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Week 9 Kicker Rankings: 3 Kickers to Stream, 3 to Watch in Fantasy Football

Week 9 Kicker Rankings: 3 Kickers to Stream, 3 to Watch in Fantasy Football

We’re halfway through the NFL season. Every offseason, we remove days from our calendar as we get closer to kickoff. And every season I think: “Slow down! This is going too fast!”

I’m sorry for my early break last weekend. There were no break weeks, but we were worried about jury duty. Since I missed last week, there are no streams or fades for us to take responsibility for. So let’s get back to our regular program.

Streams

Will Reichard – Minnesota Vikings (16% in the squad)

Minnesota hosts Indianapolis at US Bank Stadium this week. Only two kickers in the NFL have played every game for their team and never missed a kick attempt – Will Reichard is one of them. (Nick Folk is the other one, for what it’s worth.) A perfect season is hard to achieve, but Reichard accomplished the feat at Alabama in the 2020 season.

The Vikings have lost two straight games after starting the season 5-0. Even more concerning is that they lost LT Christian Darrisaw in Week 8. On Tuesday, Minnesota traded for Jacksonville’s starting left guard Cam Robinson to fill the void in Darrisaw. “Why is she talking about offensive lineman? I thought this was a kicker article.” As Cam Robinson adjusts, I could see the Vikings offense struggling to get the ball into the end zone.

Reichard attempts 2.0 field goals per game and the Colts allow opponents 2.4 field goals per game. Minnesota enters the weekend as a 5.5-point favorite over Indianapolis.

Blake Group – New Orleans Saints (5% in the squad)

Blake Grupe and the Saints travel to Carolina to take on a miserable Panthers team. New Orleans started the season so well, but is on a five-game losing streak. I think the Saints find themselves back in the win column this week.

Rumor has it that Derek Carr is expected back at center this week. The Saints have been decimated by injuries, but the return of their starting quarterback is a good step in the right direction for this team.

Grupe averages 1.8 field goal attempts per game. More importantly, Carolina allows opponents more than two field goal attempts per game and has allowed the third-most points to kickers this season.

Wil Lutz – Denver Broncos (14% in the squad)

Maybe it was a small blessing that I couldn’t write last week. I would have told you with all my heart to put Wil Lutz in the lineup. Heck, I put Wil Lutz in all my lineups. But that was last week and we don’t need to talk about it.

The Broncos have attempted multiple field goals in 6 of their 8 contests this season. They are pretty big underdogs to the 5-3 Baltimore Ravens and they will not be inside. However, the Ravens have allowed 2.5 field goal attempts against opposing teams in eight weeks.

Baltimore’s offense is deadly, but their defense is leaky. If Bo Nix and Co. can move the ball a little, I expect Lutz to hit at least two field goals this Sunday.

Faded

Matt Gay – Indianapolis Colts

Our fantasy prayers were answered this week when Indianapolis announced that the team would be benching Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco this week. Flacco has shown he can break that offense down. Other than that, the Colts get an average defense this week against the Vikings.

Minnesota will come out swinging after losing two games. Minnesota has allowed the fewest points at the kicker position this season. They haven’t given up a single double-digit performance and have only allowed more than 5 fantasy points to the kicker position twice in eight weeks.

Dustin Hopkins – Cleveland Browns

Cleveland provided another example of fantasy football prayers being answered as Jameis Winston filled in for the injured but also struggling Deshaun Watson. The Browns looked competent in Week 8. I expect them to come back down to earth this week.

The Chargers Besides the Vikings, they are the only other team that has not given up double-digit games against opposing kickers.

Jason Sanders – Miami Dolphins

I guess my fades have a similar vibe this week because the Dolphins are another team that just had a quarterback change that made waves. In this case, it’s a starting quarterback returning from injury but with the same energy fading as the previous two.

Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will face their division rivals, the Buffalo Bills this week in what can only be described as a must-win game for the Dolphins. Jason Sanders hasn’t been perfect this season and has missed four field goals so far. In Week 9, they get a Bills team that has only allowed double-digit fantasy kicker output.

This is the decision-making part of the season. With the number one fantasy kicker on the bye this week, we have no choice but to make it.