Let's face it -- you don't really care about our Week 16 fantasy kicker rankings. Even if you're in the semifinals, you're only casually glancing at these. That's fine, we don't take offense. The main thing to worry about at this position is the weather, and that's something we won't have a great read on until closer to kickoff.
Of course, you can eliminate the need to check for weather updates by just grabbing a kicker who's indoors this week. Factoring in matchups, the best indoor options are Graham Gano (@ Vikings in Week 16), Chase McLaughlin (vs. Chargers), Ryan Succop (@ Cardinals), Jake Elliott (@ Cowboys), and Brandon McManus (@ Rams). Technically, McManus will be kicking in an open-air stadium, but it has a roof, so we're not worried about conditions there.
All five are facing teams that entered Week 15 in the top 13 in fantasy points allowed to kickers, and even though we always caution against reading too much into kicker matchup stats, those numbers have to mean something by this point in the season. When you factor in the optimal conditions, we're all-in on these kickers this week, and all but Gano are available in over 60 percent of leagues. Greg Joseph (vs. Giants) and Matt Gay (vs. Broncos) are also indoors and have highly favorable matchups, so even though they haven't been great this year, they're very much in play this week.
WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
If you're willing to take the risk on an outdoor kicker, then Cade York (vs. Saints) and Wil Lutz (@ Browns) are both widely available and have top-12 matchups, but trusting the weather in Cleveland this time of year is always a roll of the dice. The same goes for Justin Tucker (vs. Falcons) in Baltimore, Nick Folk (vs. Bengals) in Foxboro, Daniel Carlson (@ Steelers) in Pittsburgh, and Tyler Bass (@ Bears) in Chicago, but all have been top options this year. As long as they're not kicking in blizzards, we'd stick with them, especially since Tucker, Folk, and Carlson have top-12 matchups.
UPDATE: With blizzard-like conditions expected in Cleveland, we've significantly downgraded York and Lutz. The same goes for Bass in heavy winds in Chicago.
WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
Going deeper, Riley Patterson (@ Jets) and Randy Bullock (vs. Texans) also have favorable matchups, but they probably aren't worth the risk. We'd rather roll with top-10 kickers like Greg Zuerlein (vs. Jaguars), Jason Myers (@ Chiefs), and Younghoe Koo (@ Ravens) despite tougher, outdoor matchups. As long as the weather is clear for those games, those kickers should be just fine.
UPDATE: With steady rain and moderate winds expected in New York, we've downgraded both Patterson and Zuerlein.
WEEK 16 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Overall, there are plenty of solid, safe options if you're still alive in your fantasy league. There's no need to take unnecessary risks, so even though worrying about your kicker is the last thing you want to do this time of year, it's worth your time to do a quick check of available options and watch the weather reports.
WEEK 16 DFS: Best values | Best stacks
We'll be updating our kicker rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes.
WEEK 16 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Fantasy Kicker Rankings Week 16: Who to start, sit in fantasy football
Rank Player
1 Justin Tucker, Ravens vs. Falcons
2 Graham Gano, Giants @ Vikings
3 Chase McLaughlin, Colts vs. Chargers
4 Ryan Succop, Buccaneers @ Cardinals
5 Nick Folk, Patriots vs. Bengals
6 Daniel Carlson, Raiders @ Steelers
7 Brandon McManus, Broncos @ Rams
8 Brett Maher, Cowboys vs. Eagles
9 Jake Elliott, Eagles @ Cowboys
10 Greg Joseph, Vikings vs. Giants
11 Jason Myers, Seahawks @ Chiefs
12 Younghoe Koo, Falcons @ Ravens
13 Evan McPherson, Bengals @ Patriots
14 Randy Bullock, Titans vs. Texans
15 Harrison Butker, Chiefs vs. Seahawks
16 Eddy Pineiro, Panthers vs. Lions
17 Ka'imi Fairbairn, Texans @ Titans
18 Cameron Dicker, Chargers @ Colts
19 Matt Prater, Cardinals vs. Buccaneers
20 Tyler Bass, Bills @ Bears
21 Cade York, Browns vs. Saints
22 Wil Lutz, Saints @ Browns
23 Greg Zuerlein, Jets vs. Jaguars
24 Matt Gay, Rams vs. Broncos
25 Riley Patterson, Jaguars @ Jets
26 Robbie Gould, 49ers vs. Commanders
27 Chris Boswell, Steelers vs. Raiders
28 Michael Badgley, Lions @ Panthers
29 Mason Crosby, Packers @ Dolphins
30 Jason Sanders, Dolphins vs. Packers
31 Joey Slye, Commanders @ 49ers
32 Cairo Santos, Bears vs. Bills
Week 16 Kicker fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
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