RADIO
Week 5 is in the books, and the offenses are continuing to roll. When offenses are scoring, kickers are getting opportunities to put points on the board. In Week 6, more teams are on bye weeks, and that means we have to get a little more creative with who we're playing.
Week 6 has several high-scoring matchups in the works. Only one game has an over-under that is less than 40, and we have two games that are likely to score over 50 points. These are the games that result in your kicker putting up 15 like he is a WR2.
In Weeks 4 and 5, we saw just two teams in each week have their byes. In Week 6, the number has jumped up to four teams. Two of those four, Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri and Buffalo Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka are likely going to need to be replaced in some of your lineups out there.
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Week 6 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers
1. Dan Bailey (MIN) vs PHI
2. Justin Tucker (BAL) vs CIN
3. Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) @ KC
4. Zane Gonzalez (ARI) vs ATL
5. Wil Lutz (NO) @ JAX
Minnesota Vikings kicker Dan Bailey was the top scorer among kickers in Week 5, and he gets the top spot in Week 6. The Vikings offense showed some new life last week, but the Philadelphia Eagles could force more field goals than touchdowns. Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker nailed a game-winner last week, and he slots in at number two this week. The Ravens' offense has slowed since the first two weeks, but, against the Cincinnati Bengals, that could easily shift back in the other direction.
Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn is finally getting some love. Against the Kansas City Chiefs with a rolling offense, he should have plenty of scoring opportunities. Arizona Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez is next up in the rankings. The Cardinals are steadily improving on offense while the Atlanta Falcons can't stop anybody. New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz rounds out our top five thanks to an offense that remains steady despite the absence of quarterback Drew Brees. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they should be able to continue moving the ball down the field.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers
6. Greg Zuerlein (LAR) vs SF
7. Robbie Gould (SF) @ LAR
8. Harrison Butker (KC) vs HOU
9. Mason Crosby (GB) vs DET
10. Jake Elliot (PHI) @ MIN
Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein maintained his consistency in Week 5 thanks to his offense that stumbled in the red zone. In Week 6, they'll be at home against the San Francisco 49ers in a game that has shootout potential. Behind Zuerlein is the ever-consistent 49ers kicker Robbie Gould. Gould is playing on an offense that is lighting opponents up every week, and he's missed just two attempts on the week. Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is up next. The Chiefs stumbled to score last week, but they'll be able to right the ship against the Houston Texans that are allowing 22 points per game.
Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby wasn't the MVP of the team's Week 5 win, but he deserved some praise. When the team needed to put the game effectively out of reach, he came through. In Week 6, they have a primetime matchup against the Detroit Lions at home that they've dominated in the past. Eagles kicker Jake Elliot is next up thanks to an offense that is getting healthy, and they're putting up a lot of points. Down in the red zone, they are rather consistent which takes away some of his value.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers
11. Joey Slye (CAR) @ TB
12. Brett Maher (DAL) @ NYJ
13. Matt Bryant (ATL) @ ARI
14. Jason Myers (SEA) @ CLE
15. Matt Gay (TB) vs CAR
Carolina Panthers kicker Joey Slye has been great in just about every week thus far. The only week he struggled was against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5. They should right that ship in Week 6. Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher was quieted in Week 5, but, against a miserable New York Jets team, he should get back on track. Falcons kicker Matt Bryant has been one of the most consistent parts of this struggling franchise. Of his two misses, one of them was over 50 yards. Atlanta could come alive this week.
Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers has been great to start the year, and he is on a great offense. The only problem for him is that his offense scores a lot more touchdowns than field goals which lowers his ceiling slightly. Buccaneers kicker Matt Gay remains a top option when his offense is rolling. Against a good Panthers Defense, they could kick some more field goals than we usually see.
Kickers to Avoid
Aldrick Rosas of the New York Giants has two big things going against him this week. One is that they are playing the New England Patriots who are slowing down just about everyone they play. The other is that Thursday night games rarely have high scoring outputs.
Sam Ficken of the New York Jets is at the mercy of a struggling offense, and the Cowboys have a good defense, especially against the lower-level teams. It wouldn't be surprising for Dallas to win this game 17-3 by grinding it out with running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Chris Boswell of the Pittsburgh Steelers is in a tough spot this week. They're on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers team that will be playing desperately for their playoff hopes, and he may be without quarterback Mason Rudolph (head) who went down in a heap on Sunday.
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