Nothing captures the excitement and anticipation of a new fantasy football season like our Week 1 kicker rankings. The intrigue, the drama, the limitless potential -- they really have it all.
Obviously, that's not true. They have none of those things and are the most irrelevant part of your weekly fantasy prep. We get it. In fact, we're surprised most fantasy leagues even have a kicker spot. It's 2023, after all. Do you still have a VCR, too?
But for those who still plug along with the little-engines-that-could, we're here for you, breaking down fantasy's most unpredictable and annoying position every week.
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Who are the best fantasy kickers in Week 1?
It should come as little surprise that Justin Tucker (vs. Texans), Daniel Carlson (@ Broncos), Harrison Butker (vs. Lions), Wil Lutz (vs. Raiders), and Evan McPherson (@ Browns) are the top five in our rankings. Lutz might jump out to some, but he's a proven big-leg booter who now gets the benefit of kicking in Denver's thin air. The fact he's facing Vegas' suspect defense only enhances his outlook.
WEEK 1 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
We're a little lower on Tyler Bass (@ Jets) than usual given his matchup against what figures to be a stingy Jets' defense. It's possible that Buffalo is still able to move the ball before stalling out, giving Bass more scoring opportunities, but we're still a little leery of this road matchup. The same goes for his counterpart in that game, Greg Zuerlein (vs. Bills). Last season, Buffalo allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to kickers, so Legatron might need to connect on a 50-yarder or two to really pay off.
WEEK 1 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
Who are the best fantasy kicker sleepers in Week 1?
Is there really such a thing as a kicker sleeper...ever? Maybe not given how unpredictable this position is, but we can look for players with fewer worries than others. Weather is a potential problem in any given week, and even this early in the season, finding a kicker who's playing indoors is a plus.
In Week 1, Cameron Dicker (vs. Dolphins), Jason Sanders (@ Chargers), Matt Gay (vs. Jaguars), Brandon McManus (@ Colts), Greg Joseph (vs. Buccaneers), and Eddy Pineiro (@ Falcons) are all lower-owned kickers in semi-favorable spots who are playing in stadiums with a roof. Here's where we point out that SoFi Stadium in L.A. is technically open-air, but it does have a roof, so conditions are usually ideal.
If you want to avoid weather worries altogether (and didn't draft Younghoe Koo, who's also playing indoors), you can opt for one of these relatively safe options.
We'll be updating these kicker rankings throughout the week, so check back for the latest player movement and analysis.
Fantasy Kicker Rankings Week 1: Who to start, sit at kicker
Rank Player
1 Justin Tucker, Ravens vs. Texans
2 Daniel Carlson, Raiders @ Broncos
3 Harrison Butker, Chiefs vs. Lions
4 Wil Lutz, Broncos vs. Raiders
5 Evan McPherson, Bengals @ Browns
6 Cameron Dicker, Chargers vs. Dolphins
7 Riley Patterson, Lions @ Chiefs
8 Jason Sanders, Dolphins @ Chargers
9 Younghoe Koo, Falcons vs. Panthers
10 Tyler Bass, Bills @ Jets
11 Matt Gay, Colts vs. Jaguars
12 Jason Myers, Seahawks vs. Rams
13 Brandon McManus, Jaguars @ Colts
14 Greg Joseph, Vikings vs. Buccaneers
15 Eddy Pineiro, Panthers @ Falcons
16 Jake Elliott, Eagles @ Patriots
17 Greg Zuerlein, Jets vs. Bills
18 Graham Gano, Giants vs. Cowboys
19 Chase McLaughlin, Buccaneers @ Vikings
20 Nick Folk, Titans @ Saints
21 Joey Slye, Commanders vs. Cardinals
22 Jake Moody, 49ers @ Steelers
23 Brandon Aubrey, Cowboys @ Giants
24 Chris Boswell, Steelers vs. 49ers
25 Dustin Hopkins, Browns vs. Bengals
26 Cairo Santos, Bears vs. Packers
27 Anders Carlson, Packers @ Bears
28 Ka'imi Fairbairn, Texans @ Ravens
29 Brett Maher, Rams @ Seahawks
30 Blake Grupe, Saints vs. Titans
31 Chad Ryland, Patriots vs. Eagles
32 Matt Prater, Cardinals @ Commanders
