Kickers are creatures of the game scenario.
In fantasy football, that makes them no different than many running backs and wideouts and tight ends. For those positions, as with kicking, the opportunity disappears with the unfriendly game scenario.
The receiver or tight end sees a drop in routes and targets when their team builds a big lead and runs over the cliff in the second half. The running back ends up with ten carries instead of twenty because his team has to abandon the running back as they chase points in a passing scenario. In a chance-based game, this is less than ideal.
That’s why we want forwards in our lineups whose teams have a good chance of seeing a lot of neutral or positive play scenarios. Usually that means a team won’t give up easy field goal opportunities in the second half, going down by multiple scores. So there is a process for selecting hitters — even those off the waiver wire.
In this space, I’ll highlight some waiver options that check the boxes of a viable game. Some, of course, will be better than others. Oh, and one more thing: Accuracy doesn’t matter at all. We want opportunities.
Week 6 results
Here’s how our waiver initiators fared in Week 6.
- Chris Boswell: 17 points
- Andy Boregales: 9 points
- Cairo Santos: 8 points
Week 7 Kicker Options
Below is a look at each team’s fantasy production of punts allowed through Week 6, along with a chart showing which coaches are more aggressive and more conservative with their fourth down decision making.
Ryan Fitzgerald (CAR) vs. Bucs
Tampa’s opponents this season have had multiple attempts in four of six games, thanks in large part to the Bucs being a stubbornly good red zone defense thus far. It’s the kind of defense we look for in kick-off games.
Fitzgerald has been a big beneficiary of the Panthers creating a near-constant neutral and positive play scenario this season. Only nine teams have faced a less negative game scenario than Carolina during Week 7. That should set Fitzgerald up nicely here. We’ll continue to broadcast blowouts against the Bucs until morale improves.
Jason Sanders (NYJ) vs. Dolphins
The Jets, as of this writing, are 2.5-point home favorites against the extremely bad Dolphins, who have given up multiple field goal attempts in three of their last four games. No one has faced a more negative game scenario than Miami during Week 6. I don’t expect that to change this week with a Jets offense boosted by the return of Omar Cooper, Jr. and maybe one day Adonai Mitchell.
Sanders, fresh off a four-field goal performance against the Patriots, is a legitimate high swing this week.
Andy Borregales (NE) vs. Bears
We’re well back in Borregales in what should be a high-scoring Thursday night affair, or as high-scoring as a TNF game can be, I guess. Borregales has multiple attempts in three of six games and should take advantage as the Patriots’ red zone offense cools off a bit. That’s what we saw in Week 6 against the Jets.
The Bears aren’t a good matchup on paper — as seen above — but they’ve allowed three field goal attempts in each of their two losses this season. Borregales should at least have a solid floor here.