We are the last frontier. As your humble narrator here, you can guess where I stand on the issue, but we are in the minority. In fact, you yourself might not even be on board with still using kickers in fantasy football. Some leagues have removed them completely, and other providers have moved to a Team Kicker. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the use of kickers. Regardless of why you are here, it’s important to maximize your production, so let’s dig into my kicker rankings.
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Kicker Strategy
Distance Matters
In most leagues, the greater the distance of the field goal, the greater the points. As we go through the kicker rankings, that will be a common theme. The goal here is to target kickers who have demonstrated the ability to convert on and have the opportunity to make field goals from beyond 40, and more importantly, 50 yards.
Be Prepared to Have Turnover
Kickers struggle. There’s a large mental aspect to the game, and that drives volatility. Slumps are common, and you should be quick to pivot. As the season progresses, kicker rankings, especially outside the Top-5, are generally very fluid.
Don’t Carry Multiple Kickers
Now, if you have Brandon Aubrey or someone similar, then this statement likely doesn’t apply. While there’s a clear hierarchy within the kicker rankings, there is some degree of the position being interchangeable. Only roster the kicker you are starting in that specific week.
As you navigate bye weeks, perhaps this changes temporarily, but that’s limited to just a select few kickers. The only other situation where this could come into play is late in the season when you have to potentially navigate weather. But as a rule, one kicker per team.
Watch the Weather
Kickers who call a dome or the south home generally receive a slight bump in the kicker rankings. Again, this is fluid, and you also need to get to the time of the year when the weather becomes an issue.
However, don’t think of this as just a winter issue with snow. There can be wind and rain in any week. Being aware of, and potentially correcting for, the weather shouldn’t be overlooked.
Wait in Your Draft
If you must, and this is likely the Brandon Aubrey rule, take your kicker in the second-to-last round. But not before, as you’ll be doing a disservice to your team. Prior to this point, being the first to draft a kicker generally comes with laughter from your league mates.
Kicker Notes
Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys
To say that Brandon Aubrey distinguished himself last season would be an understatement. He was perfect on all 30 extra point attempts while converting 14 of 17 field goals from beyond 50 yards. That’s simply a game changer.
Tyler Loop, Baltimore Ravens
It seems strange, but Justin Tucker is no longer the kicker in Baltimore. That job now belongs to Tyler Loop after being drafted in the sixth round of this spring’s draft. There’s a fair share of buzz surrounding Loop, but we should also be careful with the rookie kicker.
Through his four years of college, Loop did convert 83.6% of his field goal attempts while making 98.4% of his extra points. He’ll receive plenty of chances for Balitmore which will push him up the kicker rankings. With that being said, there’s still the urge to be a little cautious here; at least initially.
Will Lutz, Denver Broncos
Playing in the Mile High air of Denver is always going to benefit kickers. That was the case for Will Lutz last season as he had a career year for the Broncos. The fact that Sean Payton is in a groove offensively and Bo Nix is ascending also helps his case. In 2025, we should see Nix and the Broncos offense even take another step forward.
Last year, Lutz was perfect on his 49 extra point attempts, along with making 91% of his field goal attempts. More importantly, Lutz was perfect on his 11 attempts from between 40 and 49 yards, along with making five of seven kicks beyond 50 yards. Lutz is also the perfect example of the benefits of waiting on kickers until the last round.
2025 Kicker Rankings
| Rnk | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Aubrey | DAL |
| 2 | Jake Bates | DET |
| 3 | Chase McLaughlin | TB |
| 4 | Harrison Butker | KC |
| 5 | Cameron Dicker | LAC |
| 6 | Ka'imi Fairbairn | HSN |
| 7 | Matt Gay | WAS |
| 8 | Tyler Bass | BUF |
| 9 | Jake Elliot | PHI |
| 10 | Evan McPherson | CIN |
| 11 | Will Reichard | MIN |
| 12 | Will Lutz | DEN |
| 13 | Chris Boswell | PIT |
| 14 | Jake Moody | SF |
| 15 | Tyler Loop | BAL |
| 16 | Daniel Carlson | LV |
| 17 | Brandon McManus | GB |
| 18 | Jason Sanders | MIA |
| 19 | Cairo Santos | CHI |
| 20 | Jason Myers | SEA |
| 21 | Younghoe Koo | ATL |
| 22 | Joshua Karty | LAR |
| 23 | Graham Gano | NYG |
| 24 | Dustin Hopkins | CLE |
| 25 | Blake Groupe | NO |
For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2025 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
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