NFL Kickers to Start in Week 9: Fantasy Football Tiers & Rankings

Yes, that’s right – kickers. After all, points are points, and even though kickers are very difficult to predict for fantasy points week to week, having the right one in your Week 9 lineup could be a difference maker.

For those of you fantasy football owners out there who are streaming kickers, RotoBaller has got you covered with around-the-league analysis of the Week 9 NFL matchups.  This week may be an issue with bye weeks, similar Week 4, meaning there may not be as many viable waiver wire streamers and sleepers available.

We’re here to give you our analysis to help make your kicker streaming decisions and make your Week 9 lineup decisions a bit easier. Some of these kickers may have good Week 9 matchups, and be available on your league’s waiver wire. Be sure to stay on top of the weekly NFL matchups and kicker opponents right here. Good luck RotoBallers!

Teams that have bye weeks in Week 9: Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons

Week 9 Kickers: Tiers & Rankings

Tier 1 NFL Kickers: Cincinnati Bengals (Mike Nugent), Baltimore Ravens (Justin Tucker), Indianapolis Colts (Adam Vinatieri), New England Patriots (Stephen Gostkowski), Philadelphia Eagles (Cody Parkey)

Although he grades out as one of the worst kickers in the NFL based on Pro Football Focus, former Jets great Mike Nugent gets the worst defense against fantasy kickers, the Jacksonville Jaguars. You already know we love Justin Tucker as he's got a reputation for being clutch, and enters Week 9 as the second leading scorer behind Gostowski. He's an ideal tier 1 kicker this week.

Even though Adam Vinatieri has slipped behind Tucker for the #3 overall scoring slot, he's still a stud heading into Week 9 as he gets the Monday night game against a Giants team that allows an average of 8.0 fantasy points per game to opposing kickers. The best leg in the league belongs to New England's own Stephen Gostowski who faces the Broncos at home in Week 9. Denver only allows 6.5 fantasy points per game to opposing kickers, so start the NFL's leading scorer with tempered expectations.

Tier 2 NFL Kickers: Seattle Seahawks (Steven Hauschka), Cleveland Browns (Billy Cundiff), New York Jets (Nick Folk), San Francisco (Phil Dawson), Carolina Panthers (Graham Gano), San Diego Chargers (Nick Novak), Houston Texans (Randy Bullock)

The Seattle team has been in shambles of late, but Hauschka has been holding up his part averaging 9.25 fantasy points per contest. He is a solid start for Week 9 and beyond at this point in the season. Billy "The Kid" Cundiff grades out as the 6th best overall kicker according to Pro Football Focus. He also faces the Buccaneers third worst defense against fantasy kickers thereby making him a stud for Week 9. As for Nick Folk and the Jets putrid excuse for an offense, they get the Kansas City Chiefs who allow the 4th most fantasy points on average to opposing kickers. Start him if you need a streamer.

Phil Dawson comes into Week 9 as a middle of the road scorer, but faces the Rams 10th worst defense on average versus opposing kickers and allows them 9.33 fantasy points per contest. Graham "The Gunner" Gano rates out as the 7th best kicker in the NFL based on Pro Football Focus and also draws a home contest against the Saints 6th worst defense versus fantasy kickers (10.17 points per game average).

Nick "The Kick" Novak gets kudos for making tier 2 because he actually grades out as one of the worst kickers in the league based on Pro Football Focus. That being said, he is sporting a perfect field goal rate and is the 8th highest scorer amongst his peers heading into Week 9. Rounding off the second tier is the Texans youngster Randy Bullock. We suggest you scoop him if he's available because he gets a decent matchup versus the Eagles in Week 9 and comes in as the NFL's 7th leading scorer amongst kickers.

