Week 6 of the NFL season was not kind to many placekickers and their fantasy owners, with numerous heavily-owned player missing kicks and extra points. Brandon McManus of the Denver Broncos missed two kicks on Sunday night football, including a chip shot 30-yarder that had zero chance of going through the uprights. Only Al Michaels and his questionable joke about Harvey Weinstein was more off target than McManus on Sunday Night, leaving fantasy owners with a single-digit performance in what could have been a nice matchup against New York.
Two kickers with a combined ownership of 4% on Yahoo finished as the top two performers, with Kai Forbath of the Vikings taking advantage of a surprise positive game script caused by the Aaron Rodgers injury, and rookie Aldrick Rosas of the Giants pointing a career-best three field goals and two extra points against the Broncos.
With only two teams on byes this week only Matt Prater and Kaimi Fairbairn owners will be looking for a bye-week replacement. For owners looking to grab a stud kicker who might have been dropped last week, check out your waiver wire to see if Dan Bailey is available.
If you are an owner unhappy with the performance of your kicker or are looking to avoid a bad matchup, the following three kickers are viable streaming options for Week 7.
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Kai Forbath (MIN) vs. Baltimore (3% Ownership on Yahoo)
The Baltimore Ravens are just the opposing offense that you want your kicker to play against, with Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense tied with Carolina and Pittsburgh for the second-most offensive giveaways (8), while the Vikings defense is tied for third (7) in takeaways. Another factor that bodes well for Forbath is the fact that the Vikings are 20th in red zone efficiency and the Ravens rank ninth in red zone defense. When you also add in the fact that Forbath is kicking at home and in a dome, you have the perfect recipe for a 3% owned kicker finishing in the top five for the week.
Stephen Hauschka (BUF) vs. Tampa Bay (26% Ownership on Yahoo)
Coming off the bye, Stephen Hauschka’s ownership rate has dropped to just over a quarter of leagues despite the fact that the former Seattle Seahawk posted three consecutive double-digit points before the bye. The Bills present an excellent opportunity for Hauschka to continue as a top-10 kicker in that the Buffalo defense is one of the best units in the league, while the Bills offense can move the ball, but lacks a true red zone threat.
With a defense that keeps the Bills in games and an offense that is good but not great, Haushcka could finish the season as one of the best kickers in fantasy. If you miss out on grabbing Dan Bailey off waivers, Hauschka could be a nice consolation prize.
Blair Walsh (SEA) @ NYG (12% Ownership on Yahoo)
When most fans think of Blair Walsh, they think of a shanked field goal in the playoffs against the Seahawks, not the fact that Walsh has made 85% of his field goals in the NFL, ranking him 14th all-time in percentage.
The Giants have allowed the 10th-most points to opposing kickers and 22 points per game on the season, while the Seahawks are 30th out of 32 teams in red zone scoring. Look for Walsh to have multiple field goals this week against the Giants while finishing as a top-12 kicker.
Red Flag Alert
Brandon McManus (DEN) @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Broncos are reeling after a surprising 23-10 loss at home to the winless Giants, and McManus’ confidence seems to be shot. The Chargers are on a three-game win streak and seem to have Denver’s number this season after nearly beating the Broncos Week 1.
I would recommend starting all three kickers listed above over McManus – a player that should be dropped in most leagues until he regains his form.
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Andrew Swanson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, check out his archive or follow him @FantasyProsAndy.
