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Week 16 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.
For much of the season, we've seen kickers rarely used on field goal duty, but, in the last couple of weeks, we have seen a large amount of change in that area. Defenses are cashing in on the bad weather to slow opposing offenses down, and that should continue in Week 16.
The second round of the fantasy playoffs is in full effect, and every team needs every point they can get. Locks like Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker and New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski took major hits to their production in Week 15 that couldn't be easily expected.
One thing that will really help kickers next week is a third of the matchups being in domes. Wind will be a non-factor and weather won't be an issue either. Some players still have strong matchups outdoors, but it is something to factor when making your final decisions.
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Week 16 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers
1. Greg Zuerlein (LAR) @ ARI
2. Adam Vinatieri (IND) vs NYG
3. Ryan Succop (TEN) vs WAS
4. Cody Parkey (CHI) @ SF
5. Jason Myers (NYJ) vs GB
Zuerlein and the Los Angeles Rams offense has struggled the past couple of weeks. The team has their get-right game this week against the Arizona Cardinals. Vinatieri and the Indianapolis Colts had a statement win over the Dallas Cowboys last week. They have an easier matchup against the struggling New York Giants that will lead to more scoring opportunities. Succop has been one of the more consistent kickers in the NFL this season for the Tennessee Titans, and he should maintain that production this week.
Parkey and the Chicago Bears are a match made in heaven. He's been mostly accurate, and he gives the team a bailout when they stumble in the red zone. Myers gets an upgrade this week against the Green Bay Packers because it's very possible that quarterback Aaron Rodgers does not play. The Jets haven't been extremely explosive on offense, but they will have some opportunities this week.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers
6. Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) @ PHI
7. Wil Lutz (NO) vs PIT
8. Harrison Butker (KC) @ SEA
9. Brett Maher (DAL) vs TB
10. Justin Tucker (BAL) @ LAC
Fairbairn of the Houston Texans has been one of the best kickers in the NFL this season. Against the Philadelphia Eagles this week, that should continue. Lutz and the New Orleans Saints have stumbled somewhat in the past couple of weeks, but the Pittsburgh Steelers defense gives them a chance to get right again. Butker and the Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the most consistent offenses in the NFL this season. Against a Seattle Seahawks defense that surrenders a lot of points, that should continue.
Maher and the Dallas Cowboys got shut out by the Colts in Week 15. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they have a great matchup to get their offense rolling again. Tucker and the Baltimore Ravens are clicking at just the right time. They've won four of their last five games, and they will need to keep that offense rolling to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers
11. Jake Elliott (PHI) vs HOU
12. Stephen Gostkowski (NE) vs BUF
13. Dan Bailey (MIN) @ DET
14. Brandon McManus (DEN) @ OAK
15. Mike Badgley (LAC) vs BAL
Elliott and the Philadelphia Eagles had the bounce-back game that they have been looking for last week. Against a strong Texans defense, they should get into scoring range, but they might not be as touchdown efficient. Gostkowski and the Patriots stumbled hard last week. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, the team should have no problems getting their offense rolling again. Bailey and the Minnesota Vikings got their groove back, and they should maintain that against a weak Detroit Lions group.
McManus and the Denver Broncos were on a role before they struggled against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. Against an Oakland Raiders team that has given up a ton of points this season, they should get rolling again. Badgley and the Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. They have a tough matchup against a stout Ravens group that could lead to more field goal attempts.
Kickers to Avoid
Mason Crosby of the Green Bay Packers comes with an asterisk this week. If Rodgers plays, he will give Crosby an upgrade, but there are a lot of rumors going around that he will be shut down. If Rodgers is out, then Crosby should be also.
Dustin Hopkins and the Washington Redskins looked surprisingly good against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Against the rolling Titans in Week 16, it would be a surprise for them to do that again. This offense just hasn't looked very consistent, and the Titans defense can be elite at times.
Robbie Gould and the San Francisco 49ers offense has looked surprisingly strong despite the absence of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Unfortunately for them, they play the Bears this week who can make even the most elite offenses look pedestrian.
More Weekly Lineup Prep
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