What's your Kicker strategy?

[jkil22 1]

Do you have one? Is it best to pick a kicker each week based on matchup, or just stick with one throughout the season who generally doesn't suck?

[cdogge 17]

I've seen it played both ways & I don't think either way would have a major advantage over another.

 

I tend to look for upper level offenses going against decent defenses (redzone stats). Not great defenses. Just decent. I'll also factor in leg strength & indoors or not.

[Djgb13 2,338]

I've seen it played both ways & I don't think either way would have a major advantage over another.

 

I tend to look for upper level offenses going against decent defenses (redzone stats). Not great defenses. Just decent. I'll also factor in leg strength & indoors or not.

 

I was playing the match ups until I picked up Tynes. Been starting him since and will continue to do so.

[WR Guru 31]

I tend to juggle kickers early in the season and then settle on a guy who appears to be on a roll- usually avoiding guys on weak or inconsistent offensive teams. This year, it's Bryant in Atlanta.

[darwin 0]

Just hold a kicker from a team with a top 5 defense and ride him all year. (I picked up Graham this year prior to week 1)

Kickers from teams with a bad defense are too risky. Get down quick and the team looks for the TD only and forgets about kicking field goals. They often go for 2 as well.

[SaintsInDome2006 128]

I was a believer in Zeurlein, and passed on Tynes... and it did not work out. Zeurlein's schedule is poor looking forward too.

 

I just picked up Forbath, Carolina has 1st or 2nd most FF points to opposing kickers. And Forbath is on a roll generally.

 

I pay attention to the position big time though. It's pretty typical for me to go with one guy first half of the season and then pick up another hot foot second half. Last year I juggled in the final weeks and it paid off great with Gano putting up a 17 on championship Sunday.

 

Prater's been down, but he just put up a 10 vs the Saints - everyone is mentioning what a great FF schedule Denver has down the line, I don't know why that would not benefit the kicker as well.

 

Janikowski is looking awesome right now plus he has a great schedule. But probably owned.

 

Bailey is coming on of late too.

[idiotekniQues 0]

I've seen it played both ways & I don't think either way would have a major advantage over another.

 

I tend to look for upper level offenses going against decent defenses (redzone stats). Not great defenses. Just decent. I'll also factor in leg strength & indoors or not.

 

i do something similar except i don't mind teams with mediocre O's, i figure they will stall often in the redzone. it's really hit or miss like you say - but weather and venue are a part of it.

[Joey Gladstone 33]

Bryant has a gimpy back. He's been limited in practice. Atlanta has the Sunday night game. I'll wait and see and pick up Bailey if he's a scratch.

[WR Guru 31]

Bryant has a gimpy back.

 

Yeah, but as far as I know, Atlanta has not brought in any other kickers, so it seems they're not too concerned about it. Until they do that, I'm just looking at it as them giving a 37-year-old kicker a break at practice.

[t-birdie 8]

High scoring team with less than ideal redzone scoring stats. Started the year with Hanson, was happy. After three games I saw that Detroit's offense did not appear to be running on more than 3 cylinders, grabbed Tynes who happened to be on the wire. Very happy with Tynes.

[just_want_2_win 0]

1. 
    
   
2. Get a kicker with a late bye; pluck up a better kicker that's been released because of their bye if one become available prior to the bye of my current kicker.
   
3. Almost never carry a second kicker for the bye week unless my current kicker is on a tear.
   
4. Look for kickers on teams with a good defense and a good but not super efficient offense so that FGs are not a rarity.
   
5. I don't care too much about dome kickers initially but late in the season if I have one that's in a bad weather city, I'll consider swapping out.
    
    
   

[t-birdie 8]

and avoid kickers playing in Pittsburgh.

[gcmmidwest 99]

greg the leg cost me a win last week with his one point performance...,now that he's on a bye week ..,dropped his azz for suisam ...,dont know what dude is talking about (avoid pittsburg kickers above)

 

but for the most part look for potent offenses facing tuff defenses ..,but then again hartley had one point last week too

[WhiteWonder 2,202]

i try to pick one and then place him in the Kicker spot of my lineup

 

 

 

 

but seriously I tend to draft a kicker who is good, can make long kicks and plays for an offense that should move the ball but stalls out. i dont want the really potent offenses because it seems like too often you get those weeks with 5 extra points an no field goals.

