What a week! From improbable comebacks on the foot of rookie kickers to missed kicks losing games. You can always count on special teams to keep games interesting. I would be remiss not to love on Jake Bates a little bit here. Everyone’s doing it and I’m nothing if not trendy. The rookie soccer star turned kicker is still perfect on field goal attempts this year. Since Detroit’s bye week, Bates has finished as a top-12 kicker in 4-of-5 weeks and he’s got a banging matchup Week 11 against the Jaguars. He’s rostered in only about 40% of leagues so I won’t write him in as a streamer, but I suggest you check your waiver wire for him.
On the other side of the coin, Jake Moody and Younghoe Koo struggled in Week 10, both missing three field goals. Moody salvaged his day by hitting a walk-off game winner but Koo couldn’t get it going and the Falcons dropped a game to the lowly Saints. As long as neither organization is worried about these guys, I’m not either.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s do a quick Week 10 article recap. John Parker Romo did a fine job replacing Will Reichard this week (and we’re going back to him Week 11); Blake Grupe had a solid game, and it will come as no surprise that the New York Giants were disappointing. If Gano hadn’t missed his first field goal attempt, I’d be feeling a lot better about this call.
As for the fades: Cam Little, Nick Folk, and Brandon Aubrey all finished the week with seven or fewer fantasy points. I’m going to chalk that up to a full win.
We’re getting closer and closer to playoff time, if you’re in a league that puts stock into points scored, streaming kickers will become increasingly important. Let’s get into it.
Streams
Brandon McManus – Green Bay Packers (3% rostered)
The Packers are coming off a bye week which is always a good way to sneak in and grab a kicker. Green Bay is averaging 2.7 field goal attempts this year but more importantly, they’re going up against a Chicago team that has fallen apart since their bye week. In the last three weeks, Chicago is allowing an average of 3.7 field goal attempts to opponents per game. In all three of those games, kickers have put up double-digit performances.
The Packers are traveling to Chicago, so you might keep an eye on the weather. But McManus spent most of his career kicking outside so unless it’s 25+ MPH winds and wet, I’m not that worried about it.
John Parker Romo – Minnesota Vikings (2% rostered)
John Parker Romo was the only Viking that scored on Sunday in their matchup with the Jaguars. In his first NFL game action, the rookie kicker went 4-for-4 on field goals and helped secure the win for Minnesota. This week, the Vikings are traveling to Tennessee to take on the 2-7 Titans. Minnesota is averaging over two field goal attempts per game on the year. I think the concern when a new kicker comes in is always “Will the team trust him the same way they trusted *insert starting kicker*?” Kevin O’Connell and Co. answered that question this week for us. As long as Will Reichard is on IR, I’m interested in whoever is in his place.
Wil Lutz – Denver Broncos (9% rostered)
Wil Lutz and the Denver Broncos had a heartbreaking end to their divisional matchup in Week 10. I’m still a little sick about it as a Broncos fan myself. However in fantasy football, much like in life, we cannot dwell on the past. We have to look forward. That means looking to the Broncos battle against the Falcons this week. Two teams looking for kicker redemption, what could go wrong?
Atlanta leads the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing kickers. They’re allowing over two field goal attempts per game, and Denver continues to attempt multiple field goals a game on average.
Fades
We’re getting a little bold here, but I told you last week that sometimes you gotta risk it. Take chances. It feels good (kind of, sometimes, when it works).
Jake Elliott – Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles started the season kind of flimsy but they seem to have latched onto their identity and are playing good ball. Just because the Eagles are stringing together wins though, does not mean that Jake Elliott has been a league winner and it does not mean we aren’t still collectively scratching our heads at Nick Sirianni’s usage of Jake Elliott.
Week 11 they host the Commanders. Washington has allowed the 3rd fewest fantasy points to kickers this year, just a year removed from allowing the 2nd most fantasy points to kickers. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sirianni does his best Dan Campbell a la 2023 impression this week.
Evan McPherson – Cincinnati Bengals
I’ve already talked too much this week so I’ll keep this short and sweet. The Bengals travel to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers in this Week 11 matchup. The Chargers still haven’t allowed a double-digit fantasy performance to opposing kickers this year. McPherson follows up this Week 11 game with a bye week, and then a battle with Pittsburgh, it might be time to find your replacement now instead of waiting for the bye.
I’m also fading Nick Folk, Cam Little, and Cairo Santos, but so is everyone else so I won’t write a big expose on them. Now that we’ve got a game plan, let’s go lock up those playoff spots.
