Top 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Kickers (Week 16)

We will have you covered throughout the 2023 fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top waiver wire targets for the week below. And here’s all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 16.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

KICKERS

Written by Pat Fitzmaurice

Brandon McManus (JAX): 43% rostered

• Next Opponents: @TB, CAR, @TEN
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: McManus missed a pair of FG attempts Sunday night against the Ravens, but there’s little reason for concern. McManus entered Week 15 tied for fourth among kickers in fantasy scoring at 9.4 points per game, having converted 24-of-28 field goals and 30-of-30 extra points. He gets a warm-weather matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 16, which offers fantasy managers peace of mind at a time of the season when weather becomes a more frequent concern.

Matt Gay (IND): 35% rostered

• Next Opponents: @ATL, LV, HOU
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Gay has been a top-10 fantasy kicker this year, averaging 9.3 points per game. He’s hit double-digit fantasy points in seven of his last 10 games. Gay gets a weatherproof dome matchup against the Falcons in Atlanta this week. The Falcons entered Week 15 having allowed 10.1 fantasy points per game to kickers, fourth-most in the league.

Michael Badgley (DET): 0% rostered

• Next Opponents: @MIN, @DAL, MIN
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: No need to worry about whether Badgley is rostered in your league, given his 0% rostership in Yahoo leagues. Badgley was elevated from the practice squad in Week 15 to kick for the Lions in place of Riley Patterson, who was deactivated. Badgley fared well in his maiden voyage with Detroit, converting 6-of-6 extra points. (He had no FG attempts in the Lions’ 42-17 thrashing of the Broncos.) Badgley has kicked for four other teams, most notably the Chargers from 2018 to 2020. In Week 16, Badgley gets an indoor matchup against the Chargers, who have yielded 9.8 fantasy points per game to kickers.

Will Lutz (DEN): 25% rostered

• Next Opponents: NE, LAC, @LV
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $1
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Lutz has been money in the bank on field goals this season, converting 28-of-30. He gets a favorable Week 16 matchup at home against the Patriots, who entered Week 15 having allowed 8.6 fantasy points per game to kickers.

Cairo Santos (CHI): 5% rostered

• Next Opponents: ARI, ATL, @GB
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $1
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: The Bears’ Week 15 loss to the Browns snapped Santos’ streak of four straight games with double-digit fantasy points. The reliable Santos hasn’t missed a field goal since Nov. 5. This week, he gets an appealing home matchup against the defensively challenged Cardinals, who are giving up 26.9 points per game.