RADIO
Week 17 is here, and, for those of you that are still playing for something in your fantasy leagues, congratulations and good luck. For those of you that are just here because you have a passion for kickers that do in fact matter, welcome, and we're glad to have you.
Week 17 is where things start to get weird and wacky, and that's not what we want for fantasy. We like chalk, and we don't want to have to worry about the guys in our lineups. When it comes to kickers, you can be flying completely blind.
Teams can rest their starters on offense which can slow things down, and, if a kicker is dealing with an injury, we can see them sat down as well. The best way to predict them is by looking at the teams that won't be resting starters for playoff reasons along with those teams working on building for next season.
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Week 17 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers
1. Harrison Butker (KC) vs LAC
2. Nick Folk (NE) vs MIA
3. Wil Lutz (NO) @ CAR
4. Jake Elliott (PHI) @ NYG
5. Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) vs TEN
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gets the top spot with his team still playing for a first-round bye. The Chiefs offense has been playing well of late, and the Los Angeles Chargers look ready for the offseason. New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk is up next. His team is the other one playing for the second overall seed in the AFC, and they're in with a win over a feisty Miami Dolphins team. New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz is a lot like Butker this week. They have a good matchup with a good offense. That's easy math.
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott is up next in a win and they're in situation. The New York Giants Defense just allowed 35 points to the Washington Redskins so I think we can expect some similar production. Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn rounds out our top five. He could see his spot slide if news comes out that Houston is sitting their starters, but, as of now, Fairbairn kicks for a talented offense.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers
6. Kai Forbath (DAL) vs WAS
7. Daniel Carlson (OAK) @ DEN
8. Mason Crosby (GB) @ DET
9. Dan Bailey (MIN) vs CHI
10. Stephen Hauschka (BUF) vs NYJ
Dallas Cowboys kicker Kai Forbath is here because his team still has something to play for, and their matchup is great. If they win and the Eagles lose, they're in the playoffs. Their offense is playing at home which should help. Oakland Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson is up next because Jon Gruden never quits, and they have an outside shot at the playoffs. The Denver Broncos Defense is good, but this Raiders offense finds ways to move the ball.
Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby is here with a team that is scrapping for playoff positioning as they fight against a struggling Detroit Lions Defense that allows a fair bit of scoring. Minnesota Vikings kicker Dan Bailey finds the ninth spot. His Vikings are looking to have some momentum on their side heading into the playoffs. Buffalo Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka is somewhat of a gut call this week. The Bills are locked into their seed, but they aren't likely to rest a ton of starters in Week 17. Plus, the New York Jets are bad, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers
11. Chase McLaughlin (IND) @ JAX
12. Zane Gonzalez (ARI) @ LAR
13. Matt Gay (TB) vs ATL
14. Ryan Succop (TEN) vs HOU
15. Chris Boswell (PIT) @ BAL
Indianapolis Colts kicker Chase McLaughlin isn't kicking for anything except pride but this Colts team keeps playing hard every week, as evidenced by the 38 they ran up last week with nothing to play for. Arizona Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez got some increased work last week, and that could happen again in Week 17 against a Los Angeles Rams unit that isn't playing for anything with their playoff hopes ended. Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Matt Gay is up next. This offense shows no quit, and they'll be looking to end the year with a big showing.
Tennessee Titans kicker Ryan Succop is near the bottom of these rankings, but he could move up depending on who plays for Houston. This offense has been playing well over the past month and a half, and they can put up points in a hurry to get Succop scoring opportunities. Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell gets in despite his offense's weaknesses because the Ravens will be resting so many starters.
Kickers to Avoid
Justin Tucker is here this week because the rest of his starters will be sitting out this contest. The Steelers have a good defense, and they could easily limit scoring opportunities. After being fantasy locks all year, the Ravens are now anything but.
Greg Zuerlein, after not being here for two years, is here in back-to-back weeks. This offense has not been outstanding, and they have nothing to play for next week. I could see several starters that are nursing injuries sitting on the sideline on Sunday.
Joey Slye of the Carolina Panthers is still booting everything through this year, but his offense is terrible. They are also on their third-string quarterback against a defense that is playing very well over the last few weeks. It's just a mixture of a lot of things we don't want to touch.
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