Kicker bonus for distance of field goals

[Super Cubs 132]

In a attempt to make kickers relevant my new leagues has add a bonus for distance of field goals. Not only will you get 3 points for the field goal but a bonus for how far it was kicked. Should this really make a difference in which kicker you take? or Its just a kicker grab one in the last round.

 

0-35 yards = 0

36-40 yards = 2

41-45 yards =3

46-50 yards = 4

51-55 yards = 8

56-60 yards = 10

61+ yards = 15

 

 

[TBayXXXVII 2,116]

Without actually seeing results, I would be skeptical to see that this would make any real difference.

[shutdown 40]

In a attempt to make kickers relevant my new leagues has add a bonus for distance of field goals. Not only will you get 3 points for the field goal but a bonus for how far it was kicked. Should this really make a difference in which kicker you take? or Its just a kicker grab one in the last round.

 

0-35 yards = 0

36-40 yards = 2

41-45 yards =3

46-50 yards = 4

51-55 yards = 8

56-60 yards = 10

61+ yards = 15

 

 

We have a similar system, It makes little difference because most have big legs and it's more about opportunity and kickers don't create their own opportunities. I wound up with Jake Elliot last year who wasn't even a starter in week 1 and wound up being in the 2nd tier of kickers under a similar system. Harrison Butker is another who usually wasn't drafted who was in the top-5 in this type of system.

 

The system does help separate good kickers (more than the typical 3,4,5 system) as the difference from PK 1 to PK 12 was 2.5 points per game, which is noteworthy. However, it's still nearly impossible to reliably forecast usage, thus they still get drafted in the last 2 rounds of our draft.

 

One thing we've found, that at least adds game to game excitement, is having penalties for misses. Basically we took the red-zone as a gimme FG. Kickers are 90%+ accurate within 35 yards or so. So for a 37 yard FG, if it's missed, its -2 points. Missed XP's are -1. It's at least fun to watch an owner squirm when his kicker is struggling, almost hoping they don't try a FG.

[cousinal111 57]

We've had bonuses for distance for 2 decades & I proposed a new rule that all count as 3 or you lose points with a miss. It nearly passed.

 

A 50 yard FG nowadays is what a 40 yard FG was fifteen years ago. It stinks to lose a close game because the other kicker made five 41 yard FG's.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

We've had bonuses for distance for 2 decades & I proposed a new rule that all count as 3 or you lose points with a miss. It nearly passed.

 

A 50 yard FG nowadays is what a 40 yard FG was fifteen years ago. It stinks to lose a close game because the other kicker made five 41 yard FG's.

Are you saying you wish the kicker was less valuable so that they had even less impact on ffball? If so, why not just propose doing away with the kicker?

[TBayXXXVII 2,116]

In a attempt to make kickers relevant my new leagues has add a bonus for distance of field goals. Not only will you get 3 points for the field goal but a bonus for how far it was kicked. Should this really make a difference in which kicker you take? or Its just a kicker grab one in the last round.

 

0-35 yards = 0

36-40 yards = 2

41-45 yards =3

46-50 yards = 4

51-55 yards = 8

56-60 yards = 10

61+ yards = 15

 

 

 

 

So, I did a quick search on pro-football-reference.com and threw a quick spreadsheet together and came up with the following.

 

Using your scoring system, this is how the Top 20 PK's would have fared last season...

1. Matt Bryant 140
2. Greg Zuerlein 127
3. Matt Prater 126
4. Justin Tucker 126
5. Robbie Gould 118
6. Jake Elliott 117
7. Steven Hauschka 114
8. Stephen Gostkowski 113
9. Wil Lutz 111
10. Kai Forbath 109
11. Chris Boswell 106
12. Ryan Succop 102
13. Harrison Butker 100
14. Adam Vinatieri 90
15. Chandler Catanzaro 89
16. Phil Dawson 87
17. Ka'imi Fairbairn 76
18. Giorgio Tavecchio 73
19. Graham Gano 73
20. Brandon McManus 72

This is how the kickers fared last season under the standard scoring system...

