When it comes to critical fantasy football decisions, we’re always focused on quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Heck, even defense and special teams units get their fair share of attention as well! Yet, what about kickers? Unless your league doesn’t force you to roster one, they still score points for you, and can be the difference between winning and losing your matchup!
This brings me to my Week 5 kicker rankings. You don’t usually see kickers dissected, but that’s what I plan to do today. You’ve probably heard of expected/implied points for other positions, yet not for kickers. Let’s solve that, shall we?
We know a field-goal attempt is at least three times more valuable than an extra point, but it depends on distance. Thus, a raw field goal attempt is closer to four times more valuable than an extra point. With that in mind, here are the expected points for each kicker thus far, based on their usage:
| Name | Team | Difference | Implied Points | Fantasy PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Bullock | TEN | -2.017 | 12.017 | 10.0 |
| Tyler Bass | BUF | -0.312 | 11.312 | 11.0 |
| Justin Tucker | BAL | 0.546 | 10.255 | 10.8 |
| Matt Prater | ARI | 0.246 | 10.255 | 10.5 |
| Daniel Carlson | LV | 0.380 | 9.620 | 10.0 |
| Nick Folk | NE | -0.820 | 9.620 | 8.8 |
| Matt Gay | LAR | 0.392 | 9.409 | 9.8 |
| Ryan Succop | TB | -0.986 | 8.986 | 8.0 |
| Rodrigo Blankenship | IND | -0.574 | 8.774 | 8.2 |
| Greg Zuerlein | DAL | -0.774 | 8.774 | 8.0 |
| Brandon McManus | DEN | 0.449 | 8.351 | 8.8 |
| Graham Gano | NYG | 0.449 | 8.351 | 8.8 |
| Dustin Hopkins | WAS | -0.728 | 7.928 | 7.2 |
| Zane Gonzalez | CAR | -1.505 | 7.505 | 6.0 |
| Greg Joseph | MIN | 1.207 | 7.294 | 8.5 |
| Joey Slye | HOU | 0.059 | 6.941 | 7.0 |
| Chase McLaughlin | CLE | 2.130 | 6.871 | 9.0 |
| Tristan Vizcaino | LAC | -0.671 | 6.871 | 6.2 |
| Robbie Gould | SF | 0.641 | 6.659 | 7.3 |
| Mason Crosby | GB | 1.753 | 6.448 | 8.2 |
| Evan McPherson | CIN | 1.053 | 6.448 | 7.5 |
| Chris Boswell | PIT | 0.753 | 6.448 | 7.2 |
| Jake Elliott | PHI | -0.025 | 6.025 | 6.0 |
| Austin Seibert | DET | -0.813 | 5.813 | 5.0 |
| Harrison Butker | KC | 1.322 | 5.179 | 6.5 |
| Aldrick Rosas | NO | -1.179 | 5.179 | 4.0 |
| Younghoe Koo | ATL | 0.745 | 4.756 | 5.5 |
| Cairo Santos | CHI | 0.745 | 4.756 | 5.5 |
| Jason Myers | SEA | 0.656 | 4.544 | 5.2 |
| Jason Sanders | MIA | 0.456 | 4.544 | 5.0 |
| Josh Lambo | JAX | -2.703 | 4.403 | 1.7 |
| Ryan Santoso | DET | 0.579 | 4.121 | 4.7 |
| Michael Badgley | TEN | -3.121 | 4.121 | 1.0 |
| Matt Ammendola | NYJ | -0.110 | 3.910 | 3.8 |
| Matthew Wright | JAX | 1.417 | 1.583 | 3.0 |
| Ka'imi Fairbairn | HOU | 0.955 | -0.955 | 0.0 |
Despite the Ravens having one of the better red-zone offenses in the NFL, Justin Tucker continues to have one of the most optimal kicker usages. Red-zone regression in both directions could impact Tyler Bass and Harrison Butker, though both should perform well in a game with a 57-point total.
Can we please acknowledge Randy Bullock as a kicker you should add? Another favorable matchup against the Jaguars will help his case, while there are still plenty of mid-tier kickers that are going to be viable streamers on a week-to-week basis. Forget about streaming defenses, just stream kickers as well!
Week 5 Kicker Rankings
More Week 5 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | PPR | Flex
We now know, thus far, how well each kicker should be performing. Adjusting that for expected red-zone success and overall offensive success moving forward, the ranking process becomes much simpler. After making those adjustments, here are my Week 5 kicker rankings:
| Rnk | Kicker | Team | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Tucker | BAL | IND |
| 2 | Tyler Bass | BUF | KC |
| 3 | Greg Zuerlein | DAL | NYG |
| 4 | Matt Prater | ARI | SF |
| 5 | Matt Gay | LAR | SEA |
| 6 | Randy Bullock | TEN | JAX |
| 7 | Daniel Carlson | LV | CHI |
| 8 | Ryan Succop | TB | MIA |
| 9 | Harrison Butker | KC | BUF |
| 10 | Greg Joseph | MIN | DET |
| 11 | Nick Folk | NE | HOU |
| 12 | Joey Slye | SF | ARI |
| 13 | Zane Gonzalez | CAR | PHI |
| 14 | Chase McLaughlin | CLE | LAC |
| 15 | Brandon McManus | DEN | PIT |
| 16 | Graham Gano | NYG | DAL |
| 17 | Jason Myers | SEA | LAR |
| 18 | Tristan Vizcaino | LAC | CLE |
| 19 | Younghoe Koo | ATL | NYJ |
| 20 | Dustin Hopkins | WSH | NO |
| 21 | Rodrigo Blankenship | IND | BAL |
| 22 | Mason Crosby | GB | CIN |
| 23 | Evan McPherson | CIN | GB |
| 24 | Cody Parkey | NO | WSH |
| 25 | Chris Boswell | PIT | DEN |
| 26 | Austin Seibert | DET | MIN |
| 27 | Jason Sanders | MIA | TB |
| 28 | Cairo Santos | CHI | LV |
| 29 | Josh Lambo | JAX | TEN |
| 30 | Matt Ammendola | NYJ | ATL |
| 31 | Jake Elliot | PHI | CAR |
| 32 | Kaimi Fairbairn | HOU | NE |
More fantasy football fun for Week 5: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Buy-Low, Sell-High Trade Targets | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | QB Streamers | D/ST Streamers |
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