November 15, 2016

Jacob Valov's Week 11 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 11 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 11 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Week 11 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings

Tier 1 NFL Kickers

1. Stephen Gostkowski (@ SF)
2. Chris Boswell (@ CLE)
3. Wil Lutz (@ CAR)
4. Cairo Santos (vs TB)
5. Dan Bailey (vs BAL)

Coming off a down-to-the-wire loss against Seattle, the Angry Brady Tour’s next stop is the Bay Area to face the dumpster fire 49ers (feels weird - and good - not to say Raiders there, huh?), and the poor, poor 49ers couldn’t stand less of a chance. Tom Brady is going to eat their children, their children’s children, and their children’s children’s children. Chip Kelly be warned - just like his pal Donald Trump, Brady can’t be stumped. Gostkowski is going to have a great afternoon as his team whoops the lowly Niners.

After having a potential game-winning XP blocked and returned for two points last week (the Broncos player stepped out of bounds but the refs decided not to call it #InvestigateTheRefs), Wil Lutz will more than make it up to the Saints with a great game against the division rival Panthers. After blowing a 19 point lead last week to the offensive powerhouse that is Kansas City (read that with a lot of sarcasm), the Panthers proved they’re just as inept as they’ve been all season, which is only going to play into Drew Brees’ hand. The Saints need a win to keep themselves in the playoff race and Lutz is going to guide them there with many a FG and XP.

Tier 2 NFL Kickers

6. Steven Hauschka (vs PHI)
7. Adam Vinatieri (vs TEN)
8. Ryan Succop (@ IND)
9. Graham Gano (vs NO)

After taking a week off to do whatever it is kickers do in their free time, Adam Vinatieri returns to the field with a tasty divisional matchup against the Titans at home. While the Titans’ offense has been all but unstoppable as of late, their defense hasn’t lived quite up to the standard. With the Colts’ offense being the only NFL-caliber unit they have on that team, Luck and Co. are gonna need to find ways to exploit the Titans’ weaknesses to avoid being knocked out of the divisional race. One such way is through the use of their talented kicker, who should be in line for several XPs and a FG or two.

On the other side of the coin, the Titans offense just shredded a reeling Green Bay team and gets an even tastier matchup against a, as previously mentioned, non-NFL caliber Indy defense desperately trying to hold on for dear life every play. Mariota and his goons are going to take the Colts’ lunch money and Ryan Succop will be getting his cut of the profits. Start him with confidence and look forward to your earnings - monetary and otherwise.

Tier 3 NFL Kickers

10. Dustin Hopkins (vs GB)
11. Matt Prater (vs JAX)
12. Robbie Gould (vs CHI)
13. Chandler Catanzaro (@ MIN)
14. Mason Crosby (@ WAS)

Chandler Catanzaro finally got his chance to redeem himself after several early-season gaffs and delivered, helping lift the Cardinals over the 49ers in what was far closer a game than it should have been. The Cardinals, like their NFC Championship brethren Panthers, are a shell of the team they once were and unfortunately that drags down their kicker as well. In a matchup with a fellow reeling NFC team in the Vikings, the Cardinals don’t match up well, as their offense of David Johnson isn’t going to cut it against the Viking front seven.

Tier 4 NFL Kickers

15. Mike Nugent (vs BUF)
16. Justin Tucker (@ DAL)
17. Sebastian Janikowski (vs HOU)
18. Dan Carpenter (@ CIN)
19. Blair Walsh (vs ARI)

Good ‘ol Seabass has been a tough kicker to read this year, posting very up and down statlines and never really following any rhyme or  reason in choosing when to go off. Even against a solid Houston defense, the Raiders should put up points with ease, but as to how many drives will end in Janikowski field goals - can’t really say. Seabass should continue to be a weekly dice roll and will continue to be ranked as such.

Tier 5 NFL Kickers

20. Caleb Sturgis (@ SEA)
21. Nick Novak (@ OAK)
22. Connor Barth (@ NYG)
23. Andrew Franks (@ LA)
24. Greg Zuerlein (vs MIA)