Streaming Kickers: Week 2 Fantasy Football Targets

Sep 12, 2017

If you’re like most fantasy football players, kicker is a position you put zero thought into, and wish wasn’t a part of the draft altogether. Some leagues have done away with the kicker position, but for those who haven’t, there are actually a few ways to get an edge over your opponents when it comes to streaming kickers weekly.

Projecting a kicker’s output isn’t as difficult or random as you may think—in fact, taking a look at Vegas odds is the best way to accurately predict a kicker’s weekly potential. By focusing in on the team implied point totals, game totals and favorites, we can get a cumulative idea of how that offense will perform when it comes to settling for field goals, distance of kicks, and the like. For a more detailed explanation on using Vegas odds for successfully streaming kickers, I suggest checking out Chris Raybon’s DFS Playbook Strategy article, which is packed with info on the most profitable way to predict the position.

Another metric useful in projecting a kicker’s output is 4for4’s schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed or aFPA. By removing the schedule bias, we can compare matchups in an apples-to-apples manner. By Week 4, there’s a solid sample size to work from, and the info gets more trustworthy with each data-filled week.

The goal in streaming is to roster a player who will return starting kicker fantasy points, and Week 1 was a good start to the season. My highest streamer was Ryan Succop with 12 points, followed by Kai Forbath and Graham Gano with 11. Collectively, 4for4 kicker streamers averaged 9 points, enough for kicker 11 on the season.

In order to provide advice that you can actually implement, candidates for streaming must be available in at least 40% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

Giorgio Tavecchio (OAK) vs. NYJ

As the fantasy kicker 1 on the week, Tavecchio put up 18 points on Sunday, against a Titans’ DST who gave up an aFPA of just 7.3 to kickers in 2016. This week, the Raiders get the hot garbage team known as the Jets, at home. Oakland’s implied total is currently 28.5 points, with a game over/under of 43.5.

Tavecchio should eat again in Week 2, and is my number one streaming recommendation. Yahoo players have not jumped on the kicker’s party bus yet, as his ownership is only at a mere 3%.

Ryan Succop (TEN) @ JAX

Coming off a top-6 performance in Week 1, Succop gets another great matchup on the early slate on Sunday. Tennessee faces a Jaguars DST who gave up the most points in the league to kickers in 2016, with an aFPA of 9.4. The Titans are favored in this game with 22.5 implied points, which bodes well for Succop’s potential performance.

The Tennessee kicker is only owned in 22% of Yahoo fantasy leagues, and makes a solid choice as a Week 2 streamer.

Continue reading for four more kicker streaming options and four deep candidates...