RADIO
Week 15 is here and for those of you that won the first week of your fantasy playoffs, congratulations. If you had a bye week, good luck to you this week. Kicker lives still matter, and three different kickers had 15 or more points last week.
Three different kickers outscored Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes last week. Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders went 7-of-8 on field goals, and he almost beat the New York Jets by himself. Getting a consistent kicker can make your week a lot more comfortable if it's a tight matchup. With several teams still jockeying for position in the playoffs, we aren't going to run into teams resting their starters yet, so we can still keep relying on the top guys at the position. We may not be saying the same thing in a few weeks.
*Notes: Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri (knee) is out for the year. Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher was waived.*
Week 15 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers
1. Justin Tucker (BAL) vs NYJ
2. Greg Zuerlein (LAR) @ DAL
3. Wil Lutz (NO) vs IND
4. Robbie Gould (SF) vs ATL
5. Harrison Butker (KC) vs DEN
Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is playing on an elite offense against a bad defense. We could see some serious fireworks in this one, and Tucker will stand to benefit in a major way. Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein is on an offense that is trending in the right direction against a Cowboys Defense that is going the opposite way. Fire him up. New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz just saw his team score over 40 points, and they get an even better matchup this week against the Indianapolis Colts.
San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould just nailed a game-winner against the New Orleans Saints. Now, he goes against an Atlanta Falcons Defense that has given up at least 20 points in all but two games this season. The final kicker in the top tier is Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker because he's still one of the NFL's best kickers and he's on one of the best offenses in football. He gets a slight boost against a good Broncos Defense.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers
6. Jason Sanders (MIA) @ NYG
7. Matt Gay (TB) @ DET
8. Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) @ TEN
9. Jake Elliott (PHI) @ WAS
10. Mason Crosby (GB) vs CHI
That's right, for the second week in a row, I'm ranking Sanders. Sanders is playing the New York Giants who have one of the NFL's worst defenses. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick finds ways to move the ball, and Sanders has made 13 of his last 15. Let's keep it rolling. Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Matt Gay would have been in the top five, but some injuries bring him down a little. His offense continues to score, and the Lions Defense allows teams to score a lot.
Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn gets into the middle of these rankings because his offense should get rolling again in Week 15. The Tennessee Titans Defense is good, but it's not as good as the Denver Broncos. Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott is on an offense that has been improving, and they're going against a bad Redskins Defense that has been playing awful as of late. Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby has been nearly automatic this season. The Bears Defense is good, but they still allow quarterback Aaron Rodgers to move the ball. If they get down the field, Crosby will give you consistent scoring every week.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers
11. Nick Folk (NE) @ CIN
12. Jason Myers (SEA) @ CAR
13. Eddy Pineiro (CHI) @ GB
14. Zane Gonzalez (ARI) vs CLE
15. Dan Bailey (MIN) @ LAC
New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk had a blocked kick in Week 14 but in Week 15, his offense will get the chance to score again against arguably the NFL's worst team in the Cincinnati Bengals. Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers had a quiet Week 14. In Week 15, they have a matchup against a Carolina Panthers team that has lost five straight games and isn't improving. Chicago Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro has improved after early-season struggles. In Week 15 they have a divisional matchup with a Packers team that has played a lot of teams close this season.
Arizona Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez plays on an offense that works to produce big plays every week. He gets the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, who have been extremely inconsistent this season. If they can hit on just one or two big plays, he'll get into scoring position frequently. Minnesota Vikings kicker Dan Bailey is playing on an offense that continues to roll, and they're playing a Chargers Defense that could limit some scoring opportunities in the red zone, which would equal more field goals.
Kickers to Avoid
Kai Forbath of the Dallas Cowboys is on his second team of the season, but that's ok. It shows his skills are valued by the NFL. However, he's on a Dallas team that is trending the wrong direction against a Los Angeles Rams squad that has won three of their last four.
Josh Lambo of the Jacksonville Jaguars is on a team that just became historic for the wrong reason, as they've lost five straight games by 17 or more points. No other team has done that. This offense is sputtering, and it's unclear how much value he's going to have every week at this point.
After getting their first win of the year, the Cincinnati Bengals came back to earth in Week 14. In Week 15, kicker Randy Bullock will be facing arguably the NFL's best defense in the New England Patriots. It's unlikely they get a lot rolling even at home, so avoid him this week.
More Weekly Lineup Prep
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