Fantasy Kicker Rankings Week 5: Who to start, sit at kicker in fantasy football

Our Week 5 fantasy kicker rankings feature a lot of the same top-15 kickers as our older editions, but after a month of results, we’re starting to see some trends (and sleepers) emerge. Guys like Greg Joseph, Nick Folk, and Dustin Hopkins look like they are on their ways to breakout seasons, but there are still plenty of preseason darlings doing well.

We also have some defensive stats to base our rankings on, though, as we always caution, fantasy points against only mean so much for kickers. That said, it’s not surprising to see teams like the Jets, Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks, and Vikings near the top of the list, but the Bears, Steelers, and Dolphins aren’t necessarily teams we expected kickers to be having big games against. You’ll see a lot of kickers facing those teams in our top 12 this week, but it’s not just because of the matchups — it’s also because those kickers are playing well.

WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST

On the other side of that coin, the Broncos, Panthers, Chiefs, Bills, and Cardinals have been particularly stingy against kickers. The team that stands out there is the Chiefs, who have been giving up a bunch of total points but apparently not a ton to kickers. That doesn’t feel like something that will last all season, which is why we’re not hesitating to rank Bills kicker Tyler Bass in the top 10 this week. We’re also not worried about Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. The Chiefs have the kind of offense that can move the ball against anyone, and it seems like only a matter of time before Butker gets going.

WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST

As always, we have to highlight the key indoor kickers who are in no danger of being affected by the elements. Daniel Carlson (vs. Bears), Younghoe Koo (vs. Jets), Matt Prater (vs. 49ers), Greg Zuerlein (vs. Giants), Greg Joseph (vs. Lions), Nick Folk (@ Texans), Graham Gano (@ Cowboys), and Robbie Gould (@ Cardinals), if healthy, are all viable options who won’t require late-week weather checks.

Obviously, kicker is the most unpredictable position in fantasy, so there’s no perfect way to pick your starter. There’s always going to be an element of luck, but if you find some proven guys in good conditions and even a semi-favorable matchup, you should be fine. Don’t waste your time overthinking this position, but thank you for wasting your time reading this intro.

Note We’ll update these kicker rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest player movement.

Fantasy Kicker Rankings Week 5: Who to start, sit in fantasy football