Week 1 Fantasy Football Kickers That Should See The Bench
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Kickers can be fickle when it comes to fantasy football. So many things have to go right for them to get the right amount of chances. Then, they have to convert those chances. When they miss, their points go up in smoke. Worse, if a team cannot score, the kicker cannot score.
Do not forget our kicker rankings and values as always.
Week 1 brings us three players, legs, err kickers to maybe stash on the bench this upcoming weekend.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Kickers To Sit
Nick Folk (New York Jets)
The New York Jets are home to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 action. Folk returns to the Jets at the tender young age of 40. The kicker revived his career in New England then led the league in field goal accuracy for Tennessee the past two seasons (96.2% overall). Swirling winds at MetLife Stadium along with the possibility of lower scoring are reasons to sit the veteran.
Approximate value metrics can be overrated but Folks hit a 5 twice with the Titans. He never exceeded a 4 with the Jets. The concern with New York is the offense and the Pittsburgh defense who will want to keep this game close. With increasing Northwest breezes and cooler temperatures Sunday, Folk can be seated for better options.
Blake Grupe (New Orleans Saints)
Some publications have made Grupe the worst-ranked kicker or very close for Week 1. It is obviously more what is in front of him. The New Orleans offense going into 2025 is a shell of its former early 2024 self. Expecting the Saints to score on every possession to start the season is absolute absurdity. Anyway, Spencer Rattler inspires little confidence here.
The final six appearances from Rattler in 2024 produced 66 points. New Orleans could not move the chains and the miscues made were frightening. Going against an Arizona team, even in the dome, is not enough to elevate him on fantasy football rosters for your Week 1 lineup.
Andre Szmyt (Cleveland Browns)
It is a great story that Andre Szmyt made the 53 man roster for Cleveland. He kicked three field goals (one game winner) and one extra point during the preseason. That earned him the starting kicker spot at 27. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Browns coming off a 3-14 season in 2024 may be just as bad or worse.
Cleveland ranked dead last in points scored in 2024 with 258. It took them eight weeks to score 20+ points. How good or bad a kicker Szmyt is matters little here. The lack of opportunities, a West wind, and offensive chaos makes him a player to sit even against the Cincinnati Bengals in week number one.
