Best Ball Kicker and Defense Strategy: Do K and DST Matter in Best Ball
Most best ball formats include a K slot and a DST slot. Because these positions are volatile and unpredictable, spending early picks on them sacrifices skill position depth that matters more over a full season.
K and DST Quick Reference
| K/DST decision | Best ball recommendation | Why | Mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to draft the kicker | Final 1–2 rounds only — round 17 or 18 in an 18-round draft | Kicker variance is too high to predict; the difference between the best and worst kickers is smaller than the variance within any single kicker’s season | Drafting a kicker before round 15 — every pick before round 15 is opportunity cost vs a WR or RB with actual upside |
| When to draft DST | Final 2–3 rounds — round 16–18 | DST scoring is the most volatile position in fantasy; even top-ranked defenses vary from 2 to 28 points in adjacent weeks | Drafting a DST before round 14 under any circumstances — the predictive value of pre-draft DST rankings decays quickly; a round-14 DST pick should be a WR or RB |
| How many kickers to carry | 1 kicker only | A second kicker virtually never scores more than the first in any single week; the second kicker slot is dead weight | Carrying 2 kickers “as insurance” — insurance for a position this unpredictable wastes a roster spot |
| How many DSTs to carry | 1 DST only | Same logic as kicker; two DSTs are one wasted pick that could be a WR depth play | Drafting 2 DSTs in rounds 15 and 16 — use round 15 for a WR with upside; the DST in round 16 is sufficient |
| Do K and DST total score matter? | Yes — they combine for 300–400+ points across 17 weeks, roughly 15–20% of total team scoring | They are meaningful to the total score; but the predictability is near-zero, which means optimizing them in the draft provides no real edge | Believing K/DST do not matter because they are unpredictable — they matter to the score; they do not matter to draft strategy because you cannot reliably identify which K or DST will score more |
| Matchup-based DST selection | Minimal value — early-season favorable DST schedules decay by Weeks 3–4 | By the time the schedule advantage plays out, the ADP premium you paid for a “favorable schedule DST” is already priced in | Drafting a DST in round 14 because they play easy teams in Weeks 1–4 — the schedule advantage dissolves; a round-16 DST against the same schedule would have worked just as well |
When to Draft K and DST in Best Ball
Draft K and DST as late as possible. In most best ball leagues with 18-player rosters, kicker and DST should be drafted in the last 2–3 rounds. The weekly variance of these positions is too high to justify spending meaningful draft capital on them.
Only draft 1 of each. Unlike skill positions where depth provides value, carrying 2 kickers or 2 DSTs rarely improves your best ball score — the second one virtually never scores more than your first in any given week. Use the extra picks on WR depth instead.
Do K and DST Matter in Best Ball
They matter in aggregate, not individually. Over a full 17-game season, K and DST together contribute 300–400+ PPR points. That is not trivial — they contribute 15–20% of total team scoring. But because variance is high and predictability is low, they are impossible to optimize in drafts.
Matchup-based drafting (limited value). Some managers draft DSTs with favorable early-season schedules. This has marginal value — the schedule advantage degrades after Weeks 3–4 when the early matchup data is already priced into ADP.
For how K/DST fits total best ball roster construction, see: Best Ball Roster Construction: How to Build a Balanced Best Ball Roster From Start to Finish.