In keeping with a trend from last week, kicker scoring was down significantly in Week 9, with only five players posting double-digit fantasy points. However, on a positive note, three of the top five kickers on the week were started in over 70% of Yahoo leagues, including top performer Nick Folk.
Folk posted 17 points after a 21-point outburst in Week 8, making him a week-winning play once again. It may behoove Folk fantasy managers to hold onto the veteran kicker over the bye, as the Patriots host the Jets in Week 11, giving Folk a solid chance at posting 10 or more fantasy points once again.
There were nine missed field goals on the week and one missed extra point. As we get further into the season and cold weather conditions start negatively affecting kickers, we will likely see more missed tries and extra points.
The two games this week that bear monitoring for weather considerations are the Thursday Night game between the Falcons and Panthers and the Sunday Night Game between the 49ers and Chargers, with both contests having rain in the forecast.
- Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire and FAAB Advice: Players to Target, Stash & Drop
- Fantasy Football Week 9 Usage Report: Waiver Wire & Trade Advice
- Let’s Stream Defenses: Week 10
- Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight End Streamers
- Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback Streamers
- Fantasy Football Rest of Season Rankings
- Fantasy Football Panic Meter
Week 9 Stud Performances from widely available kickers
Riley Patterson (JAC) vs. Las Vegas: 8% roster percentage on Yahoo
Patterson posted his first game of 10 or more fantasy points since Week 3, with two made field goals and three extra points in Jacksonville’s 27-20 win over the Raiders. With a possible negative game script in line for next week on the road against the Chiefs, I would not recommend chasing these points.
Greg Zuerlein (NYJ) vs. Buffalo: 12% roster percentage on Yahoo
Greg the leg and the Jets overcame what appeared to be a massive negative game script to put up ten fantasy points and a top-five finish against the Bills. If you had the Jets winning this game by a field goal, kudos to you. The Jets are on bye this week and then play the Patriots on the road in Week 11. Zuerlein is not worth rostering over the bye, but he could be a decent play against the Pats.
Week 9 Dud Performances from widely-rostered kickers
Harrison Butker (KC) vs. Titans: 91% roster percentage on Yahoo
Four points from one of the most rostered kickers in the league is pretty frustrating. However, keep in mind that Butker had three field goal attempts in the game and an extra point try. Had he made all three kicks and his extra point, he would have been a top-five play on the week. He is my number-one ranked kicker this week and should be started with confidence.
Kicker Rankings
| Rank | ECR | Name | TEAM | Opponent | Spread | O/U | OPP RZ D | RZ EFF* | OFF RNK | K Score** | Weather |
| 1 | 1 | Harrison Butker | KC | vs. JAC | -9.5 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 2 | 47 | 42F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 2 | 2 | Daniel Carlson | LV | vs. IND | -6.5 | 43 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 43 | Dome |
| 3 | 9 | Jake Elliott | PHI | vs. WAS | -11 | 44 | 7 | 27 | 3 | 37 | TBD |
| 4 | 3 | Tyler Bass | BUF | vs. MIN | -7.5 | 47 | 32 | 13 | 1 | 46 | 36F, 12 MPH Wind |
| 5 | 5 | Ryan Succop | TB | vs. SEA | -2.5 | 45 | 23 | 2 | 19 | 44 | 48F, Light Wind |
| 6 | 6 | Graham Gano | NYG | vs. HOU | -6.5 | 40 | 15 | 9 | 24 | 48 | 48F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 7 | 7 | Jason Myers | SEA | at TB | 2.5 | 45 | 25 | 6 | 11 | 42 | 48F, Light Wind |
| 8 | 12 | Wil Lutz | NO | at PIT | -2.5 | 42 | 6 | 21 | 6 | 33 | 37F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 9 | 14 | Brandon McManus | DEN | at TEN | 3 | 39 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 31 | 42F, Light Wind |
| 10 | 4 | Brett Maher | DAL | at GB | -5 | 43 | 5 | 24 | 22 | 51 | 34f, Light Wind |
| 11 | 10 | Jason Sanders | MIA | vs. CLE | -4 | 49 | 21 | 26 | 5 | 52 | 82F, 9 MPH Wind |
| 12 | 11 | Robbie Gould | SF | vs. LAC | -7 | 47 | 26 | 20 | 12 | 58 | 58F, Light Rain, Light Wind |
| 13 | 13 | Matt Gay | LAR | vs. ARI | -3 | 44 | 27 | 5 | 31 | 63 | Dome |
| 14 | 8 | Younghoe Koo | ATL | at CAR | -3 | 45 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 70 | 62F, Rain 11 MPH Wind |
| 15 | 17 | Mason Crosby | GB | vs. DAL | 5 | 43 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 30 | 34f, Light Wind |
| 16 | 24 | Chris Boswell | PIT | vs. NO | 2.5 | 42 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 39 | 37F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 17 | 21 | Matt Prater | ARI | at LAR | 3 | 44 | 2 | 20 | 17 | 39 | Dome |
