You know the owners who don't wait until the last couple of rounds to draft a kicker? What's wrong with these people? Do they have any idea what they're doing?
Yeah, I think so. I'm one of those people.
Laugh all you want; I get it. I know what it's like to shake your head at a silly decision. I think waiting until the very end and picking up "whoever" is trendy and popular -- and silly. The kicker position has won and lost you games, so ignoring it simply takes power out of your hands.
You're not alone, though. NFL coaches do the exact same thing. They ditch a veteran in order to save a few bucks and sign a cheaper prospect. And if they don't work out, who cares? They figure they're all the same, so somebody will fill the role.
And how many of those teams will lose a few games by three points or less and miss the playoffs by a game or two? It happens every year, both in the NFL and your fantasy league. It's not worth jumping on the "kickers are worthless" bandwagon. Sure, you can pick up a decent one on the waiver wire, but is that going to get you to the playoffs? Would it kill you to wait one more round on that sixth wide receiver who needs an injury to be relevant, and take a kicker there? Do you need your backup tight end before a starter? I think it makes a little more sense to pay attention to your starting lineup, and the unpopular players who still have a place there.
Would it be so terrible to consider taking Greg Zuerlein before the last few rounds of the draft? No matter what you think of kickers, Zuerlein is an intriguing option. Everyone knows that dome kickers get eight games without the elements, but the Rams have five road contests in a dome as well. That's 13 out of 16 dome games (and if you throw out week 17, it's 13 out of 15). The earliest Zuerlein could face any rain or wind is Oct. 20, and then he's back in domes until December. The fantasy playoffs feature home games for him, too. You sure you'd rather have that running back who's third on the depth chart but "looked good" in the preseason?
Sure, someone will wait until the last rounds and still get a kicker in a dome or on a great offense. But a lot of owners will wait until the last rounds and get a marginal talent. Why take that chance? Most teams don't make the playoffs, so don't do what they do. Instead, shore up a position with a guy you can use almost every week.
I'm not saying to reach for Matt Bryant or Stephen Gostkowski in the fifth round. But don't be afraid to take a kicker "early," according to the conventional wisdom of your league. Champions are often unconventional, anyway. Add a couple of points to your weekly score and it might make the difference between making the playoffs and watching another team take your place.
How do you feel about kickers? Have you had success targeting a good one, or is this fantasy blasphemy? Share your thoughts below.