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Week 12 ranks, tiers and start/sit advice for fantasy football kickers. Gage Bridgford (@GBridgfordNFL) lists his weekly K rankings and players to avoid based on matchup, weather, and team context.
Week 12 is upon us, and two of the best fantasy offenses in the NFL are both on their byes this week. Not only will players be looking for kicker streamers with Greg Zuerlein and Harrison Butker out this week, but players will be scrambling to fill a ton of spots.
The fantasy regular season is nearly over for the vast majority of leagues, so this week is all the more important. With the NFL setting all sorts of scoring records, kickers legs are getting more and more work every week.
One key decision to make this week, if you're a Butker or Zuerlein owner, is whether or not you want to roster two kickers moving forward. No one would fault you for doing so with these two, but it's a rare decision to hold onto more than one kicker in a season.
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Week 12 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers
1. Wil Lutz (NO) vs ATL
2. Stephen Gostkowski (NE) @ NYJ
3. Adam Vinatieri (IND) vs MIA
4. Cody Parkey (CHI) @ DET
5. Brett Maher (DAL) vs WAS
The New Orleans Saints offense has been getting better and better as the season has gone on. Against one of the worst defenses in the NFL, Lutz is the top option for this week. Gostkowski and the New England Patriots are coming off of a bye after getting beaten badly in Week 10. The New York Jets will be facing this buzzsaw in Week 12, and it won't go well. Vinatieri is the kicking GOAT, and, against a struggling Miami Dolphins defense, he is a great option in Week 12.
Parkey and the Chicago Bears offense only put up 25 points this week, but they should have a better week against the soft Detroit Lions defense. Watch for Parkey to be an active threat on Thanksgiving in the dome in Detroit. Maher and the Dallas Cowboys barely scraped out a win in Week 11, and, against a Washington Redskins team that will be without their starting quarterback, he should have even more opportunities to put up points.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers
6. Josh Lambo (JAX) @ BUF
7. Mike Badgley (LAC) vs ARI
8. Chris Boswell (PIT) @ DEN
9. Brandon McManus (DEN) vs PIT
10. Justin Tucker (BAL) vs OAK
Lambo and the Jacksonville Jaguars have been more consistent since the return of running back Leonard Fournette, and they should get into scoring position several times. Badgley and the Los Angeles Chargers had a struggle against a good Denver Broncos defense, but they get an easier matchup against the Arizona Cardinals that should boost his scoring opportunities. Boswell and the Pittsburgh Steelers head to Denver where the air is thin that allows Boswell to have greater long-distance accuracy on his kicks.
McManus and the Denver Broncos have been a letdown so far this year, but their natural environment advantage makes McManus a good option every week. Against a Steelers defense that struggles to stop anyone, McManus will have multiple opportunities. Tucker and the Baltimore Ravens do most of their money-making on the defensive side of the ball. Against an Oakland Raiders that has struggled mightily all year long, Tucker will have plenty of opportunities to remain a good starting option.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers
11. Graham Gano (CAR) vs SEA
12. Sebastian Janikowski (SEA) @ CAR
13. Dan Bailey (MIN) vs GB
14. Matt Bryant (ATL) @ NO
15. Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) vs TEN
Gano and the Carolina Panthers offense have been putting up points in bunches in nearly every week. He had a letdown week in Week 11, but he should bounce back against the Seattle Seahawks this week. Janikowski and the Seahawks have been getting better and better every week. The Panthers are a decent defense, but the Seahawks can still move the ball decently. Bailey and the Minnesota Vikings have stepped back after last season, but the Green Bay Packers defense has been too inconsistent to not play Bailey.
The New Orleans Saints defense has been getting better and better over the last month or so, but so has the Atlanta Falcons offense. Bryant showed that he is still a good starting option now that he is healthy again. Fairbairn and the Houston Texans have been steadily getting their groove back over the course of the season. Against a reeling Tennessee Titans defense, they should move the ball very well to set up Fairbairn.
Kickers to Avoid
Matt McCrane and the Arizona Cardinals have been getting better as the year has gone on, but they have a brutal matchup against the Chargers this week. He can be avoided until a better matchup comes along for him.
Daniel Carlson and the Oakland Raiders look like one of the worst teams in the NFL right now. Against an elite Baltimore Ravens defense that generates turnovers with great frequency, Carlson will be lucky to get on the field with regularity this week.
Dustin Hopkins of the Washington Redskins has a tough matchup this week, and they lost their starting quarterback to a brutal fractured leg this week. On a short week, the offense should look rather disjointed on Thanksgiving.
More Weekly Lineup Prep
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