NFL Fantasy Football Week 17: Kicker rankings

Heading into Week 17, kickers aren’t fashionable, but they can make a difference in your fantasy football matchups. The question is, just who are the best options this time around?

Brett Maher and Nick Folk stand out as the two most prolific fantasy kickers through Week 16. Daniel Carlson follows the pair as his consistency has returned for the final stages of the season.

Maher has been the standout kicker in 2022. His average return of 10.1 fantasy points per game has been a tribute to his accuracy.

Tyler Bass’ mid-season surge has calmed down a little, and he has slumped back to fourth place, while Jason Myers brings up the rear of the top five with an average of 9.2 points per game.

Kickers will never get rested in the regular season, so you don’t need to worry about that when selecting your line-up.

Every starting kicker that is healthy will play in Week 17, and you have to decide just who you want to be part of your team.

Who are the best available Fantasy Football kickers in Week 17?

#1 Brett Maher – Dallas Cowboys @ Tennessee Titans

Brett Maher heads into Week 17 as the most productive fantasy kicker of the 2022 season.

Having been consistently successful with the Cowboys throughout the season, he has finally put enough points together to claim the top spot.

Nobody can claim to have performed better than Maher throughout the campaign, with his average of 10.1 fantasy points per game being the highest in the NFL.

Maher was in scintillating form as America’s Team defeated the Eagles 40-34 over Christmas. He was flawless, hitting four of four extra-point attempts as well as successfully converting all four of his field-goal tries.

This performance earned him a total of 19 points, way above his season average.

With the Cowboys expected to steamroll the Titans in Week 17, Maher will score you vital fantasy football points.

#2 Justin Tucker – Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Justin Tucker managed to score nine points in Week 16, which leaves him in the second spot heading into a Week 17 clash with the Steelers.

There is a need for caution when rushing to pick your fantasy kicker for your crucial playoff matchups. Tucker’s form actually hasn’t been great in the last two weeks.

Don’t be panicked if you see him suddenly appear on the waiver wire… it’s because he missed two field goals against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15 and missed one against the Falcons in Week 16.

He has still scored points but misses are costly.

#3 Daniel Carlson – Las Vegas Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers

Daniel Carlson has had to watch the Raiders offense be dysfunctional all season, and that doesn’t end in Week 17.

Derek Carr has been benched and will not even practice with the team for the last two weeks of their campaign.

Carlson is still expected to perform, though, even against a 49ers defense that is going to make mincemeat out of the Raiders O-Line.

Carlson has 141 points in 2022, making him one of fantasy football’s best pickups at the position, but his average per game has shrunk to 9.4.

It’s difficult to advise players to select him ahead of Week 17.

#4 Tyler Bass – Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals

Buffalo and Cincinnati sound like an AFC Championship game already. They are the two best teams in the conference, and we will get a preview of that game in Week 17.

It could be a low scoring affair, especially with the defenses of both teams having game-changing players.

Both teams are far more disciplined than the leading two teams in the NFL, the Cowboys and the Eagles, who played out a high-scoring 40-34 game in Week 16.

Don’t expect anything similar from this game. It will be tight, and the kickers could make the difference.

Tyler Bass is as talented as they come in the NFL, although his confidence took a knock in Week 16 as he scored just three points.

It was the first time all season that Bass hadn’t converted a single field goal in a game, as he missed his solitary attempt against the Bears. He also missed an extra-point. He isn’t a form pick ahead of Week 17.

#5 Jason Myers – Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Jets

Rather curiously, Jason Myers was another of the NFL’s top kickers who had a Week 16 to forget.

He registered just four fantasy football points as the Seattle Seahawks were outclassed by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Myers didn’t necessarily play poorly; he made his only extra-point and field-goal attempts, but he just didn’t get on the field enough to make a worthwhile contribution.

This is unlikely to be the case in Week 17 though, as the New York Jets limp toward the end of the regular season.

Zach Wilson has been dropped as the starting QB yet again, and the team’s offense is really struggling in the absence of Breece Hall.

You can expect Myers to get more field-goal chances in Week 17 and more opportunities for points, which is good for those who select him for their fantasy football line-ups.

Top 10 Fantasy Football kickers in Week 17

This list is ranked by fantasy points scored.

1. Brett Maher – 151 points

2. Justin Tucker – 143 points

3. Daniel Carlson – 141 points

4. Tyler Bass – 138 points

5. Jason Myers – 135 points

6. Nick Folk – 135 points

7. Eddy Pineiro – 134 points

8. Graham Gano – 133 points

9. Younghoe Koo – 129 points

10. Greg Zuerlein – 125 points