Highlights
- The NFL regular season is fast-approaching, which means it's time to start preparing for your league's fantasy football draft.
- While kickers don't get a lot of love, and especially not in fantasy football, it's still a position that could make or break your team.
- With that in mind, these are the 10 kickers you should be aiming to pick up during your league's draft or off the wire.
NFL Fantasy Football has taken over the nation, but it's usually due to some of the more fun, interesting positions to watch and talk about. There are exciting players at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and even some at tight end, and these are the players fans focus on the most as they try and win their fantasy league.
It makes sense that those are the most popular positions, since those guys usually score, by far, the most points on your team. However, if you've ever lost a fantasy match-up by a couple of points, or even worse, a couple of decimals, then you know how important each and every position in your lineup is.
That's where kickers come into play. They don't get a ton of love, and they rarely make a massive impact on your roster, but these players can absolutely make or break your match-up if it ends up being close.
Luckily, there are quite a few that have become pretty reliable, and rarely miss kicks. Here are 10 kickers you should be looking to draft or pick up off the wire this year.
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1 Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
Tucker has long-since established himself as the most reliable kicker in the league
If you were to ask the average fan who they believed was the best kicker in the league, Justin Tucker would likely be their answer.
GIVEMESPORT Key Stat: With 5 First-Team All-Pro honors under his belt, Justin Tucker has two more than any other kicker in NFL history. His seven Pro Bowl nods are also tied for an NFL kicker record (Morten Andersen).
Tucker provides a lot of fantasy value. He is notorious for hitting long kicks, which are worth more than shorter kicks in most leagues. He's also been very reliable, so the Baltimore Ravens have typically felt more than comfortable giving him opportunities to kick.
Justin Tucker in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Tucker | Rank |
FGA | 37 | T-6th |
FGM | 32 | T-8th |
Longest Make | 50 | N/A |
FG% | 86.5% | T-14th |
XPA | 52 | T-3rd |
XPM | 51 | 3rd |
XP% | 98.1% | 11th |
Tucker has a legitimate argument for going down as the best kicker of all time, but he actually had a bit of a down year, by his standards, in 2023. His 85.5% hit rate was one of the lower ones of his career, but he was excellent at extra points, making nearly all 52 of them. There isn't much of an argument against Tucker being the first kicker off the board.
2 Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs
Butker has quickly proved his worth as one of the best in the league
Off the field controversies aside, there are few better options at kicker for your fantasy team than Harrison Butker . Since entering the league in 2017, he's been automatic, and has been extremely clutch for the Kansas City Chiefs during their many recent playoff runs.
Harrison Butker in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Butker | Rank |
FGA | 35 | 11th |
FGM | 33 | T-5th |
Longest Make | 60 | N/A |
FG% | 94.3% | 4th |
XPA | 38 | T-11th |
XPM | 38 | 10th |
XP% | 100% | T-1st |
It's hard to be any more consistent than Butker was in 2023. He made every single extra point attempt, and missed just two field goals. With the Chiefs' offense being as good as it is, and Butker as consistent as he is, he should be racking up fantasy points in 2024.
3 Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys
Aubrey quickly made a name for himself as a rookie in 2023
Brandon Aubrey was one of the rare kickers to get drafted, but he quickly proved his worth for the Dallas Cowboys . He stepped in and made a whopping 36 of his 38 field goals, and those 36 conversions ended up leading the entire league.
Brandon Aubrey in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Aubrey | Rank |
FGA | 38 | T-3rd |
FGM | 36 | 1st |
Longest Make | 60 | N/A |
FG% | 94.7% | 3rd |
XPA | 52 | T-3rd |
XPM | 49 | T-4th |
XP% | 94.2% | 21st |
Aubrey was extremely impressive in his rookie year. He made a whopping 10 kicks of more than 50 yards, which are worth a significant amount of points in most fantasy leagues. Converting on over 94% of both his field goals and extra point attempts, it's hard to be better than Aubrey was in 2023.
4 Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons
Koo has established impressive consistency in the league
Younghoe Koo began his career with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, but his time there didn't last very long. He missed three of his first six field goal attempts with the team, and they released him. However, he latched on with the Atlanta Falcons before the 2018 season, and he's been excellent ever since.
Younghoe Koo in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Koo | Rank |
FGA | 37 | T-6th |
FGM | 32 | T-8th |
Longest Make | 54 | N/A |
FG% | 86.5% | 15th |
XPA | 28 | T-23rd |
XPM | 27 | T-23rd |
XP% | 96.4% | T-15th |
Koo doesn't offer quite as much as some of the others on this list when it comes to longer attempts, which is part of the reason he's not in the top three. However, he's been extremely consistent on his shorter kicks, including extra points, where he made over 96% of his tries in 2023.
5 Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
Throughout his career, Elliot has been about as consistent as one could be
Jake Elliott joined the Philadelphia Eagles before the 2017 season, and it didn't take him very long to make a name for himself. In his first ever game, he kicked a 61-yard game winner against the New York Giants . He's been dominant and consistent ever since.
