November 8, 2016

Jacob Valov's Week 10 tiered rankings & streamers for all NFL kickers. Fantasy football starts, sits, and waiver wire pickups for week seven of the 2016 season.

It’s Week 10 and it’s once again time for kicker rankings! This list is here to help all of us figure out who’s gonna kick for our teams this week, and making those streaming or start/sit decisions easier.

While finding a good FLEX and starting the right QB are crucial to winning your matchups, anyone who’s worth their salt will tell you the true X-factor in fantasy matchups can be the kicker.

Picking the right guy could net you 10 extra points any given Sunday, clinching you a victory, frustrating your opponents, and making you seem like a god amongst men - for you have proven to be the true Prophet of Special Teams. So buckle up buckaroos, things are bound to get wild as we dive into the mysterious world of kicker rankings...

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 10 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Week 10 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings

Tier 1 NFL Kickers

1. Stephen Gostkowski (vs SEA) 
2. Dan Bailey (@ PIT)
3. Chandler Catanzaro (vs SF)
4. Steven Hauschka (@ NE)

As the Patriots come off bye, so does the GOAT Stephen Gostkowski re-take his rightful place atop Kicker Rankings. Tom Brady is putting up points left and right, and BB trusts Gostkowski from near anywhere on the field - you can't ask for a better situation. Against a stingy Seattle defense, Tom Brady may have to actually put in effort for the first time in the season, but they'll be no match for the Pats' rip-roaring offensive assault.

Dan Bailey makes a jump this week with the 'Boys fresh off a dominant win in Cleveland, ready to take on the slouching Steelers in Pittsburgh. Assuming the Killer B's can regain form, this game should be a shootout with high powered offenses vs average defenses. Bailey is going to get plenty of opportunities to put up points and will take advantage.

Tier 2 NFL Kickers

5. Josh Lambo (vs MIA)
6. Cairo Santos (@ CAR)
7. Justin Tucker (vs CLE)
8. Wil Lutz (vs DEN)
9. Graham Gano (vs KC)

No Alex Smith? No problem for the Chiefs. Cairo Santos carried them kicking and screaming (pun intended) to a win against an absolutely pitiful Jacksonville team, that could have (and should have) beat them, had they been even slightly competent. With Spencer Ware and Alex Smith likely to return this week, Santos won't have to do it all again, but against a Carolina team that's regaining steam, he's going to still need to be a crucial part of their gameplan.

Wil Lutz has been a pleasant surprise over the past few weeks, putting up solid points on a consistent basis, and this trend looks to continue against the butthurt Broncos coming off a rough divisional loss in Oakland. Kickers, interestingly enough, have played quite well against Denver on the season, and with the Broncos weak run defense exposed, a reborn Saints rushing attack should have a field day. Lutz is a solid, sneaky play.

Tier 3 NFL Kickers

10. Ryan Succop (vs GB)
11. Matt Bryant (@ PHI)
12. Dustin Hopkins (vs MIN)
13. Brandon McManus (@ NO)
14. Robbie Gould (vs CIN)
15. Mason Crosby (@ TEN)

When in doubt, trust the kicker with a good offense. Matt Bryant isn't the best kicker in the world or the worst kicker in the world, but Matt Ryan is playing at MVP levels and the Falcons are soaring. As long as Matty Ice is here to stay, Bryant is always in the K1 conversation, even against a rough-and-tumble Philly D.

As the Minnesota Vikings' collapse continues, picking players matched up against their defense seems less and less scary. Kirk Cousins is starting to look more and more like his 2015 self, with the emergence of Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed miraculously staying moderately healthy this season, which is good news for someone looking for a high-end streaming option. The matchup may not look super appealing, but Hopkins has proven to be consistent in scoring, and he'll get chances here and there.

Tier 4 NFL Kickers

16. Mike Nugent (@ NYG)
17. Nick Novak (@ JAX)
18. Connor Barth (@ TB)
19. Blair Walsh (@ WAS)
20. Nick Folk (vs LA)

Blair Walsh cannot shake that miss against Seattle. Walsh has continued to miss kick after kick this season and, while most decidedly not on the same level as Roberto Aguayo, Walsh's failures aren't helping the Vikings regain their footing in the playoff race. Until he can prove he's beyond his yips, he isn't worth playing, even in a decent matchup with Washington.

Tier 5 NFL Kickers

21. Chris Boswell (vs DAL)
22. Andrew Franks (@ SD)
23. Caleb Sturgis (vs ATL)
24. Greg Zuerlein (@ NYJ)