score more during the playoffs seems perfectly kosher to me.

I'm not saying there's anything objectively wrong with it. I'm just saying someone else may be peeved by his unorthodoxed antics; especially if his game determines a "tight race" to a last playoff spot.

If someone gets pissed because you do what is best for your roster. Simply tell them to sack up.

 

[two_dollars]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

What if he starts a defense with a tough matchup this week instead of picking up a defense with a better matchup, because he likes his current defense's playoff schedule (and therefore doesn't want to drop it)?The object isn't just to maximize points in week 12 with no consideration for future weeks. Sacrificing points this week in order to score more during the playoffs seems perfectly kosher to me.

I'm not saying there's anything objectively wrong with it. I'm just saying someone else may be peeved by his unorthodoxed antics; especially if his game determines a "tight race" to a last playoff spot.

If someone gets pissed because you do what is best for your roster. Simply tell them to sack up.

MT's too

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

What if he starts a defense with a tough matchup this week instead of picking up a defense with a better matchup, because he likes his current defense's playoff schedule (and therefore doesn't want to drop it)?The object isn't just to maximize points in week 12 with no consideration for future weeks. Sacrificing points this week in order to score more during the playoffs seems perfectly kosher to me.

Agreed - same as the Colts resting players in previous seasons in Week 17. Not their problem that other teams need Indy to beat the Jets....

 

[Londo]

It's a calculated risk; go for it. It's less about you and more about the league though. If you not starting a kicker affects someone else making the playoffs; I could definitely see someone else being pissed.

What if he starts a defense with a tough matchup this week instead of picking up a defense with a better matchup, because he likes his current defense's playoff schedule (and therefore doesn't want to drop it)?The object isn't just to maximize points in week 12 with no consideration for future weeks. Sacrificing points this week in order to score more during the playoffs seems perfectly kosher to me.

Agreed - same as the Colts resting players in previous seasons in Week 17. Not their problem that other teams need Indy to beat the Jets....

Starting a DST with a tough matchup is quite a bit different than not starting one at all. Also, the Colts analogy seems a bit off. Sure the Colts rested their best players that week, but they still had 11 men on the field for every play. Believe me, I get wanting to give yourself every advantage possible, and if this is within his league's rules it is obviously within his discretion to do it. It just seems like a bush league move to me. There is a reason a lot of league's have a rule against it.

 

[nickel&dime]

Hey guys, I really appreciate you all taking the time to provide your perspective and advice. I decided not to do it. Not because I think it's bad sportsmanship, but because I stopped drinking the spiked punch on a guy I wanted to stash (Starks).

For my league rules, I think it's a legit strategy and would defend it to someone that complained about my moves impacting their playoff hopes. I don't see how this is that much different than grabbing guys with good playoff schedules but bad pre-playoff schedules. You're not optimizing your team for the short term in that case...which is basically the same strategy that I would be deploying.

That said, I do think it's a bit of a "loophole" and I like the idea of having a league setting that penalizes teams for not starting a full lineup. Last year we had a "Pay Per Loss" system that effectively would have policed this, but we got rid of it for some reason this year.

Anyway, thanks for your help!

 

[Islander]

Tanking is when you make decisions in a certain way because you would rather lose than win. Going kickerless to stash boom/bust players for the playoffs is not tanking. The OP prefers to win, but he has playoffs in mind. Same thing when NFL teams rest their starters in week 17. They are still trying to win in week 17 so it's not tanking.