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We have seen a lot of games come down to walk-off kicks and inopportune misses by kickers. Whether or not you think they should be included in fantasy football is a conversation for a different place. Similar to D/STs, some fantasy managers will choose to get a dominant kicker and then set it and forget it and others will stream them week-to-week. If you are the latter, you are two kickers that you should start and two that you should sit as we head into Week 9 fantasy football matchups.
Kicker Starts
Michael Badgley, Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets
Badgley has been filling in for injured kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. He has played in four games so far this season and he has made three of his four field goal attempts and he has made all but one of his extra-point attempts. The Jets are giving up the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers.
Matt Prater, Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers
Prater has been a solid kicker for the Cardinals. While the team is known for getting the ball in the end zone, Prater is there to help them if they come up a little short. He gets a boost from me this week since quarterback Kyler Murray could still be banged up. The team may need him to kick from a little further if their offense runs out of steam moving down the field.
Kicker Sits
Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers
The Chiefs offense seems like a shell of itself that won the AFC last year. They have a number of things they need to fix, but this is going to be a tough matchup where we may not see much of Butker. The Packers defense is giving up the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers.
Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
The Falcons' offense is in shambles. Calvin Ridley stepped away from football to work on his mental health (as he should if he needs it), but this makes Russell Gage the teams' number one wide receiver. The trade deadline came and went and they didn’t make any moves. The Saints are giving up the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers. I’m not sure how good the Falcons offense will be this week and I don’t think you should trust Koo.