1. Greg Zuerlein 182
2. Stephen Gostkowski 172
3. Robbie Gould 170
4. Matt Bryant 162
5. Justin Tucker 162
6. Wil Lutz 161
7. Harrison Butker 160
8. Chris Boswell 159
9. Ryan Succop 156
10. Matt Prater 151
11. Kai Forbath 148
12. Jake Elliott 139
13. Phil Dawson 137
14. Stephen Hauschka 137
15. Graham Gano 131
16. Adam Vinatieri 125
17. Chandler Catanzaro 120
18. Brandon McManus 109
19. Blair Walsh 108
20. Ka'imi Fairbairn 104

I'd rather have the standard scoring system because the only difference between the two, is that scores are higher. There's only a 10 point difference between scoring systems when you evaluate the gap between #1 and #20. In the standard system, the difference was 78 points where as in yours, it's 68. The gap from #1 to #10 in both systems is the same (31 points). It's only a 5 point difference when analyzing #1 to #15. Since the difference is virtually nothing, I'd rather the numbers look better.

[cousinal111 57]

Are you saying you wish the kicker was less valuable so that they had even less impact on ffball? If so, why not just propose doing away with the kicker?

Less valuable. If a defense blows up, it's usually because of a shutout or a TD or two.

 

There is some strategy to getting a kicker on a good offense to steadily give you 8-12 points a game. I just don't like the fact 3 long field goals are equal to 2 fifteen yard TD runs.

 

It just doesn't sound right to say, "my kicker blew up Monday Night!"

 

Just my opinion.

[Brutal Brutus 182]

Less valuable. If a defense blows up, it's usually because of a shutout or a TD or two.

 

There is some strategy to getting a kicker on a good offense to steadily give you 8-12 points a game. I just don't like the fact 3 long field goals are equal to 2 fifteen yard TD runs.

 

It just doesn't sound right to say, "my kicker blew up Monday Night!"

 

Just my opinion.

I'd prefer doing away with the kicker position rather than making it more valuable.

[polecatt 402]

I have played in a dynasty league for several years that has FGs valued like this,

 

18-39 yd FG- 3 pts

40-49 yd FG- 7 pts

50+ yd FG- 10 pts

 

It hasn't effected the place kickers have been selected for the most part, they aren't ever selected as keepers or drafted early on in the draft by much.

The top couple of kickers may get drafted a round or two higher but it's not a huge effect

Kickers though have a much bigger effect on the scores though than in standard

[Ray_T 589]

one league I am in gives bonus to FG's of 50+. (3 points)

 

another gives a 1 point bonus for 40+ and a 3 point for 50+ yard FG's

 

both options work well.

[Super Cubs 132]

 

 

 

So, I did a quick search on pro-football-reference.com and threw a quick spreadsheet together and came up with the following.

 

Using your scoring system, this is how the Top 20 PK's would have fared last season...

1. Matt Bryant 140
2. Greg Zuerlein 127
3. Matt Prater 126
4. Justin Tucker 126
5. Robbie Gould 118
6. Jake Elliott 117
7. Steven Hauschka 114
8. Stephen Gostkowski 113
9. Wil Lutz 111
10. Kai Forbath 109
11. Chris Boswell 106
12. Ryan Succop 102
13. Harrison Butker 100
14. Adam Vinatieri 90
15. Chandler Catanzaro 89
16. Phil Dawson 87
17. Ka'imi Fairbairn 76
18. Giorgio Tavecchio 73
19. Graham Gano 73
20. Brandon McManus 72

This is how the kickers fared last season under the standard scoring system...

1. Greg Zuerlein 182
2. Stephen Gostkowski 172
3. Robbie Gould 170
4. Matt Bryant 162
5. Justin Tucker 162
6. Wil Lutz 161
7. Harrison Butker 160
8. Chris Boswell 159
9. Ryan Succop 156
10. Matt Prater 151
11. Kai Forbath 148
12. Jake Elliott 139
13. Phil Dawson 137
14. Stephen Hauschka 137
15. Graham Gano 131
16. Adam Vinatieri 125
17. Chandler Catanzaro 120
18. Brandon McManus 109
19. Blair Walsh 108
20. Ka'imi Fairbairn 104

I'd rather have the standard scoring system because the only difference between the two, is that scores are higher. There's only a 10 point difference between scoring systems when you evaluate the gap between #1 and #20. In the standard system, the difference was 78 points where as in yours, it's 68. The gap from #1 to #10 in both systems is the same (31 points). It's only a 5 point difference when analyzing #1 to #15. Since the difference is virtually nothing, I'd rather the numbers look better.

