Week 18 Kicker Streamers and Starts – 2021 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

January 8, 2022

Robert Lorge breaks down all 2021 fantasy football Week 18 kickers -- streamers, starts, sits, targets, avoids, and waiver wire pickups. His Week 18 rankings and tiers for all of the NFL kickers.

Not too many leagues are still active in Week 18, but if this is your championship week, let's go out and win it! Congratulations on making it this far and now that we're entering the final week of the season, fantasy managers will need to pay attention to which teams may choose to sit their starters. From the start it sounds like most teams are going to play their starters, but how long that holds true throughout game time is unknown. It'll be something fantasy managers need to track as the week goes on.

If your season-long leagues are done and you're looking for some quality daily plays that may be beneficial, you've come to the right place. Last week I talked about five specific kickers that were in line for big fantasy days and out of those five, four of them hit double-digits. Matt Prater, who was my fifth-ranked kicker of the week and one of my favorite starts, ended up with 15 points.

Writing this last kicker article is bitter-sweet. It's been a long season – literally the longest season of all time – but it's always sad to see fantasy football season come to a close. Hopefully, myself and all of my awesome colleagues at RotoBaller were able to help you bring home a championship and if you're still playing for yours in Week 18, let's finish strong!

Week 18 Kicker Rankings for Fantasy Football

Kicker Streamers to Target for Week 18

Dustin Hopkins, Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are currently in the playoff field, but they still need to win in Week 18, so you can bet Justin Herbert and company are going to come out swinging. The Chargers are averaging 27.6 points per game, which is the sixth-highest in the league. They'll go toe to toe against the Raiders in Week 18, who are also playing for their playoff lives. The implied point total of 48.5 is one of the highest on this weekend's docket. Collectively, the Raiders and Chargers are giving up 52 points per game. This game has the potential to be an absolute shoot-out. The Raiders are also giving up the 10th-most points to opposing kickers this season at 9.2. Hopkins also has the benefit of playing inside a dome. There's so much to love here for Hopkins – get him in your lineups.

Michael Badgley, Indianapolis Colts 

Badgley came through for fantasy managers last week with 10 points against the Raiders and he'll hope to do the same in Week 18. Similar to the Chargers and Raiders, the Colts are also playing for their lives. On the flip side, the Jaguars' season is over and has been for quite some time. Fantasy managers should expect the Colts to come out firing with everything on the line. The Jaguars' defense has struggled all season, giving up 28 points per game. All of that should be music to any fantasy manager's ears, but it doesn't end there. The Colts are also at home inside their dome – always an added benefit to any kicker. On top of all that, the Jaguars are allowing the fourth-most points to kickers this season at 9.7 points per game.

Matt Prater, Arizona Cardinals

Despite struggling during the second half of the season – largely due to Kyler Murray's injury – Prater came through for fantasy managers in a big way, finishing with 15 points in Week 18. The Cardinals have a playoff spot wrapped up, but they can still earn a higher seed if things break right. There's no reason to expect the Cardinals to sit any of their starters, so fantasy managers don't need to be worried about that. Prater will be at home in Week 18, kicking inside their dome. The implied point total is a very healthy and appealing 48 points. Fantasy managers should be able to count on Prater again this week.

Kicker Busts to Avoid for Week 18

Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Fantasy managers should want nothing to do with this Steelers' offense, especially against a divisional opponent. The Steelers average just the 20th-most points and 24th-most yards in the league this season. It's a bad offense and now they've got to go on the road to face a divisional foe in the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are giving up just 6.5 points per game to opposing kickers, which is the fifth-lowest in the season. The only Steelers' that can be trusted are Diontae Johnson and Najee Harris. Stay far, far away from Boswell in Week 18.

Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles just put 12 players on the Covid-19 list and that number could rise yet. The Eagles are locked into the sixth or seventh seed, which is pretty much irrelevant. No matter where they end up, they're likely to spend their entire playoff life playing on the road and since seeds 2–5 are still up in the air, they can't necessarily "pick" their opponent by winning or losing. Essentially, there's no incentive to win. Meanwhile, the Cowboys can yet earn the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. This is shaping up to be a letdown game for the Eagles. They're likely to be short-handed and with no incentive to actually "show up".

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