RADIO
As the season rolls on, the kicker position is always a tough one to gauge. There are so few players locked in as starters that you sometimes have to hope you get lucky. After producing double digits only three times all season, why would Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey put up 11 this week? That's how fantasy works.
In Week 10, seasons are fully forming, and players are either scraping for a playoff berth, grooming their title contender or throwing in the towel till next year. One week can be the difference between a title and a ticket to sit on your couch with nothing to play for when the playoffs roll around.
Only four teams, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, and Baltimore Ravens are on a bye this week. However, there are some very strong names in that group which will definitely lead to some interesting add/drops when it comes to the waiver wire this week. Weeks are won and lost by the waiver wire and kicker's legs.
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Week 10 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers
1. Graham Gano (CAR) @PIT
2. Harrison Butker (KC) vs ARI
3. Wil Lutz (NO) @ CIN
4. Stephen Gostkowski (NE) @ TEN
5. Giorgio Tavecchio (ATL) @ CLE
After several decent weeks, Carolina Panthers kicker Graham Gano breaks through in a matchup with another top offense. A lot of points figure to be scored which should keep Gano busy. Harrison Butker and the Kansas City Chiefs go from one bad team to another in the Arizona Cardinals. Start him and be happy. Wil Lutz and the New Orleans Saints offense is starting to him. The louder they hum the more Lutz makes the crowd roar.
Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots is still excellent. Bill Belichick always beats up on the AFC South, and the Titans have to deal with that this week. Tavecchio is in here under the assumption he starts over Matt Bryant. Obviously, Bryant gets the nod if he is active and playing.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers
6. Greg Zuerlein (LAR) vs SEA
7. Mason Crosby (GB) vs MIA
8. Mike Badgley (LAC) @ OAK
9. Cody Parkey (CHI) vs DET
10. Jake Elliott (PHI) vs DAL
Zuerlein and the Los Angeles Rams experienced a mild speed bump in their Super Bowl quest this week. I don't like the Seattle Seahawks chances to keep Legatron on the sideline. Crosby has been at the mercy of his offense the past few weeks, but he has been consistent when he has been on the field and that will continue. Badgley and the Los Angeles Chargers are sneaking up on the NFL. That's exactly what they want, so he'll finish with a sneaky good week to bolster them.
Parkey is one of the more consistent kickers in the NFL. Against a bottom-10 defense in the Detroit Lions, he should have plenty of opportunities to put points on the board. Elliott and the Philadelphia Eagles are nowhere near the form of the team that won the Super Bowl last season. However, it only takes one speech, drive or play to set this team up to run you out of the stadium.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers
11. Adam Vinatieri (IND) vs JAX
12. Chandler Catanzaro (TB) vs WAS
13. Jason Myers (NYJ) vs BUF
14. Randy Bullock (CIN) vs NO
15. Greg Joseph (CLE) @ KC
The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has been far from elite the past few weeks. In addition, the Colts offense has looked outstanding which gives Vinatieri a great matchup. Catanzaro and the Washington Redskins score a lot of points with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, and the magic keeps flowing. Myers and the Jets have a good matchup just because the Buffalo Bills are that bad.
Bullock and the Cincinnati Bengals will have to score a lot to keep with Drew Brees and the Saints, so expect them to try and keep him busy. Joseph and the Cleveland Browns don't have an amazing offense, but the Falcons do have a terrible defense, which pushes Joseph up just enough.
Kickers to Avoid
Josh Lambo of the Jacksonville Jaguars is falling victim to a struggling offense. While he is one of the better kickers in the NFL, he can't score points if the team doesn't move the ball. He needs to be avoided until the offense gets its act together.
Dustin Hopkins and the Redskins are one of the most confusing teams in the NFL. For that exact reason, he can't be trusted. He could score 15 or he could score 0. That's not allowed.
Stephen Hauschka of the Buffalo Bills is at the mercy of his offense. Hauschka finds himself here again. He's a good kicker, but he can't throw the ball for them, although he could be a quarterback upgrade for them if they can't find anyone else.
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