The #1 Overall Kicker for 2026 Fantasy Football - Six Candidates for K1

March 4, 2026

Who will finish as the #1 overall fantasy football kicker in 2026? Andy discusses six sneaky breakout kicker candidates to finish as K1 in 2026.

The kicker position is often viewed as the "musical chairs" position in fantasy football. Managers are constantly playing matchups and are likely to start a new kicker in most weeks.

However, managers who invest slightly more in the position can be rewarded with a near-200-point player. This season, Seattle's Jason Myers was the only kicker to hit the 200-point mark and likely won matchups in several weeks. Now it's time to look into our fantasy crystal ball and predict the No. 1 kicker for the 2026 campaign.

However, a small disclaimer: we will not view Myers, the No. 2 and No. 3 options, Ka'imi Fairbairn, and Brandon Aubrey as candidates. Instead, let's dig deeper and find the 2026 K1. Be sure to also check out our top-six candidates for the RB1, candidates for WR1, candidates for TE1, and candidates for QB1 in 2026!

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals

Evan McPherson wasted little time to make an impact for fantasy football as he was the No. 4 overall kicker (in terms of FPTS/G) in his 2021 rookie campaign. During this season, McPherson played a key role in Cincinnati's march to the Super Bowl, going 28-for-33 on field goal attempts while converting nine of his 11 attempts from 50+ yards out.

His nine field goals from 50+ yards led the sport that season. He also converted on all 48 extra points, placing him seventh among kickers.

However, since then, McPherson's production has steadily declined. From 2022 through 2024, McPherson posted a modest 80.5% FG% conversion rate with an inconsistent 62.5% rate on field goals from 50 or more yards. Despite the slump, the Florida product began to show some consistency in 2025 and appears poised to return to its 2021 production level.

While his volume was much lower given the absence of Joe Burrow for nearly half the season, McPherson went 25-for-28 on field goal attempts, with his only misses coming from 50+ yards. Once Burrow returned, McPherson posted a strong 9.4 FPTS/G, a stark jump from the 8.1 FPTS/G he averaged during the first 12 weeks of the season.

Even though Burrow has missed significant time in two of his past three seasons, when he is on the field, the entire Cincinnati team plays at an elite level, significantly raising McPherson's floor and ceiling. If Burrow can play an entire season, McPherson can compete for the K1 crown.

Cam Little, Jacksonville Jaguars

Cam Little had an efficient rookie season, but he was limited due to his offensive situation. In 2024, Little went 27-for-29 on field goal attempts and a perfect 27-for-27 on extra points. However, with Jacksonville taking a massive step forward in 2025, Little enjoyed a surge in production.

This past season, Little attempted 34 field goals and converted 30 of them while chipping in 50 of his 51 extra points. He finished as the overall No. 5 kicker and was within striking distance of Aubrey for the No. 3 spot.

Where Little flashed his true ability was from the deep ranges. While playing on a high offense can raise a kicker's floor, being able to convert consistently from 50+ yards can play a major role in boosting their ceiling.

In 2025, Little went 8-for-10 on 50+ yard attempts with two of these conversions from 67 yards and 68 yards, the latter setting a new NFL record.

Sixty. Eight. Yards.

NFL History for Cam Little 🙌 @wingstop pic.twitter.com/lYnXx1nBjf

— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2025

The entire Jacksonville offense improved under new HC Liam Coen, especially down the stretch. From Weeks 12 through 17, QB Trevor Lawrence was the QB1 for fantasy and tossed 15 TDs while adding another four with his legs. During this same stretch, Little averaged 11.2 FPTS/G, just 2.5 fewer than Myers, the No. 1 option at the position.

If Jacksonville can continue to build on its late-season surge, Little appears primed to emerge as the best kicker for fantasy.

Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings

Will Reichard had an inconsistent rookie season in 2024 but emerged as one of the game's top kickers in 2025. Despite playing on a subpar Minnesota offense, the Alabama product was the backbone of the team, going 33-for-35 on field goals and converting on all 31 of his extra points.

His only two misses came from 50+ yards out as he went 11-for-13 from this range. Despite the two misses, Reichard's 11 conversions from this range tied him for the most in the sport, alongside Aubrey and the next name on our list.

Over the last three weeks of the season (Weeks 15-17), Reichard was a league-winner at the position, tallying the third-most points among all kickers.

