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It's Week 3 RotoBallers and we're obsessing over place kickers again! 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 3 lineup could be a difference maker.
We're here to give you that life changing analysis you so dearly covet, and help make your kicker start/sit and streaming decisions for Week 3. Who doesn't need a little help making those dreaded lineup decisions a bit easier, especially in the fantasy leg department?
This season we are going to narrow down our tiers to the Top 15 kickers broken down into three tiers. Some of these kickers may have good Week 3 matchups, and be available on your league’s waiver wire, so don't sleep on your chance to cash in a few extra points via the leg.
Week 3 Kickers To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1 NFL Kickers: New England Patriots (Stephen Gostkowski), New York Giants (Josh Brown), Dallas Cowboys (Dan Bailey), Cincinnati Bengals (Mike Nugent), Denver Broncos (Brandon McManus)
Brandon "The Big Leg On Campus" McManus has proven over the first two weeks of NFL action that he is in fact the greatest leg on earth (at least for now), by hitting a whopping three 50+ yarders already. He's a must start in Week 3, and it doesn't matter who the opponent is (even though it's favorable versus the Lions).
The Patriots draw a favorable home opponent in Week 3 versus a Jaguars defense that has allowed the 10th most fantasy points through two weeks of action, so Stephen Gostkowski is a must start as always.
The tough luck losing Giants seem to have a unique way of floundering games, but Josh Brown has still found a way of putting up delicious amounts of fantasy points. With a short week and a Thursday night matchup, we foresee the third leading scorer at kicker getting plenty of opportunities versus the Redskins at home.
Dan 'The Man" Bailey is always a tier 1 option, and should see increased opportunities with both Dez Bryant and Tony Romo now being out of commission; deploy his highly accurate leg with confidence. Rounding out tier 1 is "Mr. Ohio" Mike Nugent who draws a favorable road matchup versus the Ravens, a team that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing kickers thus far in 2015. Target him as a waiver wire sleeper in Week 3, or budget busting DFS option on sites like Fanduel that use kickers.
Tier 2 NFL Kickers: Atlanta Falcons (Matt Bryant), Baltimore Ravens (Justin Tucker), Seattle Seahawks (Steven Hauschka), Chicago Bears (Robbie Gould). Green Bay Packers (Mason Crosby)
Matt "AARP" Bryant not only knows what if feels like to have lived through prohibition, but he also knows how to make fantasy owners proud as he's put up 2o total points through two weeks of action. Week 3 brings more potential for scoring via the leg for the old man. The dirty birds head southwest to take on the hurting Cowboys, who have allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing kickers thus far in 2015.
Justin "Time" Tucker is the NFL's leading fantasy leg through two weeks, but draws a tough matchup at home versus the Bengals stingy defense versus kickers in Week 3. He's still a must start due to his high PFF grading and scoring potential. Steven Hauschka makes us quiver with joy due to his high-end leg, but he's only a tier 2 kicker for fantasy purposes versus a slightly stingy Bears defense in Week 3.
Robert Paul Gould III draws the Seahawks beleaguered defense in Week 3, and looks forward to capitalizing on the 12.5 fantasy points per game they are allowing on average to kickers. He's a sneaky play for Week 3, and may be available on some waiver wires. Mason "Betha" Crosby rounds out tier 2, and always tickles our fantasy fancy. For Week 3, he can be used at home in Green Bay with confidence versus the Chiefs stingy defense who will most likely allow more than their normal share of fantasy points against.
Tier 3 NFL Kickers: St. Louis Rams (Greg Zuerlein), Oakland Raiders (Sebastian Janikowski), Jacksonville Jaguars (Jason Myers), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Kyle Brindza), Carolina Panthers (Graham Gano)
The greatest leg on turf, Greg "Young GZ" Zuerlein, is back at it in Week 3 and leads off our third tier of fantasy legs to adore (and use in your fantasy lineups). Legatron does has a tough assignment of facing the Steelers defense - kickers haven't been scoring a lot on them, mostly because touchdowns are being scored. But the fact that it's a home game under the dome gives us hope of a high floor, plus we will never, ever, ever leave him out of a kicker streamer article out of sheer principle.
The Buccaneers have themselves a fresh young leg straight outta Notre Dame and his name is Kyle Brindza. With a strong college track record, and an even stronger Week 2 performance versus the Saints, Brindza is certainly on the fantasy leg radar versus the mediocre Texans defense for Week 3. If you are dealing with Cody Parkey or Matt Prater issues, then feel free to waiver Kyle Brindza for a boost.
Another rookie leg who is making his mark for the Jacksonville Jaguars is Jason Myers. If you haven't already done so, please meat "I-Score" Myers and get to know him. He'll be helping the Jags and fantasy owners all year long, starting with a projected sleeper performance in Week 3 versus the Patriots - a defense that has allowed a healthy amount of fantasy points to opposing kickers.
Graham "Don't Ya Know" Gano is a fun little kicking option for Week 3, as the anemic Panthers offense faces off against the Saints pathetic defense in what should be a healthy performance from the veteran leg.
Rounding out the top 15 kickers for Week 3 is none other than "The Polish Poweder Keg" himself, Sebastian Janikowski who impressed us with his 13 points in the Raiders Week 2 stunner versus the Ravens overrated defense (minus Suggs). When he's not out pummeling porn stars and getting world class hammered, he's helping build his NFL legend week-to-week by continuing to rack up points. The Raiders will take their somewhat interesting show on the road, and head to Cleveland in what could be another good matchup for the former first round leg, so feel free to stream him in or use him as a DFS budget buster for sites that employ place kickers as part of their lineups and scoring systems.
If you don't see someone who's leg you adore in this week's article, you can assume we view them as having a less favorable matchup than our top choices for Week 3. Good luck streaming and dreaming RotoBallers and may the leg be with you.
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