Playing without a kicker

[Kammo 0]

The League I play in has no limit or minimums of what positions you can carry. I'm currently 2-0. This week I dropped my kicker and was able to pick up Nelson on waivers. I really like my depth right now and because of the rash of injuries happening I really don't want to drop anybody. I'm going into this weekend match up without a kicker.

 

I wonder how many of you have gone the majority of a season without a kicker? Because if this works I'm going to try to make it to the bye week without a kicker and than try to trade up to other owners in need.

[giraldi02 476]

Unless I am playing against a team that I absolutely KNOW will not beat me, I wouldn't ever do that. And besides, my main money league gives out a nice hefty prize for total points at the end of the regular season. Why would I want to lose 100+ points to hold onto a bench player I'll rarely, if ever, start?

[tanatastic 2,062]

Def a bad move. Mostly because it outs u at auto disadvantage since ur opponent will certainly field a kicker. U hope to get 10 cheap points from a kicker start and to not have that can be an easy loss.

[Jedi Sensei 17]

Depends on if your starting line-up can absorb the loss of the 6-10pts/gm that an average kicker will get ya.

 

This would be a 'sh!t-don't-fly' strategy in my league, where games are often decided by decimal points.

 

But hey, good luck with that...

[madd futher mucker 36]

I did it several times last year - twice strategically like you are doing with a one game league lead and a very stacked team. Sometimes in shallow roster leagues, the extra depth can be worth it...or it could backfire. I managed to win both contests and went on to win the league championship.

 

I also had a kicker go down last year after waiver bids were finished but before the week's game in the Fantasy Players Championship. Since that contest does not allow for open waivers after bids are awarded, I was stuck without a K and lost that match because of it.

[TimHauck 3,351]

Dumb IMO. A kicker is usually worth a guaranteed 5 points, and a decent game will get you 10+. No matter how "stacked" your team is, you never know how they'll do on Sunday.

 

I'd play without a defense before I played without a kicker if I was afraid of them getting negative points.

[GameDay Guru 1]

Dumb IMO. A kicker is usually worth a guaranteed 5 points, and a decent game will get you 10+. No matter how "stacked" your team is, you never know how they'll do on Sunday.

 

I'd play without a defense before I played without a kicker if I was afraid of them getting negative points.

 

I agree with the last point...without seeing the roster/matchup it's tough to tell, but I can see scenerios where sitting the D or even the TE is the better option, based on the scoring system and your situation. My TE play has been awful this year, they might as well not be in the lineup anyway.

[chroniciguana 13]

It would, I think, kind of depend on your scoring system? Until someone comes down from a mountain holding a set of divinely commanded fantasy football clay tablets, one man's five points could be another's 20. There's no way to answer the question.

[GridIronAssassin#1 0]

Well, it's a gamble. Playing a kicker(the usual thing) could win the game or make no difference in the outcome. You'll be perceived as a genius if you win without a kicker or just lucky. You'll be perceived as a dumb imbecile or just unlucky of you lose. You can check your projected points versus your opponet's projections prior to the game. If you're still projected to win by 20 points or more without your kicker, I'd say your probability is very high that'd you'll win that game. Make sure you feel comfortable that you can win before you do it, then it's a go.

[Mustard Lover 3]

The League I play in has no limit or minimums of what positions you can carry. I'm currently 2-0. This week I dropped my kicker and was able to pick up Nelson on waivers. I really like my depth right now and because of the rash of injuries happening I really don't want to drop anybody. I'm going into this weekend match up without a kicker.

 

I wonder how many of you have gone the majority of a season without a kicker? Because if this works I'm going to try to make it to the bye week without a kicker and than try to trade up to other owners in need.

 

 

I hope you don't lose by 5 pts.

[smackkingkong 0]

The League I play in has no limit or minimums of what positions you can carry. I'm currently 2-0. This week I dropped my kicker and was able to pick up Nelson on waivers. I really like my depth right now and because of the rash of injuries happening I really don't want to drop anybody. I'm going into this weekend match up without a kicker.

 

I wonder how many of you have gone the majority of a season without a kicker? Because if this works I'm going to try to make it to the bye week without a kicker and than try to trade up to other owners in need.

 

Can't do it in our league. You have to have a full starting roster every week. Failure to submit a full roster results in a $20 fine.

[prisoners 2]

Can't do it in our league. You have to have a full starting roster every week. Failure to submit a full roster results in a $20 fine.

I wouldn't be in a league that had such lax rules.

[phlegmish 4]

Can't do it in our league. You have to have a full starting roster every week. Failure to submit a full roster results in a $20 fine.

 

We'd call it shooting for "Luck" if an owner didn't field a full line-up for any reason and kick his ass at the next draft party...

 

remember, projections mean jack-squat at the end of the day...I've been playing 25yrs and have never once had a team do exactly what was "expected" by any group of so-called gurus.

 

Moreover, check you website's rules for null roster slots. There ARE absolutely sites out there that would not score anything for your team as your lineup was INVALID to start the game....

[crackills 25]

to me its a bad move... in fantasy any team (no matter how bad) can beat any other team any sunday. Could you win without a kicker? absolutely... but if you loose by single digit score you'll be kicking yourself later and half of your so called sleepers you're not rostering a kicker for will not pan out anyway.

Wins are the most.. actually only important stat in fantasy.. and you're giving your opponent a 5+ point handicap right off the bat.. that's dumb. It could be a win that knocks you out of the playoffs later down the line... or makes you play a more difficult opponent in the playoffs.

[jackjohn 31]

Make a trade, 2 for 1. If you have a glutton of wr's, find someone who is light or weak at that pos. Then pick off their #2 rb, 1ish te or backup qb. Give em 2 mediocre or backups that are starting for now (D. Henderson). May not be for everyone but starting your K is 5 points you may well need.

[madd futher mucker 36]

Make a trade, 2 for 1. If you have a glutton of wr's, find someone who is light or weak at that pos. Then pick off their #2 rb, 1ish te or backup qb. Give em 2 mediocre or backups that are starting for now (D. Henderson). May not be for everyone but starting your K is 5 points you may well need.

 

Good point. I think he already knows that but sometimes it takes time to accomplish it.

 

Two of my leagues allow owners to play with an open roster spot. They are shallow leagues, 16 and 17 player rosters respectively. Both leagues have Bylaws that make it clear that the intent must be clearly strategic, not collusive. As previously posted, twice last year I played without a kicker so I could pick up and hold extra depth. It happened again last night, just like last year, and just like the OP laid out his scenario. My intent is to try to make a 2 for 1 trade and believe me, I always try to have always have at least two trade proposals working in each of my leagues.

 

Here's the scenario I found myself in: My Redraft league is 2-0, I play a weaker opponent this week that I should beat, and my team is strong in PPR format. Not championship strong yet, but play-off strong.

(Brees, Newton. Peterson, Best, Felix, M Bush, S Moss, Julio, Amendola, L Moore, D Moore, Gibson, Simpson, Witten, Gronk, in addition to my K and my D). On Thursday, I picked up Preston Parker to replace Simpson. Last night, I realized that Greg Little was dropped by another owner and yesterday was the last day of blind bid for him before open waivers. I decided to bid $4 for him using my K as my drop - My two weaker players, M Bush and Gibson are involved in active trade proposals that other owners are sitting on, but still have a chance. I won the auction so now I have 16 position players and a D, but no K. I really like Parker in PPR and am starting him this week. Everything I've seen tells me that Little is starting to 'get it' and is likely to become very productive.

 

I have enough fantasy experience to assess that this team WILL make the play-offs, but it is about making my team stronger to position myself for a championship run. So kicker points, or even risking taking a loss this week are less important to me than holding all of these guys and seeing how this situation plays out. If you are interested enough to know whether this team wins this weekend without a kicker, check in at my blog on Tuesday.

 

The extra edge of a championship level fantasy player is knowing when it is +EV (expected value) withing the rules of course to employ situational risk strategies. If you have the team and the fantasy football experience to assess when it is worth doing, and if your league rules allow you to do it, playing a game without a kicker can be a viable strategy. I'm likely going to it again this week!

[WhiteWonder 2,962]

i would never play without a kicker unless i had a team full of studs and could not justify dropping anyone.

 

I understand a lot of people wan't to hold onto those fringe players who could be the next big thing but "kicking" a roster spot and taking a 0 is a good way to kill your week and with 14 week regular seasons, every win is crucial if you play with good owners.

[madd futher mucker 36]

i would never play without a kicker unless i had a team full of studs and could not justify dropping anyone.

 

I understand a lot of people wan't to hold onto those fringe players who could be the next big thing but "kicking" a roster spot and taking a 0 is a good way to kill your week and with 14 week regular seasons, every win is crucial if you play with good owners.