[tanatastic 2,061]

Guide for picking up weekly kickers.

 

 

1. Target a kicker on a decent offense and a team that you think should either win the game or not get blown out.

 

That's it. You want the offense to be good but not great other wise it's all extra points. You want a K on a team that should win so they are live thru the whole game rather than always going for desperation Tds.

[Matt Mueller 146]

This week and rest of season.

 

Blair Walsh or Prater?

 

I'm holding Walsh but I only have 9 moves left for the season.

 

Maybe I should just use one and ride Prater?

 

 

I'm streaming defenses too so I need those moves.

 

Might just sit tight for the week...hate to drop a K, lose points and use a move...

[madd futher mucker 36]

1. 
    
   
2. Get a kicker with a late bye; pluck up a better kicker that's been released because of their bye if one become available prior to the bye of my current kicker.
   
3. Almost never carry a second kicker for the bye week unless my current kicker is on a tear.
   
4. Look for kickers on teams with a good defense and a good but not super efficient offense so that FGs are not a rarity.
   
5. I don't care too much about dome kickers initially but late in the season if I have one that's in a bad weather city, I'll consider swapping out.
    
    
   

 

 

This is a sound approach. Especially I avoid cold weather open stadium kickers for the stretch run and the play-offs at all costs. Right now I have Matt Ryan on 3 teams and Carpenter on one. I'm pretty sure (knock on wood) that Bryant will be GTG come Sunday night.

[Antiramie 50]

Draft the kicker with the best matchup week 1 (best kicker avg from last year + most pts given up by opposing def from last year) in either 2nd to last or last round.

 

If he does well and has favorable matchups I'll usually ride the wave til either A: player fades, B: matchups get too brutal, C: forecasted gameday weather is too nasty. Once player is dropped, repeat process with new kicker.

 

But usually there are enough decent free agent kickers available or other better matchups available to where I just swap kickers every 1-2 weeks.

 

Some people think me swapping defenses/kickers according to their matchups is crazy. I don't understand why you wouldn't play the averages. Obviously, I'm not going to play a bottom 10 defense/kicker ever, but IMO a middle of the road def/kicker with a stellar matchup is just as good as a top 5 def/kicker with a terrible matchup. See Minn Def vs TB or SD vs KC. Former was a complete bust. Latter paid out huge. Was part of both...

[Teren 2]

I just try to get the same kicker in as many leagues as possible

[thesitedoc 5]

Kicker strategy is simple:

 

1) Draft a kicker from a prolific offense.

2) Prioritize dome over non-dome kicker. Late season windy/rainy conditions can mean a few points here and there.

[Matt Mueller 146]

Holding Prater.

 

You guys like Tucker or Pitt's K this week or rest of the season better?

 

 

Denver should move the ball...sometimes too well is the only real concern.

[t-birdie 8]

dont know what dude is talking about (avoid pittsburg kickers above)

 

 

Heinz Field is a terrible place to kick field goals. I think the longest of all-time there is 52 yards. I don't even start kickers that are playing in Heinz field, let alone roster the Pittsburgh kicker. This goes double when it gets cold.

[t-birdie 8]

and in a shocking display of useless information, I did happen to find a list of every FG attempted at Heinz Field (through last season) and its result. Crushed those attempts into a table below:

 

att made

<30 87 83

<40 101 86

<50 109 66

50+ 16 3

 

 

So in the 11-year history of Heinz Field, a whopping 16 FGs of 50+ have even been attempted - and 3 made.

[jtimko 2]

My strategy- Matt Bryant. He's been my kicker on all leagues the last 4 years. The dude never misses, plays in a dome, and is always ranked way down for some reason at the season's start. Works for me!

[Little Rusty 17]

My strategy is to have him kick & then I gather points.

