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Can A Kicker Get Negative Points In Fantasy Football Explained
Yes, a kicker can absolutely get negative points in fantasy football, although it’s not common. This happens when penalties or missed kicks outweigh the points they score from successful field goals and extra points.
The Nuances of Fantasy Kicker Scoring
In the world of fantasy football, the kicker position often feels like a coin flip. You get your few points from successful kicks, and that’s that, right? Not exactly. While many managers might overlook the intricacies of the kicker scoring system, there’s a whole layer of potential pitfalls that can turn your reliable placekicker into a fantasy liability. Fathoming how kickers score in fantasy football is crucial for maximizing your team’s potential and avoiding those gut-wrenching negative scores. Let’s dive deep into the mechanics of fantasy kicker scoring and explore the scenarios where your kicker might find themselves in the red.
How Kickers Score Fantasy Points
The fundamental way kickers contribute to your fantasy team is through their success on the field:
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Made Field Goals: This is the primary driver of points. The longer the field goal, the more points you get.
- 1-19 yards: Typically 2 points.
- 20-29 yards: Typically 3 points.
- 30-39 yards: Typically 3 points.
- 40-49 yards: Typically 4 points.
- 50+ yards: Typically 5 points.
- Note: These yardage breakdowns can vary slightly between different fantasy platforms.
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Made Extra Points (PATs): A successful extra point after a touchdown usually awards 1 point.
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Offensive Touchdowns (Rare): Some leagues award points if a kicker scores a touchdown themselves, perhaps on a fake field goal or a muffed snap. This is exceptionally rare but can happen.
These are the building blocks of a kicker’s fantasy score. However, the flip side of this equation is where negative points can emerge.
The Road to Negative Kicker Points
The possibility of a kicker scoring negative points hinges on several factors that subtract from their potential positive scoring. Understanding these fantasy football kicker rules is key to navigating this position effectively.
Kicker Missed Kicks Fantasy
Missed kicks are the most frequent culprits behind reduced fantasy scores for kickers. Most fantasy scoring systems penalize missed attempts:
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Missed Field Goals: Typically, a missed field goal will result in a deduction of points.
- Missed Field Goal (under 40 yards): Often -1 point.
- Missed Field Goal (40+ yards): Often -2 points.
- Again, these specific deductions can vary by platform.
Consider a scenario where your kicker makes two 40-yard field goals (4 points each, totaling 8 points) and two extra points (1 point each, totaling 2 points), giving them a potential 10 points. If they then miss a 45-yard field goal (-2 points), their score drops to 8. If they also miss an extra point (-1 point), their score becomes 7.
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Missed Extra Points (PATs): While less common to miss than field goals, a missed PAT also incurs a penalty, usually -1 point.
Kicker Penalties Fantasy
Beyond simply missing kicks, other infractions can directly lead to negative points. These often stem from unsportsmanlike conduct or specific procedural errors:
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Unsportsmanlike Conduct: If a kicker is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, taunting, or other penalties that lead to a yardage loss and a potential financial fine (which is often reflected in fantasy scoring), this can result in a point deduction. This might be -1 or -2 points, depending on the league’s specific kicker penalties fantasy rules.
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Holding Calls: Sometimes, kickers are involved in the protection unit on punts or field goals. If they are penalized for holding, this can also result in a point deduction.
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False Start/Delay of Game: While more commonly associated with offensive linemen, if a kicker is somehow involved in or responsible for a penalty like a false start or delay of game on a kicking play, it can lead to negative points. These are usually minor deductions, perhaps -0.5 or -1 point.
Kicker Fumbles Fantasy
While rare for a kicker to handle the ball enough to fumble, it can happen in a few specific situations:
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Muffed Snap: If the snap from the long snapper is poor and the kicker can’t handle it cleanly, they might fumble the ball. If the opposing team recovers the fumble, it’s a turnover and a negative play. Most fantasy leagues will penalize a fumble by the kicker, usually -1 or -2 points.
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Fake Field Goal Attempts: On rare occasions, a team might attempt a fake field goal where the holder or kicker tries to run or pass. If the kicker is the one fumbling the ball in this scenario, the same penalty applies.
Kicker Blocked Kicks Fantasy
A blocked kick is a devastating play for a team, and fantasy football often reflects this.
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Blocked Field Goal: If a kicker’s field goal attempt is blocked by the defense, it generally results in a negative point deduction. This is often a -2 point penalty, as it represents a complete failure to score and a lost opportunity.
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Blocked Punt: While kickers typically don’t punt (that’s the punter’s job), in some rare instances where a team uses the same player for both roles, or if a kicker is forced to punt in an emergency, a blocked punt would also incur a penalty.
The Perfect Storm for Negative Points
To achieve truly negative kicker points, several of these negative events need to occur on the same game day for your kicker. Let’s construct a hypothetical scenario:
Imagine your kicker, “Frosty” McGoalie, is having a terrible day.
- Missed Extra Point: Early in the game, he misses an extra point (-1 point).
- Missed Field Goal (Short): He then misses a 35-yard field goal attempt (-1 point).
- Missed Field Goal (Long): Later, he misses a 48-yard field goal (-2 points).
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct: In frustration after the missed 48-yarder, he argues with an official and gets flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct (-1 point).
In this scenario, Frosty has accumulated -5 points from penalties and misses alone.
Now, let’s say he also makes:
- One 25-yard field goal (+3 points).
- One 42-yard field goal (+4 points).
- Two extra points (+1 point each, +2 points total).
His positive scoring total is 3 + 4 + 2 = 9 points.
His total score for the week would be 9 (positive points) – 5 (negative points) = 4 points.
However, what if Frosty also had a field goal attempt blocked?
Let’s say his 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked (-2 points). Now his positive scoring is just 3 (25-yard FG) + 2 (PATs) = 5 points.
His total score would be 5 (positive points) – 5 (negative points) = 0 points. This is a zero-point kicker scenario.
To get into negative territory, the negative point deductions must exceed the positive points scored.
Let’s adjust our scenario for truly negative points:
- Missed Extra Point (-1 point)
- Missed 35-yard Field Goal (-1 point)
- Missed 48-yard Field Goal (-2 points)
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct (-1 point)
- Blocked 25-yard Field Goal (-2 points)
Total negative points from penalties and misses: -1 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 2 = -7 points.
Now, let’s say Frosty only manages to make two extra points (+1 each, +2 points total).
His final score: 2 (positive points) – 7 (negative points) = -5 points.
This hypothetical showcases how a series of unfortunate events can lead to a kicker scoring negative points in fantasy football.
Zero-Point Kickers and Why They Happen
A “zero-point kicker” is a kicker who scores exactly 0 points in a given week. This can happen if their positive scoring is exactly canceled out by their negative scoring.
For example:
- Makes one 20-yard field goal (+2 points).
- Misses one 30-yard field goal (-1 point).
- Misses one extra point (-1 point).
- Is penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct (-1 point).
- Has a 50-yard field goal blocked (-2 points).
In this case, the kicker scored 2 positive points but accumulated -5 negative points. Their total score would be 2 – 5 = -3 points.
A zero-point kicker is usually the result of a kicker making only extra points and then missing several kicks and/or incurring penalties.
- Makes two extra points (+2 points).
- Misses one 30-yard field goal (-1 point).
- Misses one 45-yard field goal (-2 points).
- Has a 50-yard field goal blocked (-2 points).
Here, the kicker scored +2 points and accumulated -5 points from misses and blocks. If they also had a penalty (-1 point), that would bring them to -6 points. To hit zero, the positive points must precisely match the negative deductions. For instance, if a kicker makes two extra points (+2 points) and then has a missed short field goal (-1 point) and a blocked 40-yard field goal (-2 points), their total is 2 – 3 = -1. If they also had a penalty, they’d be negative. To reach zero, they would need to make a field goal that exactly offsets their misses and penalties.
The Impact of League Settings on Kicker Scoring
It’s crucial to remember that the exact scoring for kickers can vary significantly between different fantasy football platforms (e.g., ESPN, Yahoo, FanDuel, DraftKings). What constitutes a “good” or “bad” kicker score is entirely dependent on your league’s specific kicker scoring system.
Here’s a table illustrating common point values, but always check your league’s settings:
| Scoring Event | Common Points (League A) | Common Points (League B) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made Extra Point (PAT) | +1 | +1 | Standard |
| Missed Extra Point (PAT) | -1 | -1 | Standard |
| Made FG (1-19 yards) | +2 | +2 | Shorter kicks |
| Made FG (20-29 yards) | +3 | +3 | Standard short/mid kicks |
| Made FG (30-39 yards) | +3 | +3 | Standard mid kicks |
| Made FG (40-49 yards) | +4 | +4 | Longer kicks |
| Made FG (50+ yards) | +5 | +5 | Longest kicks, bonus |
| Missed FG (under 40 yds) | -1 | -1 | Penalty for miss |
| Missed FG (40+ yds) | -2 | -2 | Higher penalty for longer miss |
| Blocked Field Goal | -2 | -2 | Penalty for blocked attempt |
| Fumble by Kicker | -1 | -1 | Penalty for ball handling error |
| Unsportsmanlike Conduct | -1 | -1 | Penalty for player behavior |
| Defensive Penalty on Kick | -1 | -1 | Penalty impacting the kicking unit |
Some leagues might offer bonus points for longer field goals or for making a certain number of kicks. Conversely, some might have more severe penalties for missed kicks or even penalize a kicker for the team being inside the opponent’s 10-yard line without scoring (though this is very rare).
