Week 5 of the NFL season is already behind us as fantasy managers make pivotal decisions that could make or break their season at the quarter mark. As is the case with every season, the kicker slot is the most neglected and overlooked position in fantasy lineups. However, an elite kicker can guarantee around 10 points or more each week, which could be the difference between your team making the fantasy playoffs or not.
Week 5 saw a ton of action from the kicker position with the first round of BYE weeks affecting starting options, forcing managers to hit the waiver wire for replacements. For several teams, a field goal in the waning minutes of the game was ultimately the difference and for others, the kicking unit remained on the sidelines as their teams went for it on fourth.
However, the biggest development was the loss of Colts' placekicker Spencer Shrader, who is confirmed to be out for the remainder of the season after he was hurt during an attempt. Shrader tore his ACL and MCL in the win over the Raiders, leaving the game as the No. 1 overall kicker in fantasy so far this season.
With new teams heading into the BYE and changes at the top of the rankings, we'll take a look at the Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings for Kicker.
Top Fantasy Kickers – Week 6
Dallas Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey will come into Week 6 as the top-ranked kicker behind the fourth-highest scoring team in the league (30.2 pts/game). After hanging 40 points on the highly-touted Green Bay Packers defense, the Cowboys will take on the Carolina Panthers allowing 23.8 pts/game to opponents, so we should see another offensive outburst from Dallas. Start Aubrey with confidence for the rest of the season.
Los Angeles Chargers' Cameron Dicker will also be at the top of the rankings as his team visits the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are allowing 29.0 pts/game to opponents, sixth-highest in the NFL. Dicker has been a perfect 100% on nine field goal attempts, as well as a spotless 9-9 on his extra points. The Chargers offense will be looking to bounce back in a big way following two uncharacteristic losses, so expect Dicker to get involved against Miami.
Finally, Denver Broncos' Will Lutz will also be in a great position this week as his team hosts the New York Jets. The Jets have the second-worst defense in the league at the moment, allowing 31.4 pts/game to opponents. The Denver Broncos recently came back to upset the Philadelphia Eagles with their explosive offense, so expect their kicker to get some work in what should be a high-scoring effort against the Jets.
Kickers rising quickly
Green Bay Packers' Brandon McManus currently ranks 22nd in points among kickers, but he's been reliable for the most part when it comes to attempts inside 50 yards. The Packers have also faced tough opponents up to this point, causing them to be aggressive on fourth downs in close games. The Packers will face the Bengals, Cardinals, Steelers, and Panthers in their next four games where they should be billed as the betting favorites. Expect McManus to see a slight boost in his fantasy production as the Packers' offense has a chance to score some points in the coming weeks.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may just be one of the league's most electric teams and quarterback Baker Mayfield shows no signs of slowing down in terms of slinging the ball. The Buccaneers have the seventh-highest scoring offense in the league (27.0 pts/game) and they've attempted the second-most field goals (15) among all teams this season. Expect a ton of work out of kicker Chase McLaughlin, who currently holds the season's longest made field goal at 65 yards, as the Buccaneers take on the 49ers.
As long as the Detroit Lions continue to be the highest-scoring offense in the NFL, kicker Jake Bates will remain in the top-10 fantasy discussion for the position. The Lions' schedule gets much tougher with games against the Chiefs, Bucs, Commanders, and Eagles over their next five, so don't be surprised if this offense hits a plateau and Bates becomes much more valuable with his long field goal kicking.
Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings – Week 6
- Brandon Aubrey, DAL (@CAR)
- Cameron Dicker, LAC (@MIA)
- Will Lutz, DEN (NYJ)
- Jake Elliott, PHI (@NYG)
- Joshua Karty, LAR (@BAL)
- Harrison Butker, KC (DET)
- Matt Prater, BUF (@ATL)
- Matt Gay, WAS (@CHI)
- Chase McLaughlin, TB (SF)
- Jake Bates, DET (@KC)
- Chad Ryland, ARI (@IND)
- Eddy Pineiro, SF (@TB)
- Jason Myers, SEA (@JAX)
- Chris Boswell, PIT (CLE)
- Nick Folk, NYJ (DEN)
BYE Weeks: Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings
