Kickers can be are frustrating. They are completely unpredictable when it comes to fantasy scoring because they are entirely dependent on something that is outside of their own control: the offense putting them in a position to kick.
Outside of a few stalwarts (Justin Tucker, Stephen Gostkowski, Greg Zuerlein) many teams will add/drop kickers based on perceived matchups. However, most fantasy players will simply look for a kicker on a high scoring offense or a kicker facing a poor defense when making their kicker selection. While this sounds like a solid strategy in theory, if the offense is so good that they are always scoring touchdowns, the kicker will likely be limited to extra-point attempts, which will only result in 1 lonely point.
One strategy that I have found successful when looking for a fantasy football kicker is to look for teams with a good offense, but that struggle in the red zone. An additional strategy that I have found is to target the kicker going against a team defense that has a “bend but don’t break” defensive philosophy that allows teams to move the ball but is great in the red zone.
The jackpot is to find a kicker on a struggling red-zone offense going against a great red-zone defense. With these things in mind, the following kickers could be good streaming options for Week 9 in fantasy football.
Brett Maher (DAL)
Brett Maher has been a pretty good kicker in fantasy this season, ranking 3rd at the position. However, coming off of a bye, he should certainly be available in your league. The Cowboys’ offense has been heating up the past few weeks and Maher has benefitted with some great fantasy outings. The Cowboys face off against the Titans in Week 9 and Tennessee has been the best red-zone defense in the NFL when it comes to touchdown percentage, allowing one on only 33% of red-zone appearances. Look for the Cowboys to be able to move the ball against the Titans but get stuck in the red zone. In this case, Maher should benefit with some field goal opportunities.
Ryan Succop (TEN)
I like Ryan Succop for many of the same reasons as I like Maher: He is coming off a bye and should also be available to pick up in your league. The Titans offense has struggled mightily in the red zone this season, ranking 29th by scoring on only 43% of red-zone drives. Additionally, the Cowboys rank 2nd in the NFL in red-zone defense, with opponents scoring on only 36% of red-zone trips this season. Put those two stats together and Succop looks to be in line for a good fantasy outing on Monday night.
Brandon McManus (DEN)
Branson McManus has been a top-10 kicker this year in fantasy, however, his ownership percentage does not reflect it. Kicking in Denver’s high altitude gives fantasy kickers a little boost because coaches are more likely to attempt long field goals there. McManus will be going up against a Texans defense that has allowed the most field goal attempts to kickers so far this season. Additionally, the Broncos have only been able to score a touchdown on 50% of their red-zone trips, which ranks 23rd in the league. Given all these factors, McManus is in line for a solid fantasy outing in Week 9.
No Comment! Be the first one.