Admin November 21, 2024
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The day fantasy football managers have long dreaded is arriving in Week 12: six teams will be on bye for the first and only time of the 2024 NFL season. As a result, fantasy owners fighting for playoff spots will face fewer options than usual in their start ’em, sit ’em decisions.
While that will cause issues for fantasy managers across all positions, it will be most pronounced at kicker. Why? Because a few of the NFL’s top kickers will be unavailable in Week 12. That will require teams to choose whether to roster two kickers or risk dropping the kicker on bye and losing him to another team.
Tyler Bass, Younghoe Koo and Evan McPherson are among the best fantasy kickers who will be out of action this week. While each has endured difficult stretches this season, they are all more than capable of being top-10 kickers, especially since they play in some of the league’s more explosive offenses.
Who are the best kickers to trust in Week 12 with so many teams on bye? Here’s is USA TODAY Sports’ start ’em, sit ’em advice at kicker for this week’s slate.
Fantasy football start ’em: Week 12 Kickers
Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens (at Los Angeles Chargers)
Tucker has missed six field goals in 2024 including two in the Ravens’ Week 11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, he can be trusted against a Chargers team that just surrendered a season-high 27 points to the Cincinnati Bengals and allowed McPherson to attempt four field goals.
Even with another miss, Tucker should have the volume needed to do some damage against the Chargers. Expect him to challenge for a top-five spot among kickers this week.
Spencer Shrader, Kansas City Chiefs (at Carolina Panthers)
Shrader didn’t attempt a field goal in his Chiefs debut but he made all three of his extra points. The 25-year-old has not missed any of his eight kicks with three teams this season, including field goals of 25 and 45 yards with the New York Jets.
The Chiefs have averaged just two field goal attempts per game but could be in for a bigger scoring week coming off a loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Panthers don’t exactly have a strong defense, so Shrader should be presented with enough opportunities to make him a viable fill-in streamer for the likes of Bass, Koo and McPherson.
Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins (vs. New England Patriots)
Sanders has attempted multiple field goals in eight straight games and has made his last nine field goal attempts. Those consistent opportunities are rare for kickers still on the waiver wire, making him a great pickup for Week 12. The Patriots are fresh off allowing 28 points to the Los Angeles Rams, so if the Dolphins have similar offensive success, Sanders should be poised for plenty of volume on field goals and extra points.
Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 12 Kickers
Graham Gano, New York Giants (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The odds are that you aren’t looking to start Gano, but hey, it’s Byemageddon. Options are limited!
That said, Gano isn’t one you should pursue. While the Buccaneers allow the second-most field goal attempts per game league-wide at 2.6, the Giants are making a change at quarterback and are rolling with Tommy DeVito in Week 12. That could spark the team, but it could also be a rough transition if the 2023 undrafted free agent isn’t up to the task.
Add in that Gano made just one of his two field goal attempts in his Week 10 return from IR against the Panthers, and it’s probably best to stay away from him in this spot.
Joshua Karty, Los Angeles Rams (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
Karty has popped off several times this season but is still a risky start in this matchup. The Eagles have had one of the NFL’s best defenses since returning from their Week 5 bye and have limited their last three opponents to just three total field goal attempts. More than half of Karty’s 16 made field goals came in two games, so it seems like the Rams kicker is more likely to “bust” than “boom” in this matchup.
Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
Santos may draw some consideration after Chicago’s offense woke up with Thomas Brown now in charge of it, but this isn’t a good matchup for him. The Vikings allow a league-low 1.3 field goal attempts per game, and Santos has attempted one or fewer field goals in five of his 10 games this season. He is also coming off a game-ending blocked field goal against the Green Bay Packers, so it isn’t clear whether that will negatively impact him here. Either way, there are better options to trust this week than Santos.
Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 12
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 12.
→ 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 12.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 12 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 12.
→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 12.