Admin October 17, 2024
NFL Week 6 Overreactions: Cowboys, Saints and Jaguars get blown out
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The Dallas Cowboys are on bye in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season, which will make life difficult for some fantasy football owners.
Brandon Aubrey – the No. 1 fantasy kicker in the NFL by most metrics – will have the week off. Fantasy football managers must decide whether they can afford to roster two kickers or risk losing a kicker whose production is more akin to a solid flex play.
The good news is that Harrison Butker will be back from the Chiefs bye, so the fantasy kicker rankings won’t be too thin. There are still plenty of quality streamers and high-volume options in strong offenses that can be plugged into lineups, so many Aubrey owners should survive without him for just one week.
Who are the best kicker options for NFL Week 7? Here’s which kickers project to have the best fantasy football matchups and a few who might not live up to expectations in tougher-looking matchups.
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Fantasy football start ’em: Week 7 Kickers
Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
McLaughlin has attempted multiple field goals in four of his six games this season and is averaging 3.3 extra point attempts per game in Tampa Bay’s stellar offense. Some may be scared off by his matchup with the Ravens, but it’s worth noting that Baltimore surrendered four field goal attempts to the Washington Commanders, an offense that has been as good as the Buccaneers.
McLaughlin figures to get a couple of cracks at field goals so long as the Buccaneers don’t fall behind early in this contest. He can be trusted as a top-10 kicker with that in mind.
Matthew Wright, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
The 49ers are one of three NFL teams averaging at least three field goal attempts per game. Wright is coming off a strong debut with the 49ers, as he made three field goals in place of the injured Jake Moody in Week 6.
Wright now has a career field goal percentage of 86 and will be looking to make more kicks against the Chiefs, a team he played for in 2022 when Butker was injured. Wright can be expected to hit double-digit fantasy points most weeks until Moody returns to action.
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Joshua Karty, Los Angeles Rams (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)
Karty may not be a household name, but the rookie is coming off a bye week and getting a favorable matchup against a Raiders team that allows 2.8 field goal attempts per game, tied for the second-most in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons.
Karty has made 9-of-10 field goal attempts this season and multiple field goals in three of his five games. The Rams are coming off a bye and may have Cooper Kupp back. If they do, their offense should be able to set up more scoring opportunities than average against a middling Raiders defense.
Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 7 Kickers
Greg Joseph, New York Giants (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
The Eagles allow a league-high three field goal attempts per game to opposing kickers. That and the Giants’ penchant for falling short of the end-zone on scoring drives may make Joseph look like an appealing streaming option in Week 7.
However, Joseph is fresh off a two-miss performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, during which he missed kicks from 45 and 47 yards away, respectively. That could negatively impact his confidence, so it’s hard to trust that Joseph will take advantage of the opportunities he might have.
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Jake Bates, Detroit Lions (at Minnesota Vikings)
Bates is coming off his best game as a professional kicker. He made all four field goal attempts and added five extra points for the high-flying Lions.
Detroit has averaged 44.5 points per game over its last two contests, so Bates may seem like a safe bet to get a high volume of opportunities. That said, the Vikings are allowing just 1.3 field goals per game this season, and Bates had back-to-back games in Weeks 3 and 4, during which he did not attempt a field goal. Dan Campbell’s aggressive, offensive play-calling could come back to bite those who trust Bates, so it might be better to sit him in this matchup.
Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles (at New York Giants)
Don’t look now, but the Giants have a top-10 scoring defense, allowing just 20.2 points per game during the 2024 NFL season. That’s thanks largely to their strong defensive line, headlined by Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. That unit matches up well against Philadelphia’s running game, so they may be able to force Jalen Hurts to beat them through the air in Week 7.
The Eagles can do that, especially with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both healthy. That said, it could lead to a lower-scoring contest than most anticipate, so Elliott – who has made just 6-of-8 field goals this season – is hard to trust in this spot.
Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 7
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 7.
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 7.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 7 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 7.
→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 7.