As the fantasy football regular season nears its end with only two weeks remaining, we're here to provide more advice to enhance your chances of victory in Week 13. The selection of the right kicker can make all the difference in your league matchup outcome.
We're hoping to see more big numbers after the success of Week 12. Recall that we saw Blake Grupe score an impressive 18 points, Brandon McManus deliver 13 points, and Younghoe Koo secure a modest six points. We will see which kickers tally the big numbers this week. It's also crucial to steer clear of kickers to avoid, as evidenced by Greg Zuerlein's zero points and Anders Carlson's four-point performance.
This week, we dub it “Justin Tucker Week,” presenting fantasy football owners with the dilemma of either dropping the league's best kicker or committing the unconventional act of carrying two kickers for a week. Whether it's the late stage of the season or Tucker's slightly diminished performance this year, the decision doesn't seem as daunting as in the past. Nonetheless, Tucker owners will need to consult our Week 13 fantasy football kicker rankings to find a reliable replacement.
Teams on Bye
The Bills (Tyler Bass), Ravens (Justin Tucker), Bears (Cairo Santos), Raiders (Daniel Carlson), Vikings (Greg Joseph), and Giants (Randy Bullock) are off this week, taking away two of fantasy football's highest-owned kickers in Bass and Tucker.
Fortunately, there's no shortage of solid options despite six byes. That's the blessing and curse of kicker — there's always someone to slot in. However, finding the best option is never easy.
As we've been saying all season, you shouldn't hold your kicker through his bye week. This means that, even if you own Tucker, don't waste two roster spots on him and a replacement. You're better off having an RB handcuff or a matchup-based streamer at WR or TE (for either this week or next week) on your bench. You might be able to get Tucker back in free agency next week, and if someone else in your league picks him up, then so be it. You'll find another good kicker anyway.
Top Fantasy Football Picks
Our picks for Week 13 include Dustin Hopkins, McManus, Nick Folk, and Koo. These kickers have consistently delivered high scores throughout the season and face defenses that ranked in the top 10 in fantasy football points per game (FPPG) allowed to kickers.
First, let's talk about Jacksonville's Brandon McManus. He has secured his place in the top rankings for the past two weeks. With an average of 9.82 points per game and a reliable track record, McManus is a consistent asset. Despite his first miss since Week 3 in a 55-yard attempt, McManus boasts a commendable 23-for-26 on field goals and a perfect 23-for-23 on extra points this season. Facing the Bengals, who allow the 11th-most points per game to kickers, McManus is poised for another strong showing.
The top 10 also include Brandon Aubrey, Jake Elliott, Blake Grupe, Cameron Dicker, and Harrison Butker. While Aubrey and Grupe benefit from playing indoors, Dicker has a favorable matchup. Overall, this group comprises high-scoring kickers trusted regardless of matchups.
Fantasy Football Sleepers
Fantasy Football sleepers owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues include McManus, Nick Folk, Grupe, and Dicker. Grupe, especially, is a safe choice playing indoors. However, his matchup is not as statistically strong as Folk's, Dicker's, or McManus's.
That said, Blake Grupe maintains his sleeper status after a stellar Week 12, scoring 18 points. Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk, coming off a modest seven-point performance, boasts a solid record of 21-of-22 on field goals this season, securing the 12th-best kicker position.
For those who trust matchup numbers, Jason Sanders and Matt Ammendola could be viable options. They face defenses that entered Week 12 in the top 10 in FPPG allowed to kickers. Ammendola, playing indoors, has an additional advantage as well.
Fantasy Football Busts
In the Fantasy Football Busts category, Trey McBride and Matt Gay face tough matchups, especially in PPR leagues. Riley Patterson's seemingly favorable matchup is tempered by Detroit's strong run defense. Greg Zuerlein of the New York Jets faces challenges. He has not attempted a field goal in the past two weeks due to the struggling Jets' offense. Eddy Pineiro of the Carolina Panthers holds the 25th position among kickers. He averages just 7.18 points per game, despite having missed only three field goals all season.
Now, let's dive into our NFL Fantasy Football Kicker rankings for Week 13 of the 2023 regular season. Standard rankings are indicated in parentheses.
NFL Fantasy Football Week 13 Kicker Rankings
1. Dustin Hopkins, CLE @ LAR (1)
2. Matt Gay, IND @ TEN (2)
3. Brandon McManus, JAC vs. CIN (3)
4. Nick Folk, TEN vs. IND (4)
5. Younghoe Koo, ATL @ NYJ (5)
6. Brandon Aubrey, DAL vs. SEA (6)
7. Jake Elliott, PHI vs. SF (7)
8. Blake Grupe, NO vs. DET (8)
9. Cameron Dicker, LAC @ NE (9)
10. Harrison Butker, KC @ GB (10)
11. Jason Myers, SEA @ DAL (11)
12. Jason Sanders, MIA @ WAS (12)
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