Ethical question & poll: Tanking?

[Hottoddies]

If your team is in a rebuilding mode is it okay too roster the worst possible defense and kicker? Or is it, in essence, basically good old fashion tanking? I have never employed this tactic before but I would think it would be a smart ploy if you were looking to land a good draft position. And if it's totally fine how far do you push it? Do you play the weekly match ups? Or is that to far?

[StableOfRBs]

If your team is in a rebuilding mode is it okay too roster the worst possible defense and kicker? Or is it, in essence, basically good old fashion tanking? I have never employed this tactic before but I would think it would be a smart ploy if you were looking to land a good draft position. And if it's totally fine how far do you push it? Do you play the weekly match ups? Or is that to far?

First off, don't play with kickers. Second, there is no worst kicker for fantasy, sure there are guys who are great NFL kickers and Justin Tucker can get you like 15+ points a week occasionally but I've seen Chandler Catanzaro get 20+ before so it's pretty much a crap shoot week to week as to how many points you get from a kicker (although, yes, kickers on better offenses are generally in better position to score but it doesnt make much of a difference)

As for defense the matchup matters more than the quality of the defense half the time and injuries are more of a factor (you have 11 players to worry about for one fantasy position) so the quality of a defense can change on a dime and that's setting aside special teams plays that can cause a ton of variance week to week (cough, Tyreek Hill/Chiefs DST, cough).

It'll never matter that much which kicker you choose and I don't see any reason to play matchups on defense since that's just gonna reset your waiver priority each week (whether you use FAAB or not), spend that on players you could actual use in a rebuild and if you're team is really that bad (since most rebuilding ones are) I wouldn't worry about it giving you a decent record. Personally I don't think it's tanking because it really won't matter that much over the season.

[sugbear65]

If you are setting your lineup would the intent to lose, that's tanking. So this would be tanking. If there is no rule against it(there should be), then it's acceptable I suppose. But if there's any kinda anti-tanking rule in place, then I would consider it dirty pool.

[lawilt]

Start your best lineup possible...don't be that guy

[onetwothree]

Should always be rostering the best options for your team. If you happen to trade your best players for draft picks and guys not ready to contribute then so be it but otherwise best lineup rules should apply.

[cc texan]

Should always be rostering the best options for your team. If you happen to trade your best players for draft picks and guys not ready to contribute then so be it but otherwise best lineup rules should apply.

Came here to say this.

[grooner]

Yeah if you are switching your defense on purpose every week to try and get less points I would consider that tanking. If you only have one defense rosterrd and never switch it, even when their is a defense on the waiver that "has a better matchup", I would not consider that tanking.

[Pet_Smith]

Totally tanking. But if no rules against it, why not. You're risking reputation and friendships perhaps though.

Last four spots in our league are determined by potential points scored, not season record to stop this*. Also means even if you're in rebuild you still want to set your strongest lineup and play each week

*worst four season records then ordered by potential 'points for' scored in the entire season if they'd set the optimal lineup each week. Wouldn't impact picking up the "worst" K and DST I guess though, and only works as we have big rosters

[Shcritters]

Totally tanking. But if no rules against it, why not. You're risking reputation and friendships perhaps though.

Last four spots in our league are determined by potential points scored, not season record to stop this*. Also means even if you're in rebuild you still want to set your strongest lineup and play each week

*worst four season records then ordered by potential 'points for' scored in the entire season if they'd set the optimal lineup each week. Wouldn't impact picking up the "worst" K and DST I guess though, and only works as we have big rosters

Came to this thread to say this. The non-playoff teams in our league are ranked inversely of potential points for the rookie draft for this very purpose - to prevent tanking and having an impact on who makes the playoffs. Highly recommend implementing a rule like that.

[FiremanEd]

Doesn't matter what position, you have a responsibility to play to win with your current roster. If you choose to hold a bad Kicker or D on purpose then that is primarily an ethical thing that you need to determine if you're willing to sink to. If you are swapping out for bad players regularly for worse matchups then that is another thing and shouldn't be allowed.

[skip]

Totally tanking. But if no rules against it, why not.

I don't agree at all with this. Integrity is critical in this game. There is always an unwritten rule about tanking and owners who do it will have no part in my leagues.

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Yeah if you are switching your defense on purpose every week to try and get less points I would consider that tanking. If you only have one defense rosterrd and never switch it, even when their is a defense on the waiver that "has a better matchup", I would not consider that tanking.

I agree with this, however is anyone really that concerned with what kicker and defense ppl are starting? So much of that is random anyway. If you're worried about something like that you need to reevaluate things

[Tsunami]

I could see if you chose a young kicker over Janikowski for a "rebuild" thinking he might not play next season. That rationale would work at other positions, but at kicker even that is stretching it.

[Plank]

Allowing tanking drives out good owners ..

[CK_]

May not be legally wrong but ethically and morally wrong it is. We had a tanker last year who kept putting Ryan Mathews in week after week when he was injured. The first week I let it slide and didn't say anything because it was a last minute coaching call and owners weren't informed effectively, but by that second week I informed because it definitely ruins a week very quickly and screws over people that are really trying. Some time your team may suck and you just have to deal with it and play to the best of your ability. You are playing against potential friends and/or family so act accordingly. Talk $#@+ to your leaguemates but don't be a douche.... someone might actually have a bad team that deserves the early picks way more to keep a honest and stable league.