Tier 3 NFL Kickers: Minnesota Vikings (Blair Walsh), Dallas Cowboys (Dan Bailey), Arizona Cardinals (Chandler Catanzaro), New Orleans Saints (Shayne Graham), Denver Broncos (Brandon McManus)

Blair Walsh grades out as the best overall kicker based on Pro Football Focus and even though that counts for something, he's only made 84.2% of his attempts thereby relegating him to tier 3 status for now. Dan "The Man" Bailey has a special place in our heart, but only apprears in our third tier for Week 9 as he prepares for a slightly less favorable matchup versus the Cardinals stingy defense versus fantasy kickers (6.67 points per game average).

Rookie sensation Chandler Catanzaro has rewarded his believers and has a perfect field goal ratio through Week 9 of his rookie reason. He also currently grades out as the 5th best kicker in the league based on Pro Football Focus. Shayne Graham had a nice Week 8 performance last night and gets the Panthers mediocre defense that allows 8 points per game average to opposing kickers. Brandon "The Replacement" McManus has stepped in and played reasonably well for the Broncos after they cut bait with former star kicker Matt Prater. He has surprised us thus far in 2014 drawing the 8th overall kicker rating by Pro Football Focus, thereby making him a respectable tier 3 option for Week 9 versus the Patriots.

 
 
Tier 4 NFL Kickers: Pittsburgh Steelers (Shaun Suisham), Kansas City Chiefs (Cairo Santos), New York Giants (Josh Brown), Miami Dolphins (Caleb Sturgis)

The Steelers offense has been rolling of late thereby making Shaun Suisham a viable tier 4 option. He comes into Week 9 as the tenth highest scoring kicker, but gets the Ravens very tough defense against fantasy kickers. Next up is our favorite Brazilian, Cairo Santos. He grades out as one of the lower ranked kickers according to Pro Football Focus and gets the Jets semi-stingy defense against fantasy kickers, so it's probably best to find a safer option for Week 9.

As for Josh Brown and the G-Men, it's going to be a tough day at the office against a suffocating Colts defense versus fantasy kickers that only allows an average of 6.14 points per game. Keep him on the bench if at all possible. Lastly for tier 4 is the Dolphins great Caleb Sturgis. This young man grades out as an above average kicker who scores a decent amount of fantasy points, but unfortunately he draws the toughest defense versus fantasy kickers in Week 9 in the San Diego Chargers.

Tier 5 NFL Kickers: Washington Redskins (Kai Forbath), Jacksonville Jaguars (Josh Scobee), St. Louis Rams (Greg Zuerlein), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Patrick Murray), Oakland Raiders (Sebastian Janikowski)

Kai Forbath is a perfect lead out candidate for our lowly fifth tier of Week 9 fantasy kickers. Not only does he grade out as one of the worst overall kickers in the league, but the Redskins are also facing off against the Vikings super stout defense versus kickers that allows a mere 6.71 points per game to them. Joshua Scobee doesn't inspire much confidence or fantasy prowess as he's bottom three in points scored and has only made an unprofessional 69.2% of his attempts.

Greg "The Leg" Zuerlein has a great nickname, but a horrific matchup in Week 9 versus the San Francisco 49ers defense that only allows 6 points per contest to opposing kickers. As for Patrick Murray, we can summarize his existence by saying that he's barely ever usable due to his situation, but the silver lining is that he's a perfect 3 for 3 on the season in 50+ yard attempts. You know what they say, go big or go home butchy!

Bringing up the rear is the lowest form of place kicker both in fantasy and NFL reality, Mr. Sebastian Janikowski. Things have gotten so bad for his career, and the Raiders, that this pathetic excuse of an athlete was spread out as a wide receiver for an ugly botched fake field goad attempt this past week. As if the Raiders couldn't figure out a more creative play to run in an NFL game? Maybe this is just the ghost of Al Davis begging the team's coaching staff to get his former 1st round pet draft pick more involved in the team offense. Either way, avoid this 36 year old fantasy football freak show like the plague in Week 9 and beyond because the Janikowski glory days are as far behind us as Reebok Pumps and 99 cent gallons of premium unleaded.