Sometimes kickers can make the difference between winning and losing, so every attempt they make is crucial to helping their team win. Although their moment lasts only seconds, there is a whole science behind their craft.

Since teams don’t end all drives with touchdowns, a field goal is a nice consolation. However, kickers must not only determine the distance to the goal posts, but also consider the opposing team’s formation and the wind direction when playing outdoors. The noise of the crowd at away games also tests their mental strength.

Although kickers play an important role for every NFL team, some fans argue that they shouldn’t be a part of fantasy football. Here are the two sides to that argument.

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Although placekickers can score points, some fantasy football players question the validity of their inclusion due to their volatility. There may be games where kickers don’t even get on the field because the offense is running well.

I hate placekickers (from a purely fantasy football perspective, I’m sure they’re nice guys).

— McGritty (@TheDannyMcG) 23 October 2018

Conversely, there are situations where they have to be the hero or the scapegoat depending on the kick. Likewise, some fantasy football players don’t like the general system used to score field goals, believing that conversions from further away should score more points.

Because fantasy football simulates a real roster, placekickers have a role to play on the team, as any NFL general manager would say. They can impact the game at any time, especially in close games, so the points they provide can make a difference even in head-to-head matchups.

It’s also interesting to see a fantasy football player’s strategy regarding placekickers. Will they go for one of the top kickers early like Justin Tucker or Harrison Butker? Or will they seek out a decent option via the waiver list?

BREAKING NEWS: The #NFL has approved the new hybrid kickoff rule, which will only apply for this year but possibly longer.

New rules:

• The kicking team, except the kicker, may not move until the ball touches the ground or a player in the landing zone or end zone.

• All… pic.twitter.com/ymrH4RBG3Z

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) March 26, 2024

For those who advocate for the inclusion of placekickers in fantasy football, every player on the roster counts towards the win, so kickers should stick around as they can make a difference, especially given the new kickoff rules.

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