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Kacey Kasem looks at all 2025 fantasy football Week 5 kickers -- streamers, starts, sits, targets, avoids, and waiver wire pickups. Our Week 5 rankings and tiers for all of the NFL kickers.
Bye weeks are here, which means Chris Boswell, Brandon McManus, Parker Romo, and Cairo Santos are off in Week 5. For those who love to set it and forget it, you'll have to put in a bit more work this week. If your kicker has a bye, you're probably searching the waiver wire for streaming gold. You want someone with a safe floor and a ceiling with upside, but there are just so many options to choose from.
Ah, yes, and bye weeks aren't the only issue in the kicker world. We're noticing protection problems, with blocked kicks becoming real storylines. The Packers had an extra point blocked by the Cowboys and returned for a two-point conversion. And the Bears stuffed the Raiders' field goal try in the final minute of their contest to snatch a win.
Then there's the kickers themselves, as we're seeing guys play for their jobs after starting the season inconsistently. Joey Slye has missed four kicks in two weeks, while even reliable names like Daniel Carlson are trending down due to a lack of opportunities. So what should you do this week if your kicker situation is stressing you out? Time to lean into the stream and look for the best matchups while moving off the shaky legs.
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Week 5 Kicker Rankings for Fantasy Football
9/29: Miami placed CB Jason Marshall Jr. on injured reserve to elevate kicker Riley Patterson to the active roster.
| Kicker Tier |
Kicker Rank |
Kicker Name |
Opp. | Pos. |
| 1 | 1 | Brandon Aubrey | @NYJ | K |
| 1 | 2 | Harrison Butker | @JAC | K |
| 1 | 3 | Cameron Dicker | WAS | K |
| 2 | 4 | Matt Prater | NE | K |
| 2 | 5 | Jason Myers | TB | K |
| 2 | 6 | Tyler Loop | HOU | K |
| 2 | 7 | Jake Bates | @CIN | K |
| 2 | 8 | Ka'imi Fairbairn | @BAL | K |
| 3 | 9 | Joshua Karty | SF | K |
| 3 | 10 | Chase McLaughlin | @SEA | K |
| 3 | 11 | Cam Little | KC | K |
| 1 | 12 | Jake Elliott | DEN | K |
| 3 | 13 | Spencer Shrader | LV | K |
| 4 | 14 | Matt Gay | @LAC | K |
| 4 | 15 | Will Reichard | CLE | K |
| 4 | 16 | Eddy Pineiro | @LAR | K |
| 4 | 17 | Nick Folk | DAL | K |
| 4 | 18 | Chad Ryland | TEN | K |
| 3 | 19 | Blake Grupe | NYG | K |
| 5 | 20 | Andy Borregales | @BUF | K |
| 5 | 21 | Joey Slye | @ARI | K |
| 5 | 22 | Wil Lutz | @PHI | K |
| 5 | 23 | Daniel Carlson | @IND | K |
| 6 | 24 | Evan McPherson | DET | K |
| 7 | 25 | Jude McAtamney | @NO | K |
| 7 | 26 | Ryan Fitzgerald | MIA | K |
| 7 | 27 | Andre Szmyt | MIN | K |
| 7 | 28 | Riley Patterson | @CAR | K |
Kicker Streamers to Target for Week 5
Only players rostered in fewer than 60% of fantasy football leagues are considered streamers.
Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) at Baltimore Ravens
41% Rostered
If you're looking for the quintessential streamer, Fairbairn is your guy. He's connected on 8-of-10 field goals this season, hitting 3-of-5 from 50-plus. Additionally, he's knocked in all of his extra points.
#Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn hits second field goal and they lead #Titans 6-0. In the unofficial All-Winless Bowl game, Texans are off to a solid start @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 28, 2025
Last week, Fairbairn drilled kicks from 43 and 47 yards but pushed a 54-yarder wide. He's not automatic from that far out, but he's money from mid-range, which is beneficial in this upcoming match.
Houston faces Baltimore this week in a tough, defensive contest. If drives stall, Fairbairn gets the opportunity to nail kicks in a range he feels comfortable with. On the road, the Texans will take the points, indicating Fairbairn is a safe play this week.
Jason Myers (SEA) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6% Rostered
A kicker on a hot streak should be on your radar. Myers fits that criteria as he's connected on 9-of-11 field goals this season, going 12-for-12 on extra points. In Week 4, he hit from 44 and 31, but missed on a 53-yarder. Luckily, Myers shook off the miss and knocked in a 52-yarder to win the game.
