No position in fantasy football is as difficult to predict as kickers. Ability and accuracy are nowhere near as important as opportunity. Often, the best kickers sit on the bench the entire game as their offense either stagnates or scores touchdowns, while mediocre kickers have ample attempts as their team drives down the field but cannot punch the ball into the end zone.
In Week 16, Cameron Dicker and Jason Sanders both eclipsed the 20-point mark in fantasy, while more than one-third of kickers reached double-digit points. With fantasy football championships underway, a five-point difference in performance from your fantasy kicker can be the difference between a berth in the championship versus an early playoff exit. Find out which kickers to start and which players are better off left on the bench in Week 17 Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Kickers.
Kickers to Start in Week 17
Texans' Ka'imi Fairbairn (vs. Titans)
A midseason injury took Fairbairn off many fantasy radars, but the Houston Texans kicker is fourth among healthy, rostered kickers entering Week 17 in fantasy points per game. Last time out against the Tennessee Titans, Fairbairn made four field goals against a Tennessee defense giving up the most field goal attempts per game to opponents. Fairbairn is a strong fantasy starter this weekend.
Bears' Cairo Santos (vs. Falcons)
Cairo Santos is the seventh-ranked kicker in fantasy heading into Week 17 yet is still owned in less than 25% of ESPN leagues. Santos has made multiple field goals in five of the last six games, making him a reliable fantasy option regardless of the projections.
49ers' Jake Moody (vs. Commanders)
Kickers that rank low in field goal attempts are usually best to be avoided in fantasy football. But then there is Jake Moody. The San Francisco 49ers kicker is 29th in the NFL in field goal attempts but is still 10th in points scored because he is tied for the league lead in extra points made. The Washington Commanders defense is last in the NFL in points allowed; expect a high number of extra points and a field goal or two for Moody.
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Kickers to Sit in Week 17
Chiefs' Harrison Butker (vs. Bengals)
The struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs offense have carried over to Harrison Butker in recent weeks. The veteran kicker has missed field goals in back-to-back games — with both attempts coming from inside 40 yards. He has now failed to reach double-digit fantasy points in six of his last seven games. Despite lofty projections, keep Butker on the bench this week.
Titans' Nick Folk (vs. Texans)
After a strong start to the season that included five double-digit fantasy showings in his first six games, Nick Folk has not reached the 10-point plateau since Week 9. While the Tennessee Titans kicker has been near-perfect this year (one missed FG, two missed extra points) the lack of opportunities in the second half of the season removes him from fantasy relevance.
Colts' Matt Gay (vs. Raiders)
Few kickers have been more inconsistent lately than Matt Gay of the Indianapolis Colts. In his last six games, he has had two weeks with 10+ fantasy points, a week with negative fantasy points, and six missed kicks during this stretch. He may come into Week 17 as the eighth-highest-scoring kicker in fantasy, but it is hard to trust Gay given his recent performances.
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