Start 'Em, Sit 'Em kickers: Week 11 fantasy football

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em kickers: Week 11 fantasy football

Admin November 14, 2024

The peak of NFL bye weeks has arrived in Week 11, but there aren’t too many high-end fantasy kickers getting the week off for a second consecutive week.

The Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are all off in Week 11. Of the bunch, only the Buccaneers carry a kicker who has been an every-week fantasy starter, Chase McLaughlin.

Still, missing McLaughlin and solid streamer Chad Ryland will thin the kicker rankings a bit. So will Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert‘s hip injury and recent cold spells for top kickers like Jake Moody and Younghoe Koo.

Who are the best kickers to trust in Week 11? Here’s is USA TODAY Sports’ start ’em, sit ’em advice at kicker for this week’s slate.

Fantasy football start ’em: Week 11 Kickers

Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Seattle Seahawks)

Moody is coming off a three-miss game, so it’s easy to understand why some fantasy owners would be reluctant to trust him in Week 11. That said, the 49ers average a league-high 3.2 field goal attempts per game, so Moody should continue to get a high volume of chances to split the uprights. With better accuracy against the Seahawks, he could end up being a top-five fantasy kicker.

Brandon McManus, Green Bay Packers (at Chicago Bears)

The Bears have a very strong pass defense, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they surrender plenty of field goal attempts. They allow an average of 2.7 per game and a whopping 11 attempts over their last three contests (3.7 per game). McManus hasn’t yet attempted a kick from 50-plus yards but is 6-of-7 on his field goal attempts, with a lone miss coming from 40-plus yards in rain-soaked Green Bay. He should have a solid chance to post double-digit points if Chicago continues to play a bend-don’t-break style of defense.

Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders (at Miami Dolphins)

Trusting Carlson is risky, as he has only made multiple field goals in four of his nine games this season. However, he gets a good matchup against a Dolphins team, allowing a league-high 2.9 field goal attempts per game, and has made 4-of-5 attempts from 50-plus yards this year. Carlson also has two games with at least four field goals made, so his ceiling is high in a good-looking matchup.

Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 11 Kickers

Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Washington Commanders)

Elliott has made multiple field goals in four of his last five games, but he averages just 1.7 attempts per game on the season. The Commanders are allowing a league-low 1.2 field goal attempts per game, as teams have been forced to be more aggressive on offense to match Washington’s high-powered scoring unit.

Elliott made all three of his attempts in Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys but has made just 12-of-15 field goals this season. While he may have upside as part of a good-looking offense, this difficult matchup may prevent him from reaching his ceiling.

Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons (at Denver Broncos)

Typically, starting kickers at altitude in Denver is favorable, as it gives their kicks a little extra distance. However, the Broncos allow just 1.8 field goals per game this season, the eighth-fewest in the NFL, and Koo is just 2-of-7 on field goal attempts over his last three games. The 30-year-old veteran may be able to bounce back after a rough stretch, but it’s hard to trust his current form in a spot where his opportunities may be limited.

Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

Bass appears to be rounding into form after a rocky start to the season. He has made three field goals in back-to-back games, including four attempts from 40-plus yards. Still, trusting Bass against a Chiefs defense that allows just 1.9 field goal attempts per game (tied for the 10th-fewest in the NFL) seems like a risk. Besides, Sean McDermott might be more aggressive going for it in this contest as the Bills look to hand Kansas City its first loss of the season. That could cut down Bass’ opportunities.

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 11

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 11.

→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 11 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.

→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 11.

→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 11.

→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 11.