From the outset of the fantasy football season, kickers were a key component, though their reliability seems to have faltered as the season approaches its conclusion. The search is on as we head into Week 13 and the Thanksgiving playoff rush for those elusive, dependable kickers who consistently notch up double figures. However, finding such players is far from straightforward. Chris Boswell has regularly found himself near the head of the pack, yet recent performances from well-regarded colleagues like Justin Tucker and Younghoe Koo have been less reliable than normal.
In the previous week, Austin Seibert, a rookie who broke into the top five fantasy kickers, had a shaky week, with a missed field goal and two missed extra points during the Washington Commanders’ 34-26 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys. These recent inconsistencies in kicker performances can unnerve even the most seasoned fantasy football enthusiasts. But, encouragingly, there will be no team inactive in Week 13, so a multitude of choices await those in search of productive kickers.
With a comprehensive list of matches for Week 13, who are the go-to kickers? Let’s dive into some kicker picks for this week’s lineup. Starting with recommended kickers for Week 13, one name stands out: Wil Lutz of the Denver Broncos, set to face the Cleveland Browns. Under Sean Payton’s guidance, the Broncos have elevated their game and appear to only be getting better, as highlighted by their recent 29-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Having racked up at least 28 points in each of their last five victories, Denver has shown their offensive prowess, particularly when not confronted with top-tier opposition like the Baltimore Ravens or Kansas City Chiefs. A capable Browns defense could create additional opportunities for Lutz, who impressed recently with five successful field goals against the Raiders.
The Washington Commanders, lined up against the Tennessee Titans, have brought in Zane Gonzalez to replace their leading kicker, Austin Seibert, who has been sidelined due to an undisclosed injury following a week in which he missed three kicks against the Cowboys. Set within a high-frequency offense, Gonzalez should be in a position to succeed. Washington boasts the second highest average of field goal attempts per game, 2.9, in the entire NFL this season. This could mean several chances for Gonzalez to score.
Also on our watchlist for Week 13 is Nick Folk of the Tennessee Titans who will be squaring off with the Washington Commanders. Folk is coming off a strong performance where he successfully kicked three field goals from more than 50 yards, and has made at least two attempts in each of his last four games. With an impressive accuracy rate of 94.4% on his field goals this season, and considering Washington’s allowance of an average of 2.7 field goal attempts over the past three matches, Folk emerges as a solid candidate for streaming options.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have some lesson optimal choices for Kickers for Week 13. A noteworthy example is Chad Ryland of the Arizona Cardinals lined up against the Minnesota Vikings. Despite a surprisingly consistent run with the Cardinals, this current positioning is not favourable for Ryland. He only missed his second field goal attempt of the season during the closing moments of the Cardinals’ 16-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the last week.
The Vikings’ defense, incidentally, allows an NFL season-low average of 1.5 field goal attempts per game. Ryland’s performance might also be affected by the Cardinals’ struggle to maintain a steady rhythm, led by Kyler Murray against the tactically acute defense.
Another name in the ‘avoid’ list for Week 13 could be Jake Moody of the San Francisco 49ers, facing the Buffalo Bills. While it’s true that the 49ers are third in the league with an average of 2.7 field goal tries per game, Moody has only received a single kick attempt in each of his last two games. He could expect the same limitations against the Bills, who also only permit an average of 1.5 field goal tries per game this season.
Lastly, fantasy football players might want to reevaluate starting Jason Sanders of the Miami Dolphins against the Green Bay Packers. Not that Sanders has been problematic, he has been impressively consistent – getting at least two field goal attempts in eight consecutive games. However, with the Dolphins set to compete in cold weather at Green Bay on Thanksgiving, the team’s traditionally poor cold weather performances might impact their offensive capacity.
Considering the Dolphins’ struggling performance in chilly conditions, opportunities for Sanders to put points on the board could be limited. Furthermore, it’s uncertain how well Sanders will adjust to green bay’s freezing conditions this late in the season. Therefore, it might be safer to avoid Sanders in this particular matchup.