 

 

Thanks

 

Is the top set just the bonus points not counting the 3 point for the field goals? To me it seems like the top number should be higher if it is the combined field goal and bonus points.

[TBayXXXVII 2,116]

Sorry, I screwed that up. I didn't add the 3 points for the FG.

[Super Cubs 132]

Sorry, I screwed that up. I didn't add the 3 points for the FG.

 

not a problem

[scottsind 61]

I feel like Justin Tucker is the best kicker in the game. I have had him the last 2 years in both of my leagues. He has not even been with a good offensive team for awhile, but I think that changes this year to a more competent one. The defense is good enough for them from going for it on 4th down. I guess you could say the same for Legatron too this year. Good luck.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

15 is too much, even for a 62 yarder. I'd cap it at 8. 8>60, 6 for 50+, 5 for 40+, 4 for 30+, 3 < 30. That bump would make them more relevant.

[shutdown 40]

We've tried a lot of things with kickers and are on the verge of eliminating the position. Again, even if you manage to differentiate the top 3-5 guys, the problem is that there's no way to reliably forecast their attempts. Tucker is a perfect example. He's the best kicker in the game, but without opportunity, he's not the highest scoring. Looking at the list above, I'm pretty sure Gould and Zuerlein weren't drafted in a lot of leagues last year. Kicker is the one position where you can almost always pick up a top-5 and definitely a top-10 player at the position off waivers. This is what makes them un-draftable more so than the lack of separation between elite and mid level players.

[tubby_mcgee 686]

In a attempt to make kickers relevant my new leagues has add a bonus for distance of field goals. Not only will you get 3 points for the field goal but a bonus for how far it was kicked. Should this really make a difference in which kicker you take? or Its just a kicker grab one in the last round.

 

0-35 yards = 0

36-40 yards = 2

41-45 yards =3

46-50 yards = 4

51-55 yards = 8

56-60 yards = 10

61+ yards = 15

 

 

 

 

Yes. Be sure to draft a kicker that is in plenty of game situations where his team will be attempting 51+ yard field goals.

 

 

We are taking out the kicker position this year and adding in a skill position.

 

Kicker is 80% happenstance.

 

So, adding points for long field goals doesn't make it more relevant in my opinion. It makes it that much more dumb.

 

A kicker is sort of like if there was some random number generator that added between 3 and 16 to your score every week. With the table you showed, it would be like randomly tacking on between 3 and 30 to your score each week. Super dumb. You might as well make it like this:

 

exactly a 33 yard field goal = 11 point bonus

exactly a 33 yard run by rb = 30 point bonus

exactly a 33 yard reception by WR = 30 point bonus

and so on and so on.

 

Its all random and happenstance. You can't draft for it. Same with kickers.

[kilroy69 994]

We do 3 for anything up to 39. 4 for 40 to 49 and 5 for 50 plus. But we also do a lot of bonus points at other positions. Its not uncommon to see 180 - 200 pont games as its a superflex too.

[Quickolas1 80]

Auction.

PPR with TE getting 1.50.

14+ teams (16 is ideal); start 1 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 2 Flex.

No divisions.

No kickers.

 

CMON MAN!! it's 2018 not 1994.

[DrG 94]

looking at your bonus estimates this would make the kicker much more possibly too much more relevant

[ralphster 274]

I'm all for making kickers (and D/ST) more relevant IF you're going to have them in your league.

 

There have been multiple occasions where a kicker has won me a game in my leagues that add bonuses to length of FG.

 

I've lost games the same way. FG distance bonuses reward those owners who are savvy working the ww to add that guy on a middling offense who's going to see multiple 40-50 yard FG tries each game.

 

It's not as much about getting the 'best kicker' as it is getting the guy who will have chances to kick long FGs because his offense stalls due to whatever reason.

 

For a position that you often stream each week that can win your game? I'm all in.

[weepaws 2,459]

In a attempt to make kickers relevant my new leagues has add a bonus for distance of field goals. Not only will you get 3 points for the field goal but a bonus for how far it was kicked. Should this really make a difference in which kicker you take? or Its just a kicker grab one in the last round.

 

0-35 yards = 0

36-40 yards = 2

41-45 yards =3

46-50 yards = 4

51-55 yards = 8

56-60 yards = 10

61+ yards = 15

 

Like this ideal.

 

Thanks for the question.