NFL Kickers to Start in Week 10: Fantasy Football Tiers & Rankings

Yes, that’s right – kickers. After all, points are points, and even though kickers are very difficult to predict for fantasy points week to week, having the right one in your Week 10 lineup could be a difference maker.

For those of you fantasy football owners out there who are streaming kickers, RotoBaller has got you covered with around-the-league analysis of the Week 10 NFL matchups.  This week may be an issue with bye weeks, similar to last week, meaning there may not be as many viable waiver wire streamers and sleepers available.

We’re here to give you our analysis to help make your kicker streaming decisions and make your Week 10 lineup decisions a bit easier. Some of these kickers may have good Week 10 matchups, and be available on your league’s waiver wire. Be sure to stay on top of the weekly NFL matchups and kicker opponents right here. Good luck RotoBallers!

Teams that have bye weeks in Week 10: Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans

 

Week 10 Kickers: Tiers & Rankings

Tier 1 NFL Kickers: Dallas Cowboys (Dan Bailey), Baltimore Ravens (Justin Tucker), Arizona Cardinals (Chandler Catanzaro)

Dan "The Man" Bailey is not only the most accurate kicker in NFL history (100 attempts minimum) and ranked number one overall by Pro Football Focus for 2014, but he also draws a Dan-tilizing matchup versus the horrific Jaguars defense in Week 10 that allows a juicy 11 fantasy point per game to opposing place kickers.

Justin Tucker is the second leading scorer amongst NFL legs this season and is playing against the Titans eighth worst defense versus fantasy kickers in Week 10. Use the reliable stud from Baltimore and don't think twice about it. Rookie phenom Chandler Cantanzaro rounds off tier number one as he draws the Rams tenth worst defense versus fantasy kickers in Week 10. He is also grading out as the NFL's sixth best kicker based on Pro Football Focus so don't hesitate to start him for his home start versus the incompetent Rams.

 

Tier 2 NFL Kickers: Green Bay Packers (Mason Crosby), San Francisco (Phil Dawson), Philadelphia Eagles (Cody Parkey), New York Jets (Nick Folk), Cincinnati Bengals (Mike Nugent), Pittsburgh Steelers (Shaun Suisham)

Mason "In Your Face" Crosby is the silent assassin of kickers because he's so overshadowed by the offensive talent on his football team that we forget he's rated as the eighth overall leg thus far in 2014 based on Pro Football Focus. He's also a perfect 2-for-2 in 50+ yard attempts, so even though A-Rod usually makes his job a bit easier, he certainly has the talent to put up a moon shot any given week. Next up is Phil "Your Stat Sheet" Dawson who grades out as the twelfth overall kicker in the league, and faces off against the Saints third worst defense against fantasy kickers in Week 10. Cody Parkey is quickly becoming an NFL star and is top five in scoring amongst his piers. He faces a Panthers defense in Week 10 that allows an average of 8.13 kicker fantasy points per contest.

Saint Nick Folk is sporting the sixth best successful kick percentage thus far in 2014 (93.8%) and draws the Steelers 4th worst defense versus fantasy kickers allowing 10.25 points per contest. He's as good as any starter for Week 10. Former Ohio State University and Jets great Mike Nugent is back in his home state putting in work for the Cincinnati Bengals. We expect a decent showing as he faces their intra-state foes, The Cleveland Browns, in the battle for Ohio football supremacy. Rounding off tier two is the Steelers Shaun Suisham. Not only is he top ten in scoring, but he also gets to face the putrid New York Jets in Week 10 who allow an average of 8.88 fantasy points per game to opposing place kickers.

 

Tier 3 NFL Kickers: Buffalo Bills (Dan Carpenter), Cleveland Browns (Billy Cundiff), Carolina Panthers (Graham Gano), Denver Broncos (Brandon McManus), Seattle Seahawks (Steven Hauschka), Atlanta Falcons (Matt Bryant)

Dan Carpenter leads off tier three on the merit that he's clearly a top ten scoring kicker thus far in 2014, and the Bills are facing the Chiefs' twelfth worst defense allowing 9 points per contest on average. Billy "The Kid" Cundiff is going up against the Bengals fifth worst defense versus fantasy kickers and comes in ranked as the fifth best overall kicker based on Pro Football Focus. The Panthers face off on Monday Night Football in Week 10 and Graham Gano gets to face an Eagles defense that allows an average of 7.86 kicker fantasy points per contest. He is also grading out as the seventh overall leg based on Pro Football Focus and has the ability to hit the deep ball.

