Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. In this edition. Should those in dynasty leagues be looking to get rid of the Gronk? Distance-scoring systems for kickers. And sizing up the long-term potential of Dak Prescott and Marcus Mariota.
Question 1
I’m in a keeper league and was offered Rob Gronkowski for Tyreek Hill. We start two wide receivers and one tight end. Would you do this trade? Do you think Gronk will retire soon?
BRIAN ROWELL (Saint Johns, MI)
I’d rather have Hill. Gronkowski will be 29 soon, and I don’t think he’ll have a long career. He’s had a lot of injuries, and I don’t think he’s got a body that’s well equipped to handle the grind of the league. There were multiple teams that flagged him as an injury risk when he was coming out of Arizona back in 2010. He might be thinking about pulling a Jim Brown, leaving football early to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Even setting that possibility aside, I would rather have Hill. He’s 5 years younger, and I think he’s going to have a great career. He’s probably the league’s fastest player, and that’s speed that translates to the field. He’ll turn some short passes into long touchdowns, and every few weeks he’ll get behind defenses to catch long balls from Patrick Mahomes. With fantasy teams needing to start twice as many wide receivers as tight ends, I think that makes it a pretty easy decision.
Question 2
Our league just decided to go to fractional scoring for kickers (a 37-year FG will now be worth 3.7 points instead of 3.0). How, if at all, does that change the way you look at kickers and their rankings?
Geoff Maleman (Los Angeles, CA)
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Good kickers are good kickers. It doesn’t tend to matter what the scoring system is. However you score them, the same guys tend to show up at the top and the bottom. I don’t have the stats set up in a way allowing me to list exact decimal scoring, but I can run them giving each kicker a bonus point for field goals from 40-plus, and 2 bonus points for kicks from 50-plus. (I’ll call that “Distance” scoring.) That pumps some extra production into the position, but the three names at the top are the same – Zuerlein, Gostkowski and Gould – as what you get in a Standard league.
| KICKER SCORING 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Std | S Rk | Dis | D Rk |
| Greg Zuerlein | 158 | 1 | 182 | 1 |
| Stephen Gostkowski | 156 | 2 | 172 | 2 |
| Robbie Gould | 145 | 3 | 170 | 3 |
| Justin Tucker | 141 | 6 | 162 | 4t |
| Matt Bryant | 137 | 8 | 162 | 4t |
| Wil Lutz | 140 | 7 | 161 | 6 |
| Harrison Butker | 142 | 4t | 160 | 7 |
| Chris Boswell | 142 | 4t | 159 | 8 |
| Ryan Succop | 136 | 9 | 156 | 9 |
| Matt Prater | 130 | 10t | 151 | 10 |
| Kai Forbath | 130 | 10t | 148 | 11 |
| Jake Elliott | 117 | 14 | 139 | 12 |
| Phil Dawson | 119 | 13 | 137 | 13t |
| Stephen Hauschka | 116 | 15 | 137 | 13t |
| Graham Gano | 121 | 12 | 131 | 15 |
| Adam Vinatieri | 109 | 16 | 125 | 16 |
| Chandler Catanzaro | 104 | 17 | 120 | 17 |
| Brandon McManus | 99 | 19 | 109 | 18 |
| Blair Walsh | 100 | 18 | 108 | 19 |
| Ka'imi Fairbairn | 92 | 20 | 104 | 20 |
| Cody Parkey | 89 | 21 | 97 | 21 |
| Randy Bullock | 85 | 22 | 91 | 22 |
| Giorgio Tavecchio | 81 | 23 | 90 | 23 |
| Josh Lambo | 79 | 24 | 87 | 24 |
| Patrick Murray | 78 | 25t | 86 | 25 |
| Mason Crosby | 78 | 25t | 84 | 26t |
| Aldrick Rosas | 74 | 27 | 84 | 26t |
| Dan Bailey | 71 | 28 | 81 | 28 |
| Zane Gonzalez | 70 | 29 | 78 | 29 |
| Dustin Hopkins | 60 | 30 | 64 | 30 |
Question 3
Would you trade Dak Prescott for Marcus Mariota? Titans will change their horrid offense with new offensive coordinator. Only concern is Mariota has injury history and unproven receivers. Additionally, I can draft any rookie QB with my draft pick, including Darnold and Rosen. I really like Mahomes now, and Alex Smith and Bortles and Keenum as well. Depending on where these rookies go can factor in also. The Browns and Vikings have excellent receivers with new coordinators. Thoughts and recommendations appreciated
HOWIE FISHMAN (Hermosa Beach, CA)
I don’t see a huge difference between Prescott and Mariota. I don’t think anybody can say with much confidence which one will have a better career. They’re both good runners. Mariota is faster, while Prescott is a little bigger – with a stronger history of calling his own number around the goal line. As passers, neither has quite gotten over the hump yet. Both played worse last year than they did in 2016 – passing for fewer yards and touchdowns while throwing more interceptions. Both teams have been sent back to the drawing board, and I don’t think it’s obvious which group will do a better job of getting their guy back on track. I don’t have problem with Tennessee’s pass catchers. They drafted three last year that might be very good – Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor and tight end Jonnu Smith. As for young guys, I would have Patrick Mahomes well ahead of all of the rookies. He’s definitely got the arm talent, they’ve been able to work with him for a year, and he’s shown flashes of being great. I would be much more comfortable with him than with Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield or Lamar Jackson.