Not Drafting Kickers or DSTs in a dynasty startup (1 Viewer)

[Donsmith753]

I'm in the middle of a 16 team dynasty startup (first startup I've been involved in). 25 rounds so over 400 picks. Just wondering if it's a legitimate strategy to not bother drafting a Kicker/Kickers or a Defence at all. Instead I would use the later rounds to draft sleepers and longshots and see how things go in training camp.

These two positions are of such little value and the players interchangable that they'd be very easy to pick up from the WW or to acquire in trades. Our league has a max of 2 K's and 2 D's on each roster so it's not like I could end up without any.

Just wondering if this seems like a stupid idea or if there is some sense in it.

 

[Avery]

Depends on league rules with mandated roster requirements and the cost of waiver wire moves.

Sure take a shot at flyers but if it costs $5 per waiver wire, for example, it'll cost you $10 to field a full roster week one. Not sure an end of the benh guy you have to cut anyone is worth that.

 

[Donsmith753]

Depends on league rules with mandated roster requirements and the cost of waiver wire moves.Sure take a shot at flyers but if it costs $5 per waiver wire, for example, it'll cost you $10 to field a full roster week one. Not sure an end of the benh guy you have to cut anyone is worth that.

We're using blind bidding waiver wire rules with no penalties for cutting players. I might see how things play out but I really have no idea where a D or kickers should go in a startup. IMO they can change so drastically from year to year that they really have very little value.Think I'll just see how the draft plays out. Who knows what'll be left between 300&400.Thanks for the advice.We start 1qb 2rb 3wr 1te 1flex 1d 1pk. 25man rosters but no minimum on positions. Maximums set on PK and D's but no other positions. Guess I'm just hopeful that if one guy hits it's been worth it.

 

[Chargers86]

Sure, it could be a good strategy. Most leagues require you to start a complete lineup, meaning you're going to have to cut 2 people week 1 before your "sleepers" have a chance to wake up...

 

[FUBAR]

I'm in the middle of a 16 team dynasty startup (first startup I've been involved in). 25 rounds so over 400 picks. Just wondering if it's a legitimate strategy to not bother drafting a Kicker/Kickers or a Defence at all. Instead I would use the later rounds to draft sleepers and longshots and see how things go in training camp.

These two positions are of such little value and the players interchangable that they'd be very easy to pick up from the WW or to acquire in trades. Our league has a max of 2 K's and 2 D's on each roster so it's not like I could end up without any.

Just wondering if this seems like a stupid idea or if there is some sense in it.

In your system I think it makes some sense. In my leagues without maximums, you should take a D at least.One thing I like about drafting good defenses is you never have to worry about injuries, just bye weeks.

 

[Warhogs]

My personal preference would be to draft a kicker and a defense. Many people put very little value in these positions but I think if you plugged the numbers into your scoring system for the last 5 or 6 years for those positions you would find there are a handful of teams that rank in the top 10 in defensive scoring the majority of the time. You might see the same thing at kicker.

I try to grab a kicker and a defense when there are still a few I like but the group is thinning out a bit so I don't get caught up in having to add and drop players all year in those spots. I would probably only draft one at each position though.

I see too many teams that fall in love with all these sleepers and maybe have a good team but struggle each year because they refuse to put any value on kicker and defense.

I'm not sure of your scoring system to know how valuable those positions are and I'm not sure if you feel you will be competitive in year 1 but I would not want to give away too many points at those spots.

 

[Donsmith753]

I'm in the middle of a 16 team dynasty startup (first startup I've been involved in). 25 rounds so over 400 picks. Just wondering if it's a legitimate strategy to not bother drafting a Kicker/Kickers or a Defence at all. Instead I would use the later rounds to draft sleepers and longshots and see how things go in training camp.

These two positions are of such little value and the players interchangable that they'd be very easy to pick up from the WW or to acquire in trades. Our league has a max of 2 K's and 2 D's on each roster so it's not like I could end up without any.

Just wondering if this seems like a stupid idea or if there is some sense in it.

In your system I think it makes some sense. In my leagues without maximums, you should take a D at least.One thing I like about drafting good defenses is you never have to worry about injuries, just bye weeks.

That's what's swaying me. I just think that unless you're getting the Ravens or Steelers who have had a great D for years these things can change too quickly to be worth a pick of any value.

 

[brownhelmets]

I would rather sit on a prospect until closer to the season then carry a kicker. If waivers are right up to week 1, this isn't a bad strategy.

 

[Donsmith753]

My personal preference would be to draft a kicker and a defense. Many people put very little value in these positions but I think if you plugged the numbers into your scoring system for the last 5 or 6 years for those positions you would find there are a handful of teams that rank in the top 10 in defensive scoring the majority of the time. You might see the same thing at kicker.

I try to grab a kicker and a defense when there are still a few I like but the group is thinning out a bit so I don't get caught up in having to add and drop players all year in those spots. I would probably only draft one at each position though.

I see too many teams that fall in love with all these sleepers and maybe have a good team but struggle each year because they refuse to put any value on kicker and defense.

I'm not sure of your scoring system to know how valuable those positions are and I'm not sure if you feel you will be competitive in year 1 but I would not want to give away too many points at those spots.

Think I'll go back and do this, see how it turns out. May need to reconsider this.Don't think I'll be competitive this year, was looking more for returns next year, first five rounds I've got Rodgers, Matthews, Wells, Nicks, Dez. Definately a team built for the future.

