Admin October 24, 2024
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Fantasy football managers can breathe a sigh of relief for Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season. There are no bye weeks, so teams will not be forced to make difficult lineup decisions about their kickers for at least this week.
It’s always difficult to choose whether to roster two kickers when your top guy is on bye or if it’s better to just drop the player on bye for another option. After all, kickers are a dime a dozen in fantasy football leagues.
That said, with kicker performance peaking in 2024, many fantasy owners have wanted to keep their top options, as some –like Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys – have had legitimate double-digit scoring averages. That has made more difficult start ’em, sit ’em decisions at the position, but in Week 8, all options will be on the table.
Who among those options are the best Week 8 kickers? Here are a few kickers to trust and a few to fade as you set your lineups in the last no-bye week until Week 13.
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Fantasy football start ’em: Week 8 Kickers
Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. New Orleans Saints)
“Dicker the Kicker” has been on a roll over the last two weeks, making all eight of his field goal attempts, including two attempts from 50-plus yards. Now, he gets to face a Saints defense that is allowing an NFL-high 2.9 field goal attempts per game and has surrendered at least 26 points in four consecutive games. That should allow him to easily rack up double-digit points and challenge for a top-five ranking among kickers.
Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings (at Los Angeles Rams)
Reichard has not yet missed a kick during his rookie season and has made four field goals from 50-plus yards over his last four games. The Alabama product has also made at least two extra points in all of his games this season which should give him a higher floor than most. Feel free to trust him on a short week against a Rams defense that has allowed 25.7 points per game this season, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL.
Wil Lutz, Denver Broncos (vs. Carolina Panthers)
Lutz is getting the typical elevation boost associated with playing in Denver and also gets to square off against a Panthers team that is allowing 2.4 field goal attempts per game, tied for the eighth-most in the NFL. The Broncos are attempting 2.6 field goals per game this season, so that should give Lutz a high ceiling in favorable conditions at Mile High Stadium.
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Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 8 Kickers
Austin Seibert, Washington Commanders (vs. Chicago Bears)
Seibert has been one of fantasy football’s surprise best kickers in 2024, but his matchup in Week 8 will be difficult. It’s not necessarily because the Bears are great against kickers; they allow a middle-of-the-pack 2.2 field goal attempts per game. It’s more about the potential absence of Jayden Daniels (ribs) and how that may impact Washington in a matchup against a quality Chicago defense.
The Commanders have averaged 3.1 field goal attempts per game this season, second in the NFL to only the Cowboys. That average could decrease if Marcus Mariota can’t lead the team with the same efficiency as Daniels, so Seibert may not be the typically strong volume-based options for which his owners are hoping in Week 8.
Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears (at Washington Commanders)
Speaking of the Bears-Commanders game, sitting Santos might not be the worst option. The Commanders have allowed just 1.6 field goal attempts per game, tied for fourth-fewest in the NFL, so Santos may not get the opportunities needed to impact the game. The Bears are averaging just one field goal attempt per game over their last three contests, so that makes Santos a more-than-reasonable fade on Sunday.
Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. New York Giants)
Boswell has been an elite kicker this season, but he’s facing a strangely tough matchup against the Giants. New York has allowed just 1.3 field goal attempts per game over their last three outings and has allowed 21 points or fewer in five of its seven games this season. That may make the Giants-Steelers game a lower-scoring one, and while Boswell is plenty capable of hitting long field goals, he may not get the chances needed to cement himself in his typical top-10 scoring spot.
Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 8
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 8.
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 8.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 8 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 8.
→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 8.