 

 

 

usually not all that hard

[jdon 28]

1/2 the time I don't draft one and I always just play the waiver wire by week with a focus on going against defenses that give up a lot fantasy points (carolina this year), for years I have scored a little above average.

 

honestly, kickers are pointless...

jdon

[Giants Fan 85]

I actually drafted a kicker. Akers. He tied the NFL record this year ... still only 3 points in my league. Point is, he gets opportunities to kick 60+ yarders, and he can make them. Outside of Janikowski ... there's not a lot of other guys that get opportunities at 60+. So, even though there's no bonus for the distance, he should get more attempts. He's not putting up great numbers for me ... yet ... but I'm holding onto him over the bye, and then I am rolling with him for the rest of the year.

 

Same strategy in my other league, in sig.

[giraldi02 470]

I just picked up Kai Forbath in two of my leagues. Skins offense should be able to put up some big points against Carolina.

[theADDICT 0]

i dropped akers (like 7 points or something last week) for young gz (1 point) and i lost by 2 points last week

 

but i blame it on charles and the chiefs though but still changing kickers cost me the game as well.

 

right now i have justin tucker for this week and kept young gz on my bench. ill drop tucker on next wednesday and i think ill just keep young gz from here on out.

[Matt Mueller 146]

Akers was dropped in two of my leagues. He hasn't been putting up quite the same numbers this year.

 

 

Would you drop whoever you have at kicker for him next week?

[Matt Mueller 146]

Akers was dropped in two of my leagues. He hasn't been putting up quite the same numbers this year.

 

 

Would you drop whoever you have at kicker for him next week?

 

What do you think about Akers this week and rest of season?

[Matt Mueller 146]

What do you think about Akers this week and rest of season?

 

I picked up Akers for this week at this.

 

Like the matchup with St. Louis.

[aldrichastern 0]

You kiddos are silly.

 

The best way (and only) way to strategically play a kicker is as a hedging tool to increase/decrease your point risk.

 

If you are playing an opponent who is expected to score much more than you, then you'll have a higher risk appetite for the week. Pick a kicker on a team with a relatively bland zone offense playing against a relatively good defense. This kicker is more likely to put up large points, but also more likely to get shut out. e.g. Phil Dawson last week. It also helps if that kicker has a history of making long FGs.

 

You can also use the kicker to mitigate integer-matchup risk (weak opponent). For example, if you have Alex Smith at QB and you're sure that SF is going to put up some yards against STL... you might want to consider picking up Akers to hedge against SF being shut down at the Red Zone. Again, be wary... if the team you're doing this on does not score, then you're toast both at QB and K.

 

Lastly, if you want to play it safe (even opponent), pick up a kicker on a high scoring team. This ensures that you get some point for the kicker via PAT, and you'll pick up some FGs as well in all likelihood.

 

Other than that, it's a crapshoot... but if you want to talk strategy, this is the only way to strategically use a kicker outside of lucking out from the magical years that guys like Neil Rackers have.

[WR Guru 31]

That's a very interesting algorithm (I think). Although I believe, in the long run, you'll be leaving a lot more points on the table if you try to play kicker lottery every week versus finding a consistent guy on a high scoring team (Bryant, Gostkowski...) and riding them. Obviously there are only so many of those guys, so I could see playing matchups if you're stuck with a mediocre kicker.

[jrbdmb 28]

1. Get a kicker with a late bye; pluck up a better kicker that's been released because of their bye if one become available prior to the bye of my current kicker.
2. Almost never carry a second kicker for the bye week unless my current kicker is on a tear.
3. Look for kickers on teams with a good defense and a good but not super efficient offense so that FGs are not a rarity.
4. I don't care too much about dome kickers initially but late in the season if I have one that's in a bad weather city, I'll consider swapping out.

+1.

 

I almost always pick a late bye kicker, esp. in my main league that limits transactions. I usually don't get a "top" kicker since I'm not going to waste an early pick or many auction $$ on one, but the second tier kickers can work out just as good. Around November 01, I get my second half kicker, and here I avoid bad weather outdoor teams. Usually works out OK for me.