 

[TommyGilmore]

I wouldn't worry too much about drafting a kicker (since there's a good chance that some of the 32 starting kickers will be waived prior to week 1 of 2010). But it would seem unwise to avoid a defense, since it's likely that at least 26-28 DSTs will be drafted. So you'll be left with perennial losers like the Rams or Chiefs.

Put in other words: there's a pretty good chance that there will be 7 or 8 viable kickers available in Week 2. But the same can't be said about DSTs.

 

[jwb]

I dunno - WW gets pretty thin in 16 team leagues. I would draft at least one decent D.

 

[Hoot&HoLLer]

I drafted one each in last 2 rounds of our startup 12 team 25 roster league. Got Jeff Reed and Chargers. I thought about bypassing them with hopes i could roster 2 other position players....then got nervous i wouldn't be able to swing a good trade to get these needs addressed with anything remotely decent. Now have bye week issues if i should end up liking either of these two.

 

[Instinctive]

In redraft, I consider tking one of them in the lats round, but usually go right up til week 1 with neither a K nor a defense.

If you're REALLY building for the future in dynasty, you may want to consider just not having one all year, or not changing for byes. You let your receivers develop and land a top RB next season and then win it all.

Or take a defense that looks "up and coming" with young guys that will be good in a division with an old QB somewhere. For instance, Detroit. Favre will be gone and someone inexperienced will take over. Cutler throws a ton of picks. Rodgers...not so much but 2/3 ain't bad. Add in that they have up and coming playmakers, and it's a nice pick.

Another one could be ARZ or SFO. Both will get to play new QBs in SEA and STL for a couple years, and SFO gets to play a cruddy QB in ARZ for a couple years. Which will be nice.

 

[34=Sweetness]

at 16 teams, you better draft a defense. You do not want to be fighting every week and blowing waiver priorities just to get your defense of the week with someone who's defense is on a bye. People may also draft 2 defenses, and at that point, and if you don't take any, enjoy the Lions or Chiefs defense. Kicker is more volatile but you can get a lot of easy points from having a good kicker. Don't overlook.

 

[Instinctive]

at 16 teams, you better draft a defense. You do not want to be fighting every week and blowing waiver priorities just to get your defense of the week with someone who's defense is on a bye. People may also draft 2 defenses, and at that point, and if you don't take any, enjoy the Lions or Chiefs defense. Kicker is more volatile but you can get a lot of easy points from having a good kicker. Don't overlook.

I think both of those defenses are great choices for a dynasty.

 

[Donsmith753]

In redraft, I consider tking one of them in the lats round, but usually go right up til week 1 with neither a K nor a defense.If you're REALLY building for the future in dynasty, you may want to consider just not having one all year, or not changing for byes. You let your receivers develop and land a top RB next season and then win it all.Or take a defense that looks "up and coming" with young guys that will be good in a division with an old QB somewhere. For instance, Detroit. Favre will be gone and someone inexperienced will take over. Cutler throws a ton of picks. Rodgers...not so much but 2/3 ain't bad. Add in that they have up and coming playmakers, and it's a nice pick.Another one could be ARZ or SFO. Both will get to play new QBs in SEA and STL for a couple years, and SFO gets to play a cruddy QB in ARZ for a couple years. Which will be nice.

I'm liking this idea a lot.

 

[34=Sweetness]

at 16 teams, you better draft a defense. You do not want to be fighting every week and blowing waiver priorities just to get your defense of the week with someone who's defense is on a bye. People may also draft 2 defenses, and at that point, and if you don't take any, enjoy the Lions or Chiefs defense. Kicker is more volatile but you can get a lot of easy points from having a good kicker. Don't overlook.

I think both of those defenses are great choices for a dynasty.

Whenever I go into a dynasty, I have to weigh the chance that this league will not last nearly as long as I think it will, so I should just win now. I think the Chiefs or Lions could be years from being a competent defense. Lions are closer, but defenses are kind of a toss-up once you get past the top 8 or so. Don't overpay obviously, but you should nab a solid defense. Avoid teams like the Vikings, Jets, and Ravens, who will go far too high.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

Doesn't make sense to me.

Those fliers you pick instead of a kicker or Defense will not pan out by the kickoff of Week 1 anyways, so you will end up having to pick up some bottom 5 defenses and a bottom 15 kicker off the waiver wire and not have gained anything.

If you pick a player instead of a defense or kicker, they will end up being like the 70th ranked RB or WR, and what knowledge will be gained about guys like Kevin Ogletree, Justin Gage, Lance Moore, Lynell Hamilton before week 1 that would really affect much at all?

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Doesn't make sense to me.Those fliers you pick instead of a kicker or Defense will not pan out by the kickoff of Week 1 anyways, so you will end up having to pick up some bottom 5 defenses and a bottom 15 kicker off the waiver wire and not have gained anything.If you pick a player instead of a defense or kicker, they will end up being like the 70th ranked RB or WR, and what knowledge will be gained about guys like Kevin Ogletree, Justin Gage, Lance Moore, Lynell Hamilton before week 1 that would really affect much at all?

While a kicker is really pretty worthless, picking 2 good defenses later is a good thing. I don't ever try to be the one to choose the #1 defense. They are usually overrated anyway. Just like to choose teams that I think will contend for a playoff spot, and have sound defense, ignoring past years FF points and ignoring SOS, and other criteria. Usually the surprise defenses tend to just fall into your lap with a late round choice. But kickers are either taken with last pick or not at all.