Brandon McManus is nothing to write home about, but he does grade out in the top ten of kickers thus far in 2014 and faces the Oakland Raiders' ninth worst defense versus fantasy kickers. Steven Hauschka has picked up the pace of late and currently ranks in the top 10 scorers amongst his kicking piers. He draws a home contest versus the New York Football Giants who give up an average of 8 fantasy points per game to opposing kickers. Matt Bryant rounds off our third tier and he's not a must start in Week 10 for pretty good reason. Even though he faces the Buccaneers seventh worst defense versus fantasy kickers, he's playing outdoors and has only been given 10 field goal attempts all season (of which he's only made eight).

Tier 4 NFL Kickers: Kansas City Chiefs (Cairo Santos), New Orleans Saints (Shayne Graham), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Patrick Murray), Miami Dolphins (Caleb Sturgis), New York Giants (Josh Brown)

Even though Cairo Santos doesn't grade out very favorably based on Pro Football Focus, he is facing a Bills team that allows an average of 9.5 fantasy points per contest in Week 10. He can be used as desperation start, but we don't necessarily recommend this one. Shayne "The Pain" Graham is a pretty accurate kicker, but he's tough to recommend based on how few field goal attempts he actually gets (14).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Patrick Murray is often forgotten about, but he draws a decent matchup this week versus the Atlanta Falcons who allow an average of 10 fantasy points per contest to the opposition. He may be a sneaky start for Week 10 if you're not feeling some of the other options out there. Caleb Sturgis is coming in as a top ten scorer thus far in 2014, but you may want to keep him on the bench for Week 10 as the Dolphins draw a very tough matchup versus the suffocating Lions defense that's allowing a super stingy 6.38 fantasy points per contest to opposing kickers. This matchup is a no-brainer benching for Week 10.

Giants kicker Josh Brown rounds off the fourth tier as he faces off against the Seattle Seahawks. There are far worse contests to choose from in Week 10 because the beleaguered Seahawks defensive unit has allowed an average of 8.14 fantasy points to opposing kickers thus far in 2014. That being said Josh Brown is 30th in the league amongst kickers having only attempted a total of eight field goals through Week 10.

 

Tier 5 NFL Kickers: Detroit Lions (Matt Prater), Tennessee Titans (Ryan Succop), Chicago Bears (Robbie Gould), St. Louis Rams (Greg Zuerlein), Jacksonville Jaguars (Josh Scobee), Oakland Raiders (Sebastian Janikowski)

Detroit brought in former Broncos great Matt Prater earlier in 2014 hoping to rejuvenate their kicking game, but all he's done is go 5-for-7 and hasn't exactly inspired both the Lions coaching staff or fantasy owners. Keep him riding the pine in Week 10 versus a Dolphins team that is only allowing an average of 7.57 kicker fantasy points per contest to the opposition.

"Saving Private Ryan" Succop is one of the lowest scoring kickers in the NFL and also ranks as the 23rd worst leg based on Pro Football Focus. To make matters worse, he's only been given 13 total attempts and will be facing the Ravens tough defensive unit that only allows an average of 6.88 fantasy points to opposing kickers. Robbie Gould has a team full of divas and underperforming offensive options of late. He also has a Week 10 showdown with a stout Packers team that only allows 7.25 fantasy points per game to the kickers they face.

Greg "The Leg" Zuerlien has been the object of our nickname affection for the better part of 2014 (as evidenced by his mainstay cover photo for this lovely article), but unfortunately Legatron has a very tough date with the Cardinals in Week 10 and is a must-bench. Those dirty birds from Arizona have been tough on opposing kickers thus far in 2014 and only allow a mere 7.14 points per game. Next up is Josh Scobee who is barely worth a dishonorable mention at this point in the season, but since he is one of the worst kickers in the league playing for one of the worst offenses, we just thought you'd like to be reminded to bench him against the Cowboys defense in Week 10 that allows a penny-pinching 6.38 fantasy points per game to opposing kickers.

Last but not least we present our weekly tarnishing of Raiders great Sebastian Janikowski, all while urging you to bench him for Week 10 of action versus the Broncos third best defense versus kickers. Please note that if you are sensitive to hearsay from adult film stars about partying with famous athletes, then please tune out now. If you're not, and like me covet this kind of consumable post modern filth, then please follow this priceless TMZ link detailing the chronicles of "The Polish Cannon" and thank us later fellow RotoBallers.

 

Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.