Jake Elliot in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Elliot | Rank |
FGA | 32 | 16th |
FGM | 30 | T-11th |
Longest Make | 61 | N/A |
FG% | 93.8% | 6th |
XPA | 46 | 6th |
XPM | 45 | 6th |
XP% | 97.8% | 13th |
Elliott has been extremely reliable, and there really isn't an area in which he's lacking. He's capable of nailing long kicks, as he's hit from over 60 yards out multiple times before, and was able to make seven of his eight 50+ yard attempts in 2023. If you draft him for your team this fall, you likely won't regret it.
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6 Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals
McPherson gets a ton of chances, making him a valuable player
Evan McPherson joined the Cincinnati Bengals before the 2021 season, and he quickly became valuable to the team. During their playoff run that year, McPherson made multiple massive kicks that helped them push their way to the Super Bowl .
Evan McPherson in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | McPherson | Rank |
FGA | 31 | T-17th |
FGM | 26 | T-21st |
Longest Make | 56 | N/A |
FG% | 83.9% | 20th |
XPA | 40 | T-8th |
XPM | 40 | T-8th |
XP% | 100% | T-1st |
While McPherson made all of his extra points, his field goal percentage is a little lower than some of his peers, which is why he's further down on the list. Still, he gets a ton of chances. McPherson attempted 20 kicks of 40+ yards in 2023, so he'll at least be given a sufficient opportunities to earn you some points.
7 Ka'imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans
Fairbairn has put together some of the best years of his career recently
Ka'imi Fairbairn has been in the league since 2017, and he's been solid. He spent his first couple of seasons as one of the more average kickers in the league, who was still able to get the job done. However, over the last two years, he's stepped it up a bit.
Ka'imi Fairbairn in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Fairbairn | Rank |
FGA | 28 | T-25th |
FGM | 27 | T-19th |
Longest Make | 54 | N/A |
FG% | 96.4% | 2nd |
XPA | 22 | T-28th |
XPM | 21 | 28th |
XP% | 95.5% | 19th |
Fairbiarn hasn't gotten a ton of attempts over 50 yards, with only 40 throughout his seven-year career. He's been solid from those distances though, making 29 of them. Over the past two seasons, Fairbairn has been lethal, making 93% of his field goals in 2022 and 96% in 2023.
8 Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins
While not an elite kicker, it's hard to argue with Sanders' career resume
Jason Sanders is one of the more interesting kickers on this list. He's got a couple of really impressive seasons under his belt, and was even voted a First Team All-Pro in 2020. Sanders also has some seasons behind him that left much to be desired.
Jason Sanders in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Sanders | Rank |
FGA | 28 | T-25th |
FGM | 24 | T-24th |
Longest Make | 57 | N/A |
FG% | 85.7% | 17th |
XPA | 59 | 2nd |
XPM | 58 | 2nd |
XP% | 98.3% | 10th |
Sanders could have a year like 2020, when he makes all of his extra points and over 92% of his field goals. He could also have a year like 2021, when he makes less than two-thirds of his field goals. What we do know is that the Dolphins offense will move the ball, and he's mostly been very consistent, so he warrants some interest in your fantasy league.
9 Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers
Moody had some growing pains as a rookie, but proved he's got what it takes
Jake Moody was taken with the 99th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers , which is extremely high for a kicker. He had some growing pains at the beginning of his rookie season, but he eventually figured things out, and had a great end to the year.
Jake Moody in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Moody | Rank |
FGA | 25 | T-27th |
FGM | 21 | 27th |
Longest Make | 57 | N/A |
FG% | 84% | 19th |
XPA | 61 | 1st |
XPM | 60 | 1st |
XP% | 98.4% | 9th |
Moody was automatic on his extra points, and the 49ers will be kicking a lot of those in 2024 with their high-powered offense, so that's something to watch out for. He finished the year well, so if he continues that run into 2024, he could become one of the elite kickers in the league.
10 Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears
Santos has bounced around a bit, but he's found a steady home in Chicago
Cairo Santos has had a couple of different places to call home over his 10-year career in the league, but he seems to have found a nice role with the Chicago Bears . He's been with the team for four years now, and has turned in very impressive seasons over the past two.
Cairo Santos in 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Stat | Santos | Rank |
FGA | 38 | T-3rd |
FGM | 35 | T-2nd |
Longest Make | 55 | N/A |
FG% | 92.1% | T-9th |
XPA | 33 | T-17th |
XPM | 31 | 20th |
XP% | 93.9% | 22nd |
Santos was extremely consistent in 2024, and turned in the best statistical season of his career. It seems like he's figured something out in the Windy City, which feels ironic to say about a kicker. However, Santos has proven he's worth a spot on your fantasy team, especially with how well we're expecting the Bears offense to move the ball.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.
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