JASON MYERS GAME-WINNING FIELD GOAL.
📺: @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/wnZhGOhJNf
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 26, 2025
His matchup with Tampa Bay this week is attractive, as they're stingy near the goal line, forcing opposing squads to roll with their kicker for mid-range kicks. Myers succeeds in this area, and Seattle has been doing enough to get him there. A bonus this week is the home-field advantage angle.
If the Buccaneers can force Seattle to settle, Myers should have an impressive day. He has a floor of two field goals and two extra points, but his ceiling is double-digit fantasy points.
Joshua Karty (LAR) vs. San Francisco 49ers
4% Rostered
For those who need to pivot at kicker this week, Karty is becoming a trusted fantasy option that's available in most leagues. His matchup in Week 5 makes for an intriguing streaming option. Through four contests, the kicker has knocked in 8-of-10 field goals and 10-of-11 extra points. Both missed field goals came off blocks in Week 3's matchup with the Eagles.
Matthew Stafford nearly throws an interception on third down.
Colts bring pressure from the second level and Rams forced to settle for the FG.
Joshua Karty's kick is....not blocked and GOOD!
Rams 3, Colts 0
— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@bgrisakTST) September 28, 2025
This week's matchup with the 49ers at SoFi Stadium sets up nicely for the kicker; there's no wind, and steady kicks are on the horizon. San Francisco's defense will bear down in the red zone, so settling for the three could be in the cards.
Karty has been steady, posting 8, 15, and 10 fantasy points over the last three contests. He should be looking at at least two FGs and a few point-after attempts. Adding in his strength from 50-plus yards, he comes in as a top-10 play this week.
Kickers to Avoid for Week 5
Daniel Carlson (LV) at Indianapolis Colts
23% Rostered
Despite Carlson's role as a fantasy asset in the past, his current situation is holding him back. After posting 10 and 12 points to start the season, he's tallied just four and five over the last two games.
Sometimes you just have to shake your head at the @Raiders misfortune. Michael Mayer has been the right-side wing blocker on FG's this year. He was out Sunday with a concussion. Jonah Laulu played that spot in his place. His missed block led to the blocked FG yesterday.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) September 29, 2025
Part of the issue is volume, as he has only attempted three field goals in total over the last two games. Another problem is protection, as his 54-yarder was blocked in the final minute of last week's contest.
Don't expect a rebound this week against the Colts. Indianapolis is a top-five team against kickers this season in fantasy, and they've already blocked one FG this season. This feels like another week where Carlson finds himself in the 4-6 point range.
Joey Slye (TEN) at Arizona Cardinals
17% Rostered
Accuracy is a real problem for Slye, who started the year perfectly but has struggled over the last two weeks. He's connected on just 2-of-6 field goals over that span, missing twice from makeable ranges of 41 and 43 yards in Week 4.
.@Titans kicker Joey Slye in the locker room after Sunday’s loss. pic.twitter.com/sbnFxKKI3c
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 28, 2025
It's hard to trust a kicker who leaves points on the field, so while Tennessee continues to give him chances, you should not. The Titans face Arizona this week, and although it appears to be a decent matchup, the kicker's accuracy issues make him a sit.
One more bad contest could lead to a kicking change, so he's better off not even being rostered. There are too many safe streaming options out there to gamble on Slye this week.
Evan McPherson (CIN) vs. Detroit Lions
36% Rostered
Cincinnati's offense has struggled without Joe Burrow (and they weren't lighting it up when he was healthy). With Jake Browning taking over QB duties and failing to sustain drives, McPherson's stock takes a nosedive.
Jake Browning looked good on that drive but took a sack he couldn't really help. Cincy settles for a chip-shot Evan McPherson FG. It's 14-10, Jags leading.
Basically the whole stadium is holding its breath and wondering what's happening in the Bengals training room right now.
— Pat Brennan (@PBrennanENQ) September 14, 2025
Through four weeks, the kicker has only four field goals. The running game has been highly ineffective, and the offense turns the ball over, causing McPherson to see less and less work.
The Bengals take on the Lions this week, a team that's known for finishing drives with TDs. Cincinnati will need touchdowns to keep up, relying less on three-point attempts. McPherson has a big leg, but it doesn't matter if he doesn't get to use it.
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