Week 1 Kicker Rankings for Fantasy Football: Kicker Updates Include Jake Bates, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Chase McLaughlin, Cam Little, Tyler Loop, Chad Ryland

September 6, 2025

RotoBaller's updated Week 1 kicker (K) rankings for fantasy football in 2025. Read the weekend updates for our fantasy football kicker rankings and win more.

Many fantasy managers will ignore the kicker spot, but they can make the difference between winning and losing your first matchup of the season. Find the best option to start with our Week 1 fantasy football kicker rankings for 2025. Find out where Jake Bates, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Chase McLaughlin, Cam Little, Tyler Loop, and Chad Ryland stand for the opening slate of the 2025 NFL season, among all other kicking options.

Our kicker fantasy football rankings for Week 1 are put together by Nick Mariano. In addition to his rankings, below you will also find a summary of the important fantasy football injury news for this week. There are always key injuries to keep track of, so be sure to check back until kickoff.

Be sure to bookmark our fantasy football rankings portal and check back regularly for updates. Most importantly, our free mobile app is a must-have - download it and configure your push notifications. We deliver all the top NFL news, injuries, and fantasy analysis 24x7 with our free push notification alerts... all for free!

Week 1 Kicker Fantasy Football News and Injuries

• Tyler Bass Placed on Injured Reserve
• Jake Moody: An Unreliable Option in Week 1
• Graham Gano Looks to Rebound in 2025
• Younghoe Koo Ranks Just Inside the Top 12 in Week 1
• Ka'imi Fairbairn Begins Season as Strong Kicking Option
• Tyler Loop a Mid-Level Option in First Career Game
• Brandon McManus in the Streaming Kicker Conversation for Week 1
• Jake Bates Faces Tough Road Matchup in Week 1
• Jason Myers a Strong Kicking Option in Week 1

Week 1 Kicker Rankings for Fantasy Football

Be sure to bookmark our weekly PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, Standard rankings.

Week 1 Kicker Outlooks for Fantasy Football

Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo had a rough 2024, converting just 73.5 percent of his field goal attempts last season before missing the final three games with a hip injury. However, the 31-year-old comes into 2025 healthy and made four of five field goals in the preseason, with his only miss coming from 51 yards out. With the Falcons having an implied total of 23 in their Week 1 contest against the Buccaneers, there is expected to be a decent amount of scoring.

The fact that the game is a home matchup inside the dome in Atlanta means Koo will not have to deal with the elements, providing him with a pristine kicking environment. The eighth-year pro ranks as a low-end, top 12 option for Sunday's matchup, although his upside is limited given this will only be Michael Penix Jr.'s fourth start of his career, so drives may stall quickly.

Tyler Loop, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop has big shoes to fill in his first season after being drafted with the 186th overall pick this year. Despite the shaky last season and shady off-field allegations, the Ravens were used to one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history with Justin Tucker. Loop showed some impressive leg strength throughout training camp and the preseason, and he should get plenty of opportunities with the way this offense can move the ball.

Another aspect in his favor is that head coach John Harbaugh is a former special teams coach who knows when to put trust in his guys. Loop's ADP was in the middle of the pack for his position, but he has the highest Week 1 projection in RotoBaller's rankings with 8.9 fantasy points against the Buffalo Bills.

Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell will hope to build upon a stellar 2024 campaign when he opens the season against the New York Jets in Week 1. While there isn't expected to be an abundance of points scored in Sunday's contest, it's worth noting that New York surrendered the third-most fantasy points to opposing kickers last year.

If Pittsburgh's offense struggles to finish drives in quarterback Aaron Rodgers' debut, Boswell could be called upon early and often. It's not the most appealing spot to start a kicker, but fantasy managers could do much worse than Boswell in Week 1.

Brandon McManus, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus looks to bring his 2024 momentum into 2025 as the Packers welcome the Detroit Lions to Lambeau Field for Week 1. McManus, the recipient of a three-year contract extension in the offseason, was excellent last season for Green Bay. Missing just one field goal and making all his extra point attempts from his debut in Week 7 to the end of the season, McManus stabilized the kicking in Green Bay for the foreseeable future.

The Packers in 2025 return most of the same core players on offense, and then added first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden, who could be the missing explosive piece of their offense. McManus could flirt with being a startable fantasy kicker in many leagues in 2025. Right now, for Week 1, he's on the outskirts of startable range for kickers, but in a game against the Lions that could see some offensive firepower, you can do much worse than starting McManus.

Jake Bates, Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates had a breakout season as a rookie in 2024, nailing 26 of his 29 field goal attempts and converting a league-high 64 extra-point attempts. The 26-year-old will face a tough road environment in Week 1 at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Last year, Bates made 13 field goals both at home and on the road, but he made 14 more extra points in the friendly confines of Detroit's domed Ford Field.

The weather is not expected to be an issue in Green Bay on Sunday, but it's still an additional variable to consider. More importantly, the Lions averaged 30.8 points per game on the road last season, compared to 35.3 at home. The over/under for Week 1 is 47.5, so the betting markets are expecting a solid number of points to be scored between the two teams. Bates is a starting-caliber kicker in fantasy this week who should be expected to provide top-12 production.

Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers is a solid option at the position in Week 1. Myers has been relatively accurate over his last few seasons in Seattle. He only missed four field goals in 2024. When given the chance, Myers often delivers solid fantasy value. Seattle is facing off with a San Francisco 49ers defense devoid of a lot of the talent they used to have.

The defense will be well coached, but they have serious question marks in the secondary that could allow the Seahawks to go up and down the field. That is a kicker's dream, as Myers should be in solid positions to kick extra points and field goals throughout the game. Kicker is one of the more variable positions in fantasy, but Myers should be a plug-and-play option in Week 1.

Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson enters the 2025 season in the middle tier of fantasy options after two straight years of declining accuracy. Once considered one of the league's most reliable legs, Carlson now finds himself tied to an offense that remains more potential than production.

His Week 1 matchup against the Patriots does little to boost his outlook, as New England's defense should keep scoring opportunities limited. Until the Raiders prove they can sustain drives and finish possessions consistently, Carlson is best left on the waiver wire. For now, he's a low-end streaming option without dependable week-to-week fantasy value.

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