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NFL kickers are usually selected with the last draft pick, but putting in an effort to select a proficient kicker in the right round is vital. Kickers still matter in fantasy football and can contribute to the success of a draft roster. The position is usually utilized in deeper leagues where most of the upper-tier players in the other positions are quickly taken by the other drafters.
Here are the top 10 NFL fantasy football kickers to keep an eye on in 2020:
10. Zane Gonzalez
A rejuvenated Arizona Cardinals offense pulled kicker Zane Gonzalez's name onto this list. The entrance of rookie quarterback Kyler Murray and a reshuffled coaching staff last season led to more attempts for Gonzalez. He had 35 attempts and hit nearly 89% of those. A vast majority of his chances (25) also came inside 40 yards which helped him have a better conversion rate. The upcoming NFL season will see if the upward trend will continue for the fourth-year player.
9. Younghoe Koo
Younghoe Koo had a productive NFL campaign with the Atlanta Falcons last season. Despite playing just eight games, he successfully converted 23 out of 26 total field goal attempts. An indoor environment at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium should help Koo achieve another accurate year and hopefully exceed his 88.5% field-goal mark last season.
8. Jake Elliott
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott is one of the more accurate kickers in the NFL last season. However, his volume was too little as he made 22 out of 26 total field goals – accounting for 84.6%. The Eagles' shorthanded offensive rotation affected Elliott's chances to contribute in 2019. A healthier season will help the Philly-based team maximize its accurate kicker to reel in extra points in 2020.
7. Matt Gay
Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Matt Gay produced enough to be included in this list as a rookie last season. The Bucs and former quarterback Jameis Winston relied heavily on long passes which made the ball move quicker across the field. This offensive scheme gave Gay more attempts throughout the NFL season, making 27 out of 35 total field goal attempts. He also set franchise records for most points scored by a rookie kicker with 124, most successful extra-point attempts by a rookie kicker with 43, and tied for the most successful field goal attempts by a rookie kicker with 27.
6. Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould is already an elder statesman in an NFL full of young kickers. At 37 years old, he might have already seen it all in the league. Though he is still a historically-accurate kicker, last year was a season to forget for Gould. He has only made 23 field goals out of 31 total attempts which recorded a 74% field goal percentage – a record-low for his whole career. Luckily for him and his potential drafters, he is still on a 49ers side that provides its kickers with plenty of field goal attempts to which he can redeem himself next season.
5. Matt Prater
Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater has been around the NFL for quite some time already. He successfully hit 7 out of 8 field goals from 50 or more yards last season and made nearly 84% of his overall attempts. With quarterback Matthew Stafford now fully recovered and ready to play in the upcoming season, Prater's numbers should only go up.
He has also set the NFL records for consecutive field goal conversions of 50+ yards (14 field goals) and 55+ yards (seven field goals) back in 2017, and the longest successful field goal in NFL history (64 yds) in the 2013 season.
4. Greg Zuerlein
The 2017 NFL Pro Bowler Greg Zuerlein encountered accuracy issues in his last season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. He has only made 24 out of 33 total field goal attempts, equating to a lowly 72.7%. If there was a silver lining from his 2019 campaign, it was his perfect extra points percentage to which he made all 42 of his attempts. Now moving on to the Dallas Cowboys, Zuerlein will hopefully see a breath of fresh air with a more dangerous offense this time around.
3. Wil Lutz
New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz is another choice to which more traditional fantasy drafters can resort to. He plays half of his games indoors in the team's Mercedes-Benz Superdome which is believed by many to contribute to the efficiency of kickers. Regardless of the team's ‘dome advantage,' Lutz has been a top ten kicker in three straight NFL seasons. Volume is always on his side with the Saints, who generate a ton of field goal attempts.
2. Justin Tucker
The Baltimore Ravens' Justin Tucker is a reliable kicker who saved the team's fate in multiple crunch time situations last season. He successfully made several game-tying and game-winning field goals for the Ravens which helped the team tally an impressive 14-2 record. He also led the league in extra points made and extra points attempted with 57 and 59, respectively.
1. Harrison Butker
It was honestly a toss-up between Justin Tucker and Harrison Butker but I ultimately went with the Kansas City Chiefs kicker basing on the stability of the team's offense. The Chiefs have been the best offense in the league to which a Super Bowl LIV title can attest to. Their fast-paced offense and quick movement of the ball helped Butker to have a higher volume of kicks in recent years.
The Georgia Tech product led the league in field-goals made and attempts last year with 34 and 38, respectively. He has also finished in the top five in scoring in the last three seasons which only strengthens his case for the top spot.