 

My friend Wonder plays somewhat more conservatively than I. When I feel I have an edge, I press the edge and play to improve my chances for the big prize instead of just making the play-offs. In this instance, I have compared my team to others and even after only two games, I objectively feel that I WILL make the play-offs. I'm not playing to make the play-offs though, I want to continue to strengthen my team to be a real force for the championship. It is not a matter of level of competition. I play only in competitive leagues (although I am able to identify some 'dead money' in every one. There are also leagues where I would never make this play.

 

I view each of my teams similar to a stock portfolio, and I make a cold assessment and take a risk management approach. This decision is similar to buying an option in the stock market where the cost of the option is 3-8 FPTs. I am leveraging the loss of a very few FPTs and the potential loss of one transaction (game) against several potentially more profitable outcomes. And there are many decisions over the course of dealing, or of the season, where a correct decision will more than make up this difference - assuming I lose in this one transaction. I am confident that I will be right most of the time.

 

I admit this strategy is not for everyone, but I am amazed with some owners who take crazy risks in their personal lives (affairs, money risks, etc) and are not willing to take risks in a $200 league that will possibly enhance their chances to win $1400.

[el_duderino 0]

My league dropped the Kicker and DST slot last year and I've not missed them one bit. They add a randomness to the FF game that I just don't like and I prefer not to even have them part of it.

 

That being said....pick up a kicker you fool! That's 10 points....no way your sexy waiver add is worth losing the points for.

[montana 89]

We'd call it shooting for "Luck" if an owner didn't field a full line-up for any reason and kick his ass at the next draft party...

 

remember, projections mean jack-squat at the end of the day...I've been playing 25yrs and have never once had a team do exactly what was "expected" by any group of so-called gurus.

 

Moreover, check you website's rules for null roster slots. There ARE absolutely sites out there that would not score anything for your team as your lineup was INVALID to start the game....

 

THIS!

[montana 89]

My league dropped the Kicker and DST slot last year and I've not missed them one bit. They add a randomness to the FF game that I just don't like and I prefer not to even have them part of it.

 

That being said....pick up a kicker you fool! That's 10 points....no way your sexy waiver add is worth losing the points for.

 

I disagree here. I can't tell you how many of us roll with 1 PK/TE/D. On bye weeks it forces the owner to drop someone to fill the bye week.

Sometimes the player dropped could be useful to someone else's roster. There's a certain level of skill and luck when choosing who to drop. A bad drop can cost you a game or more. I'll have a decision to make wk 5 on who to drop so I can fill Witten's bye week (same for Hanson & Lions bye a few weeks from now).

[Ray_T 792]

I have used this strategy from time to time. Mostly when I have a week or two in a row with bye week hell.

 

it can be done. but I wouldnt recommend doing it for an extended period of time. Giving up 6-10 points a week is not something you want to do week in and week out.

 

your lineup would have to be so deep that you'd rather go without a kicker and give up this 6-10 points than put a skill player on the waiver wire.

 

There are cases where I have done this, but I wouldnt recommend it on an ongoing basis.

[Kammo 0]

Good insights on this thread. I'm definitely weighing my options for next week (like working out a trade but trades take time in my league).

[madd futher mucker 36]

My friend Wonder plays somewhat more conservatively than I. When I feel I have an edge, I press the edge and play to improve my chances for the big prize instead of just making the play-offs. In this instance, I have compared my team to others and even after only two games, I objectively feel that I WILL make the play-offs. I'm not playing to make the play-offs though, I want to continue to strengthen my team to be a real force for the championship. It is not a matter of level of competition. I play only in competitive leagues (although I am able to identify some 'dead money' in every one. There are also leagues where I would never make this play.

 

I view each of my teams similar to a stock portfolio, and I make a cold assessment and take a risk management approach. This decision is similar to buying an option in the stock market where the cost of the option is 3-8 FPTs. I am leveraging the loss of a very few FPTs and the potential loss of one transaction (game) against several potentially more profitable outcomes. And there are many decisions over the course of dealing, or of the season, where a correct decision will more than make up this difference - assuming I lose in this one transaction. I am confident that I will be right most of the time.

 

I admit this strategy is not for everyone, but I am amazed with some owners who take crazy risks in their personal lives (affairs, money risks, etc) and are not willing to take risks in a $200 league that will possibly enhance their chances to win $1400.

 

As I suspected might happen, my trade offer got accepted too late for me to go on the waiver wire and pick up a kicker for this week. So I gave up Brandon Gibson and Felix for Dez and Torain (who will go to the waiver wire immediately upon trade approval.)