Strategies for Managing Kickers in Fantasy Football
Given the potential for negative points and the variability in scoring, managing the kicker position requires a bit of strategy:
Draft Day Considerations
- Late Round Pick: Kickers are almost universally drafted in the final rounds of fantasy drafts. Don’t waste early-round capital on a kicker, as the positional advantage is minimal compared to elite skill players.
- Target Consistency: Look for kickers on high-powered offenses that score a lot of points. More scoring opportunities mean more chances for field goals and extra points. Kickers for teams that tend to stall in the red zone but are good enough to move the ball into field goal range are often valuable.
- Home Field Advantage: Consider kickers who play in domes or in stadiums with favorable weather conditions (avoiding extreme cold, wind, or snow).
During the Season Management
- Waiver Wire Savvy: Don’t be afraid to drop a struggling kicker and pick up a hot waiver wire option, especially if your primary kicker is on a bye week or facing a particularly tough matchup.
- Matchup Analysis: Pay attention to your kicker’s matchup. A kicker facing a strong defense that stifles offenses might have fewer scoring opportunities. Conversely, a kicker facing a team that often allows opponents to get close but not score touchdowns can be a great source of field goal attempts.
- Avoid “Boom or Bust” Kickers: While long field goals offer high point potential, kickers on teams that struggle to move the ball might have fewer attempts overall, leading to inconsistency.
The Kicker Penalties Fantasy and Missed Kicks Fantasy Connection
The core of achieving negative kicker points lies in the combination of kicker penalties fantasy and kicker missed kicks fantasy. A kicker who is accurate and plays for a good offense is unlikely to score negatively. However, a kicker who is prone to missing, particularly from longer distances, and also gets penalized for their behavior or for team infractions, significantly increases their risk of ending up in the negative column.
Imagine a kicker who makes only 70% of their field goals. In a season where they attempt 30 field goals, they will miss roughly 9. If half of those misses are from 40+ yards, that’s already 4-5 missed kicks costing them 7-10 points. Add in a few missed extra points or a penalty or two, and you can see how quickly their score can erode.
Kicker Blocked Kicks Fantasy and Fumbles Fantasy
While less frequent than missed kicks, kicker blocked kicks fantasy and kicker fumbles fantasy represent significant negative plays. A blocked kick can essentially negate the points from a made kick, and then some, due to the penalty. A fumble by a kicker is almost always a catastrophic event that leads to a turnover and almost certainly a negative fantasy score for the kicker. These are the types of plays that can quickly turn a decent score into a disastrous one.
In Summary: The Fantasy Kicker Landscape
The fantasy kicker position is a delicate balance of scoring opportunities and the potential for penalties. While most kickers will score positive points most weeks, the possibility of negative points exists and is driven by missed kicks, blocked kicks, fumbles, and behavioral or procedural penalties. By understanding the nuances of fantasy kicker scoring, the various ways kickers can incur penalties, and the importance of league settings, fantasy managers can make more informed decisions about drafting, managing, and ultimately succeeding with their kickers. Always remember to check your specific league’s rules, as they are the ultimate arbiter of how your kicker performs in fantasy football.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can a kicker score zero points in fantasy football?
Yes, a kicker can score zero points if their positive scoring from made kicks is exactly canceled out by penalties and missed kicks.
Q2: What is the most common reason for a kicker to score negative points?
The most common reasons are missed field goals and missed extra points, which incur point deductions in most fantasy scoring systems.
Q3: Do all fantasy football leagues penalize missed kicks?
Almost all fantasy football leagues penalize missed kicks, but the exact point deduction amounts can vary from league to league. It’s essential to check your league’s specific scoring rules.
Q4: Are there any bonuses for kickers in fantasy football?
Some leagues offer bonus points for successful long field goals (e.g., 50+ yards) or for a kicker making a certain number of kicks in a game.
Q5: What happens if a kicker’s kick is blocked?
A blocked kick typically results in a point deduction for the kicker, often more than a simple missed kick.
Q6: Can a kicker be penalized for a penalty committed by another player on the kicking unit?
This depends on the league’s specific rules. In some cases, a penalty like holding on the kicking unit might be attributed to the kicker, leading to a deduction.
Q7: Is it possible for a kicker to score a touchdown in fantasy football?
Yes, though it’s rare. This usually occurs on a fake field goal attempt where the kicker or holder scores, or in very unusual circumstances where the kicker recovers a loose ball for a touchdown. These events usually award points similar to any other offensive player.