The only "knock" to Reichard's profile is Minnesota's QB room. However, with reports suggesting the Vikings are already exploring options outside J.J. McCarthy, the entire offense could take a major step forward if they bring in a veteran option like Kyler Murray or Jacoby Brissett.

Is Vikings' Confidence in J.J. McCarthy Waning? https://t.co/ZuZruvP152

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) February 17, 2026

Reichard is more than capable of converting from deep ranges; all he needs is more volume to put himself in the K1 territory. Volume is key to finding the K1, as the top-3 kickers in 2025 were all within the top three in most field goal attempts. If Reichard can see that volume, he could win leagues in 2026.

.@WillReichard makes a career long 59-yard FG and his teammates are hyped

MINvsCHI on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/jD8DNAAGCG

— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2025

Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chase McLaughlin emerged as an early-season favorite for the K1 title as he was scoring points at will in the high-octane Tampa Bay offense. From Weeks 1 through 8, McLaughlin was the No. 2 kicker in overall fantasy sports, trailing only Aubrey. He and Aubrey were the only two kickers who averaged double-digit fantasy points per game during this stretch.

However, once the Tampa Bay offense began to stumble in the second half, McLaughlin became a lineup landmine. Managers hoping he would return to his early-season form were greatly disappointed as the 29-year-old would average a low 7.4 FPTS/G (Weeks 9 through 17). During this stretch, McLaughlin never hit the double-digit point mark in a single contest.

While his volume and upside were greatly limited in the second half, he remained just as effective, going 12-for-13 on attempts and 15-for-15 on extra points.

However, with the Tampa Bay offense bringing in a new voice in Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson, expect them to enjoy some positive regression in 2026. Additionally, several of their offensive players battled lingering injuries during most of the second half, including Baker Mayfield (shoulder), Bucky Irving (shoulder), and Mike Evans (collarbone).

With a full offseason and a new scheme, the Tampa Bay offense could quickly return to its early-season form, setting up McLaughlin for a sleeper K1 campaign.

Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers

When looking at overall talent at the position, Cameron Dicker may be one of the best kickers in the sport. Since 2023, Dicker has gone 108-for-116 on all field goal attempts and missed just four of his 106 extra-point attempts. During this three-year stretch, Dicker posted a strong 80.8% conversion rate on 50+ yard attempts and only missed three total field goals from within 49 yards.

In 2025, Dicker attempted at least 41 field goals for the second-straight season and went 38-for-41 while hitting 34 of his 35 extra point attempts. He posted a carer-best 83.3% FG% from 50+ yards out (5-for-6).

Dicker was one of just four kickers to average double-digit fantasy points per game and finished only 17.6 fantasy points behind Aubrey for the No. 3 spot at the position.

However, the argument can be made that Dicker has yet to enjoy his best season as a professional. Following their Wild Card loss to the Patriots, the Chargers hired Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel as their new OC. McDaniel led Miami to a top-6 offense (in terms of yardage) in two of his four seasons. With Dicker's ability to convert from deep ranges, the outcome that he surpasses his 11 attempts from 50+ yards in 2026 would yield if the Los Angeles offense takes no further steps forward.

Given Dicker's immense talent and further improved situation, he is primed to lead the position in 2026.

Dicker from 54 yards out puts the @Chargers on top in OT 🎯

PHIvsLAC on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/9zetjlBtf9

— NFL (@NFL) December 9, 2025

Spencer Shrader, Indianapolis Colts

Rounding out our list will be a bit of a wild card. The 26-year-old had his season cut short due to an ACL and MCL tear. However, before this injury, Shrader was looking like the waiver-wire hero at the position.

Over his first four games (Excluding Week 5, when he suffered the injury), Shrader went 13-for-14 on attempts and hit all 12 of his extra points. During this brief stretch, the Colts' kicker was at the top of the position in terms of fantasy points. Shrader averaged an eye-catching 13.8 FPTS/G, 1.5 more than the No. 2 kicker at the time (Aubrey).

While the sample size is very small, Shrader has the skill set to be a highly effective kicker. Additionally, it appears the Colts are leaning toward resigning Daniel Jones, which will be a great sign for the long-term outlook of this offense.

Daniel Jones a Candidate for Franchise Tag? https://t.co/OP53mGTZVD

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) February 17, 2026

If Jones returns to the Colts and looks like his typical self in training camp, Shrader will likely be a popular "late-round" kicker option if you opt to fade the consensus players at the position. He may even be a waiver-wire hero once again in 2026 if he slips in ADP in shallower formats.

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