Week 8 of the NFL and Fantasy Football is season is already here and the first seven weeks have gone by in a flash. Fantasy managers are scrambling to secure a solid lineup as the fantasy playoffs are creeping up around the corner. Having a solid kicker during your weekly matchups could be the difference in winning and losing those single-digit deficits, so finding consistency at the position could be crucial to fantasy success.
There were no significant injuries to report on in Week 7, a major sign of relief given all the volatile changes throughout the fantasy season thus far. Denver Broncos' Will Lutz was the star of Week 7, nailing a 39-yard field goal to complete Denver's 33-point fourth quarter comeback. Green Bay Packers' backup Lucas Havrisik started his second career game in relief of Brandon McManus, hitting from 61 yards and breaking the Packers' franchise record.
Fantasy managers will see a new slate of bye weeks, potentially affecting the kicker position and needing replacements through the waiver wire. Aside from must-start options like Dallas Cowboys' Brandon. Aubrey and Chargers' Cameron Dicker, we'll be taking a look at the best starts of the week and which kickers you can leave on your bench.
Week 7 Kickers – Start ‘Em
This Week's Top-5 Kickers:
- Brandon Aubrey, DAL (@DEN)
- Cameron Dicker, LAC (vs. MIN)
- Chase McLaughlin, TB (@NO)
- Chris Boswell, PIT (vs. GB)
- Eddy Pineiro, SF (@HOU)
Evan McPherson, CIN (vs. NYJ)
Evan McPherson is coming into Week 8 following his best fantasy performance of the season, notching 17.0 points on 4-4 FGM and three extra-point makes. With the arrival of Joe Flacco as the team's new quarterback, this offense has a completely new look and can actually convert on their offensive possessions. Receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins become much more attractive options to score the ball, in turn making McPherson another viable weekly starter.
McPherson and the Bengals draw the New York Jets in Week 8, who allow the most average fantasy points to kickers each week (9.86). With a re-vamped offense under Joe Flacco, this should be an advantageous spot for McPherson, who's currently ranked just outside the top-10 according to most outlets. Feel comfortable starting him this week and the coming weeks moving forward.
Jake Moody, CHI (@BAL)
The Chicago Bears have now won four consecutive games and seem to be finding their groove under Ben Johnson's new offense. Moody was injured during weeks 2-5, but has since returned in weeks 7 and 8 with 15.0 and 14.0 fantasy point totals. He's made four field goals in each of the last two games as the Chicago Bears have scored 25 or more points in their last four games.
The Bears draw the Baltimore Ravens, who currently allow the third-most totals yards per game (380.8) to opponents in the NFL. With QB Lamar Jackson still ‘questionable' to return under center and the Ravens' defense allowing teams to score rather easily, it should open the window for Moody to be a solid kicking option in Week 8.
Parker Romo, ATL (vs. MIA)
The Atlanta Falcons have an extremely friendly matchup against the Miami Dolphins this week, who tie with the Jets on most fantasy points to kickers (9.86) on average. Kicker Parker Romo is still adjusting to his new role, but he's perfect so far on his extra-point attempts and could see an increased workload against this inferior Dolphins' defense.
Furthermore, the Falcons defense has been stout this season, indicative of their recent win 24-14 win over the Buffalo Bills. Expect their defense to be another deciding factor during this game, keeping the Falcons' offense on the field and converting on their opportunities inside opponents' territory.
Week 7 Kickers – Sit ‘Em
Matt Gay, WAS (@KC)
The Washington Commanders are hoping to bounce back following a tough 44-22 loss to their divisional rivals in the Dallas Cowboys. With franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels injured and not returning during the game, he could be looking at another couple weeks on the sidelines. This would put Marcus Mariota in starting position, putting an obvious ceiling on this offense.
Furthermore, the Commanders draw a tough Kansas City defense that is playing some of their best football of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs are also 11-point betting favorites to win the game, so the Washington Commanders could be trying for touchdowns instead of settling for field goals on fourth down.
Jake Elliott, PHI (vs. NYG)
The Eagles and the Giants meet for the second time in three weeks following New York's stunning 34-17 beatdown over the reigning Super Bowl champs. During that game, Elliott attempted one field goal and just two extra points, making for a pedestrian fantasy week. The Eagles are going to be motivated to get this win back, but with Jalen Hurts and the “tush push” on fourth downs, Jake Elliott's attempts from range seem to be seriously limited this season. Look for production elsewhere if you can find it.
