Nick Folk Headlines These Week 2 Fantasy Football Kickers to Sit

Week 2 is all about identifying which fantasy football kickers are unlikely to repeat their Week 1 production and which players face unfavorable scoring environments.

Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Falcons kicker Nick Folk (6) kicks a field goal during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Starting a fantasy kicker in Week 2 is a classic exercise in overthinking. Fantasy managers have to try and balance game-script, drive-stall probabilities, and head coaches who chase 4th-down conversions like a late-night casino habit. If you leave a kicker in your lineup simply because they hit a couple of 50-yarders last week, prepare for a baseline of extra points and disappointment.

Daniel Carlson, New Orleans Saints

Opponent Challenge: Carlson sits near the bottom of consensus rankings heading into a tough road test against the Ravens. Under head coach Jesse Minter, the Ravens' defense focuses on limiting explosive plays and controlling time of possession. With the Saints operating as heavy road underdogs, they face a high probability of negative game script. When teams trail by multiple scores in the second half, field-goal opportunities disappear in favor of 4th-down conversion attempts.

DANIEL CARLSON MISSES FROM 62 AND WE'RE HEADED TO OVERTIME

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Weather Impact: Playing outdoors at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore presents classic open-stadium autumn conditions. Crosswinds coming off the Chesapeake Bay can cause unpredictable ball flight on kicks beyond 45 yards, capping Carlson's long range upside.

Joey Slye, Tennessee Titans

Opponent Challenge: Philadelphia boasts one of the league's most aggressive defensive fronts, specialized in pressuring QBs quickly without relying on heavy blitz packages. This line forces rapid three-and-outs and stalls opponent drives before they reach the 35-yard line.

Tennessee Titans place kicker Joey Slye (6) celebrates his field goal during the first quarter against the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Weather Impact: Playing at home in Nashville offers mild early-season weather, so climate won't be a major issue. The lack of weather interference cannot overcome an offense that struggles to consistently push past midfield against an elite defense.

Nick Folk, Atlanta Falcons

Opponent Challenge: Carolina's defense struggles inside the red zone, but that actually works against Folk. Atlanta's offense relies on heavy red-zone rushing, which routinely converts trips inside the 20-yard line into touchdowns rather than settling for 3 points. Folk's ceiling is heavily capped by low field-goal attempt volume.

Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Falcons kicker Nick Folk (6) reacts after missing a field goal during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Weather Impact: Atlanta plays under the retractable roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. While controlled indoor conditions mean zero wind or rain, it also guarantees high offensive execution, meaning more extra points (1 point each) instead of long field-goal drives (3 to 5 points each).

Chad Ryland, Arizona Cardinals

Opponent Challenge: Ryland is coming off an unsustainable Week 1 performance where he logged five field-goal attempts. Drive flow that generates four or five field goals in a single contest relies heavily on variance. Expecting a kicker to replicate that volume in back-to-back weeks is a common fantasy trap.

Aug 28, 2026; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland (38) during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Weather Impact: State Farm stadium features a retractable roof, eliminating outdoor weather variables. The primary threat to Ryland is not wind or rain, but statistical regression following a high Week 1 attempt count.

Drew Stevens, Washington Commanders

Opponent Challenge: Dallas presents a tough divisional rivalry environment on the road. While Washington's offense is capable of moving the chains, their high-tempo style relies heavily on touchdown conversions inside the 20-yard line when playing from behind or fast-paced games. This turns potential 3-point drives into extra-point tries.

Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders kicker Drew Stevens (19) lines up for a field goal attempt against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Weather Impact: AT&T Stadium in Arlington is a controlled dome environment with hardly any wind factor, Scoring conditions are clean, but Stevens remains a sit because high overall scoring in this matchup is expected to come via touchdowns than settled field goals.

Kicker Strategy Week 2

When managing the kicker position, the smartest fantasy strategy is keeping emotion out of it. It's easy to get seduced by a huge 15-point explosion in Week 1, but chasing last week's points against a stout defense or in a negative game script is how you end up with a goose egg in your lineup.