Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Kickers - Sleepers, Busts, Matchups
Week 16 Start ‘Em: Kickers
Start of the Week
Jason Sanders at Raiders (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFLN): Sanders is coming off a stinker in the stat sheets, scoring just two points in a win over the Patriots. However, he had put up nine or more points in each of his previous seven games, and a game in Las Vegas is a favorable one. Since Week 9, their defense has allowed 13 field goals and the fifth-most fantasy points to the position.
Week 16 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
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Start ‘Em
Wil Lutz vs. Vikings (Fri. 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX): Lutz has produced nine combined fantasy points in his last three games, but a matchup against the Vikings makes him a worthwhile steamer this week. Minnesota has handed out points to kickers like Santa Claus hands out toys on Christmas Eve, allowing the second-most points. Seven kickers have scored at least nine points against them.
Ka’imi Fairbairn vs. Bengals (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Fairbairn has put up at least eight fantasy points in four of his last five games, and this week’s matchup against the Bengals makes him a solid streamer. Their defense has surrendered at least nine fantasy points to kickers nine times, and just three have failed to score at least seven points against them. Consider Fairbairn a top-10 booter.
More Starts
- Michael Badgley vs. Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Robbie Gould at Cardinals (4:30 p.m. ET, AMAZON)
Sleepers
- Cairo Santos at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Mike Nugent vs. 49ers (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, AMAZON)
Week 16 Sit ‘Em: Kickers
Sit of the Week
Mason Crosby vs. Titans (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Crosby has failed to score more than nine fantasy points in a single game since Week 9, and he’s averaged a very modest seven points in his last four contests. I’d keep him on the sidelines this week, as Crosby faces a Titans defense that allowed just four opposing kickers to score more than seven fantasy points against them this season.
Sit ‘Em
Matt Prater vs. Buccaneers (Sat. 1 p.m. ET, NFLN): Prater’s totals have been a real disaster in recent weeks, as he’s produced a combined 22 fantasy points over his last five games. This week’s matchup isn’t favorable either, as the Buccaneers have allowed just 19 field goals and fewer than seven fantasy points per game to kickers. Prater should be kept on the sidelines in championships.
Jason Myers vs. Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): Myers has produced eight or more fantasy points in all but one of his last seven games, but he has a tough matchup this week against the Rams. While he did beat them for 12 points earlier in the year, their defense has allowed fewer than nine points to kickers 10 times. In all, the position has averaged the fifth-fewest points against the Rams.
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More Sits
- Matt Gay at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Graham Gano at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, FOX)
Busts
- Daniel Carlson vs. Dolphins (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFLN)
- Chris Boswell vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!
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