Admin September 19, 2024
Ravens struggle against Raiders, Vikings get win over 49ers
Prince Grimes breaks down all the ups and downs of NFL week 2 of the 2024 season.
Sports Seriously
Kickers have long been considered a blight on fantasy football in many circles. That opinion may be changing during the 2024 NFL season.
The NFL’s kickers have been remarkably consistent to begin the season, especially from long distance. Kickers have gone an incredible 35 of 39 on 50-plus-yard field goal attempts (89.7 percent), which has provided a boost to many fantasy owners across the sport.
The ironic part of it all? Justin Tucker is the lone kicker to have two misses from 50-plus yards. The Baltimore Ravens star has perennially been the top kickers selected in fantasy leagues, so in many ways, things have gone topsy-turvy in 2024.
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A single thing remains the same about kickers through all the change: It is still hard to predict when exactly they will get their chances. The best way to picks kickers in fantasy is to trust ones with big legs who play in strong offenses that frequently get into scoring range.
With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the best kickers to trust in fantasy football for Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season.
Fantasy football start ’em: Week 3 Kickers
Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Boswell has long been one of the NFL’s best kickers from distance, and he has carried that success into the 2024 season. He is already 6 for 6 on field goals from 50-plus yards, so Mike Tomlin should be willing to trust him to continue making them.
The Steelers’ matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers may look tough on paper, as the Chargers are allowing a league-low 6.5 points per game to start the season. That said, the Steelers have the best running game among Los Angeles’ three opponents to open the season, so Pittsburgh should position itself for at least a couple of solid-length field goal attempts.
Blake Grupe, New Orleans Saints
Grupe plays for the NFL’s highest-scoring offense. The Saints are going up against a Philadelphia Eagles defense that has 399.5 yards per game, the third-most in the NFL, to open the season.
New Orleans should continue to move the ball well on Philadelphia which should allow Grupe to be in range for a couple of field goals. Grupe has a pretty high floor too, as he is averaging 5.5 extra point attempts per game, so feel free to safely plug the Saints kicker into your lineups.
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Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McLaughlin finds himself in a favorable spot in Week 3. He is traveling to take on the Denver Broncos at a high-altitude stadium that should add some length to McLaughlin’s already strong leg.
Beyond that, the Broncos have actually fared decently stopping opposing passing attacks, allowing just 134 yards per game through the air over the first two weeks. That could cause Baker Mayfield and Co. to stall out more often than usual. Either way, McLaughlin has made a field goal from beyond 50 in each of his games, so he may need just one kick to make himself a viable starter.
Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 3 Kickers
Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins
Sanders would normally draw consideration for lineups, but the absence of Tua Tagovailoa will take some oomph out of Miami’s offense. Add in that the Dolphins are playing a Mike Macdonald-coached Seattle Seahawks defense with a chance for rain and it doesn’t look like a good spot in which to trust the veteran kicker.
Jake Bates, Detroit Lions
Bates has made all eight of his kicks to open the 2024 NFL season – five field goals and three extra points – but trusting the former soccer player turned kicker in Week 3 isn’t recommended. This will be his first true NFL road game, and while it’s taking place in a dome, it will be outside the familiar comforts of Ford Field, where he kicked for the Michigan Panthers in the UFL.
Additionally, Bates’ longest field goal has come from just 35 yards away. He has the leg needed to make kicks from 50 or even 60-plus yards, but the Lions’ strong offense won’t require him to do that often. Even if the opportunity exists, Dan Campbell’s aggressive play-calling may result in Bates missing some field goal chances in favor of a fourth-down conversion attempt.
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Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills
There is such thing as playing on an offense that is too good as a fantasy kicker. That remains Bass’ dilemma, as Josh Allen and the Bills are averaging a solid four red-zone trips per game but have turned 75 percent of those attempts into touchdowns.
Bass can still make deep kicks, but as long as Allen is keeping the chains moving, Bass’ upside will be capped. Given that the Jaguars have allowed the third-most passing yards to quarterbacks this season, this might be a good week to keep Bass on the bench – especially since the Bills brought in a couple of kickers for workouts ahead of the game.
