When to draft a kicker in fantasy football

When people think of fantasy football, it is immediately the skill positions that get the attention as the high-scoring heroes for most league-winning managers. Yet, even though they often go unnoticed, kickers can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing, much like their real-life role.

Although some commissioners prefer to leave the unsung heroes out of their league lineups, most leagues will have a kicker position with the default ruling including them. They are never glamorous but having a good kicker can sometimes lead to a double-digit advantage over opponents which, in the right matchup, can be crucial.

In 2023, Dallas' Brandon Aubrey led the way, finishing with an average of 10.6 fantasy points in standard scoring rules. The rookie finished his season averaging a full point more per game than the second-place finisher, Justin Tucker, giving managers a solid positional edge.

While managing the position in-season is an important and oft-forgotten piece, playing the kicker field during fantasy drafts can be a slippery slope. It may feel like a savvy move to "steal" the best kicker in the league before anybody else can grab him, mostly because nobody spends as much time researching them as they do for running backs or receivers. But that would never be a good idea.

Don't draft a kicker in fantasy drafts

When handling the kicker position during fantasy drafts, there are essentially two schools of thought: either use a late draft pick to have one solidified by Week 1 or wait until after the draft is over to add one in free agency. Anybody who drafts a kicker before their final two picks better hope their last-place punishment will be merciful.

Even at that, drafting a kicker is rarely beneficial for fantasy managers. Instead, use the pick on a late-round flier and scout the remaining options after the draft. Most tend to find streaming the position as the best bet.

In short, the idea of streaming in fantasy comes down to using a different player each week based on matchups. Many managers utilize this strategy when they do not have a top-tier player but is most frequently used with kickers and defenses.

Every once in a while, an elite kicker will go on a tear and give their managers a unique gift. But more often than not, the difference between the best kicker and the rest of the field is marginal. While Aubrey was the fantasy leader in 2023, the difference between his end-of-year total and the 20th-place finisher — Matt Prater — was a mere 50 total fantasy points. That averages out to less than three points per game in a 17-week season.

Not everybody has the time or dedication to pick up a new kicker each week, thus making the idea of streaming unappealing. But even in such scenarios, most leagues do not exceed 12 to 15 teams, almost guaranteeing a top-10 kicker will begin the year as a free agent. Don't fall for the trap.