Fantasy Index

Factoid

Wild, wacky world of kickers

Making sense of the most turbulent position

There’s more volatility at kicker than at other positions. But I’m guessing there will also be some difference makers at the position.

The depth at the position makes it tough to draft one early. It’s a safe assumption, after all, that a couple of the good kickers this year will be guys who weren’t even chosen in your draft. Happens every year.

Consider, for example, the 100 teams that have ranked in the top 10 in scoring at the position since 2016. Over a quarter of those teams (28) finished in the bottom 10 the previous season. That’s using complex performance scoring, with bonus points for longer kicks and subtractions for missed field goals. But however you’re scoring them, there will be fluctuation.

With passing, on the other hand, only 13 of the top 100 teams of the last 10 years are offenses that ranked in the bottom 10 the previous year. With rushing, I see 22 of 100 making that kind of move.

The Bears (with Cairo Santos leading the way) were one of those upwardly moving kicking teams last year.

BOTTOM 10 TO TOP 10 IN KICKING POINTS
YearTeamPointsRkBeforeRk
2017LA Rams18017828
2020Miami16318726
2017San Francisco16238626
2024Minnesota15559928
2018Houston15318622
2021LA Rams15249725
2024Denver151811522
2024Detroit149910027
2022Seattle14938328
2023Kansas City148310627
2023Chicago147410625
2020Las Vegas14737429
2023Cleveland14659530
2024Arizona1451011423
2025Chicago14499628
2021Philadelphia14175832
2021Minnesota13796331
2020Buffalo13748725
2018NY Giants13766032
2020Indianapolis13377728
2020Chicago13288627
2016Philadelphia13159725
2019Jacksonville13049323
2016New Orleans12868129
2019Arizona12365032
2019Minnesota12277829
2018Green Bay122107028
2019Pittsburgh12097430

So one of the strategies at this position is to make it less of priority, using some combination of streaming and in-season adjustments. That’s not a bad way to go, and carries the added benefit of picking up extra depth at the more important positions in the draft. I’m not opposed to using a last-round pick on somebody like Trey Smack (pictured), then seeing how things play out. Smack hasn’t played in a regular season game, but he looked very strong in the preseason.

But at the same time, there are some awfully good kickers out there. I see also some value in being one of the first to dive into the kicker waters. The best of the kicker prospects to me look better than the upside of a fifth or sixth player at running back or wide receiver.

Jason Myers last year scored 171 points, the most ever by a kicker. While he was terrible in the preseason, arguably dropping him out of that top tier, there are other elite prospects at that position. Ka’imi Fairbairn actually averaged more points than Myers last year (but just happened to miss two games). And Brandon Aubrey and Cameron Dicker have been very reliable.

In the 32-team era, only three kickers have averaged over 9 points per week. Three of those guys came from last year.

KICKERS AVERAGING OVER 9 POINTS PER GAME
SeasonPlayerGXPM-XPAFGM-FGAPtsAvg
2017Greg Zuerlein, LAR1444-4638-4015811.3
2017Harrison Butker, KAN1328-2838-4214210.9
2025Ka'imi Fairbairn, HOU1528-2844-4816010.7
2011David Akers, SFO1634-3444-5216610.4
2003Jeff Wilkins, STL1646-4639-4216310.2
2025Jason Myers, SEA1748-4841-4817110.1
2016Matt Bryant, ATL1656-5734-371589.9
2013Stephen Gostkowski, NWE1644-4438-411589.9
2003Mike Vanderjagt, IND1646-4637-371579.8
2017Stephen Gostkowski, NWE1645-4737-401569.8
2014Stephen Gostkowski, NWE1651-5135-371569.8
2020Younghoe Koo, ATL1533-3637-391449.6
2012Stephen Gostkowski, NWE1666-6629-351539.6
2008John Carney, NYG1538-3835-381439.5
2015Stephen Gostkowski, NWE1652-5233-361519.4
2018Ka'imi Fairbairn, HOU1639-4137-421509.4
2014Cody Parkey, PHI1654-5432-361509.4
2013Matt Prater, DEN1675-7525-261509.4
2005Neil Rackers, ARI1520-2040-421409.3
2024Chris Boswell, PIT1735-3541-441589.3
2013Adam Vinatieri, IND1534-3435-401399.3
2008Stephen Gostkowski, NWE1640-4036-401489.3
2005Jay Feely, NYG1643-4335-421489.3
2023Brandon Aubrey, DAL1749-5236-381579.2
2019Harrison Butker, KAN1645-4834-381479.2
2011John Kasay, NOR1663-6328-341479.2
2015Graham Gano, CAR1656-5930-361469.1
2009Nate Kaeding, SDG1650-5132-351469.1
2025Brandon Aubrey, DAL1747-4836-421559.1
2017Robbie Gould, SFO1628-3039-411459.1
2012Lawrence Tynes, NYG1646-4633-391459.1

—Ian Allan

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