| 18 | 20 | Ka’imi Fairbairn | HOU | at NYG | 6.5 | 40 | 3 | 10 | 29 | 42 | 48F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 19 | 15 | Greg Joseph | MIN | at BUF | 7.5 | 47 | 4 | 25 | 15 | 44 | 36F, 12 MPH Wind |
| 20 | 25 | Cameron Dicker | LAC | at SF | 7 | 47 | 26 | 12 | 9 | 47 | 58F, Light Rain, Light Wind |
| 21 | 23 | Riley Patterson | JAC | at KC | 9.5 | 50 | 30 | 11 | 8 | 49 | 42F, Light Wind |
| 22 | 29 | Joey Slye | WAS | at PHI | 11 | 44 | 13 | 15 | 21 | 49 | TBD |
| 23 | 18 | Cade York | CLE | at MIA | 4 | 49 | 29 | 22 | 4 | 55 | 82F, 9 MPH Wind |
| 24 | 26 | Chase McLaughlin | IND | at LV | 6.5 | 43 | 31 | 1 | 27 | 59 | Dome |
| 25 | 16 | Michael Badgley | DET | at CHI | 2.5 | 49 | 28 | 28 | 7 | 63 | 32F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 26 | 19 | Cairo Santos | CHI | vs. DET | -2.5 | 49 | 24 | 16 | 23 | 63 | 32F, 7 MPH Wind |
| 27 | 27 | Eddy Pineiro | CAR | vs. ATL | 3 | 44 | 18 | 15 | 30 | 63 | 62F, Rain 11 MPH Wind |
| 28 | 22 | Randy Bullock | TEN | vs. DEN | -3 | 44 | 1 | 31 | 32 | 64 | 42F, Light Wind |
*Red Zone Efficiency is based on the inverse of how well the kicker’s offense does in the red zone. For example, the Chiefs rank 2nd in red zone efficiency; therefore, Harrison Butker has an RZ EFF score of 30. The lower number, the better for kickers, as playing on a team that struggles to score touchdowns in the red zone equates to more field goal opportunities.
**The K Score is the sum of a player’s opponent’s red zone, the red zone efficiency of his offense, and the overall rank of his respective team in terms of total yards. A low score indicates that a kicker has variables working in his favor for a good fantasy kicking performance.
Kicker rankings are based on numerous factors, including matchups, Vegas lines and score projections, weather conditions, the ability of a kicker’s team offense and their ability to move the ball into field goal range, offensive red zone efficiency, and how well the opposing defense limits touchdowns in the red zone. These factors are a guide but not a definitive way to predict kicking success, as other variables and negative game scripts significantly impact the outcome.
Based on all the variables mentioned above, the following two kickers are players ranked outside of the FantasyPros ECR top 10 who could be an excellent play in Week 10.
Wil Lutz (NO) @ Pittsburgh: 31% roster percentage on Yahoo
After averaging 12 points between weeks five and seven, Lutz has been somewhat disappointing, with 11 total points in his last two matchups. The Saints have a raw deal with a road game on a short week against a team coming off a bye. Luckily, that team is the Steelers, and they are not an elite defense this season. This game could be ugly for fantasy points, but Lutz and his K Score of 33 indicate he should be a top-10 play.
Brandon McManus (DEN) @ Tennessee: 17% roster percentage on Yahoo
McManus’ K Score of 31 is the best on the week, making him an intriguing option for players looking for a bye-week replacement for Tucker or Folk. However, that is all predicated on the fact that Russell Wilson and the Denver offense do not go AWOL in this game. I don’t like betting on Russ, but this could be a solid game for McManus.
Prediction Review
Each week I suggest two kickers ranked outside the FantasyPros ECR top 10 who I believe will be solid performers based on the variables described in the K Score section. The following is a review of my picks from the previous week to see where I was successful and where I missed the mark.
Michael Badgley (DET) vs. GB: 2% roster percentage on Yahoo
ECR Rank: 16
My Rank: 11
Week 9 Finish: 26
This game did not turn out at all how I predicted. Vegas had an over/under of 49 points, yet the two teams combined to score 24. It also did not help that the Lions went for two and did not attempt a field goal. This might be my biggest miss of the season.
Dustin Hopkins/Cameron Dicker (LAC) @ Atlanta: 6% roster percentage on Yahoo
ECR Rank: 20
My Rank:12
Week 9 Finish: T16
The Chargers continue to be a team to target for kicker points because they are a top-five offense in yards per game, yet are an average red zone team. This proved to be the case in Week 9, with Dicker scoring eight points and finishing tied for sixth.
Waiver Wired
Top Add
Jason Myers (SEA) vs. NYG: 79% roster percentage on Yahoo
No, this is not a type-o. Last week, I said I would continue to recommend Myers as my top waiver add until he gets rostered close to 90% of Yahoo leagues. Not only did Myers put up a top-6 performance last week, but he is also my fifth-ranked kicker this week and should be a solid play on the road in Arizona.
Other players to consider:
Graham Gano (NYG) vs. Houston: 32% roster percentage on Yahoo
Brett Maher DAL) @ Green Bay: 20% roster percentage on Yahoo
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Andrew Swanson is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, check out his archive or follow him @FFKickerGuy.
