5 Late-Round Kickers to Target (2026 Fantasy Football)

With one week of preseason football already behind us, we are getting closer to the first official kickoff for the 2025-2026 campaign. Teams are finalizing rosters while the fantasy football world dives into research and drafting. Today’s article focuses on the kicker position and some highly formidable players to target at the end of your drafts.

While the kickers may not be the most exhilarating aspect of your fantasy team, you better believe a successful performance from your kicker will decide your fate in many matchups this season. We are going to leave off the more well-known names and showcase some players who may be available when the top options are off the board.

Late-Round Fantasy Football Kickers

Cam Little (K – JAX) | Bye: Week 7

Cam Little attempted 38 field goals last season and put 34 footballs through the uprights for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Little made eight field goals of 50+ yards, while finishing sixth amongst his peers. The young kicker was third in the NFL in extra points with 50.

Little plays for a Jacksonville team that scored on over 62% of its attempts in the red zone. Travis Etienne Jr.‘s departure could lead to more field-goal attempts. Etienne crossed the end zone on 13 occasions last season.

Trevor Lawrence lost a phenomenal end-zone threat, one that will be very hard to replace. Those opportunities to score in the end zone may dwindle, and Little would more than likely be the beneficiary.

The Jaguars kicker does not stand out in the projections. However, a 34-of-38 success rate is not too shabby. Considering the possible additional chances at three points, Little makes for a solid kicker to draft late.

Harrison Mevis (K – LAR) | Bye: Week 11

The Rams are expected to be one of the highest-scoring teams in the NFL this season, and for good reason. They have a fantastic offense, including the likes of Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. They also added serious depth to their defense with in Myles Garrett and a very probable Aaron Donald return. There’s no doubt that the compliments on defense will result in shorter field opportunities for Los Angeles.

Harrison Mevis played 12 games (including the postseason) for the Rams last season and was just about perfect when called upon. Mevis knocked in 18 of his 19 field goals, while making 48-of-48 extra points. Mevis produced 75 fantasy points through nine regular-season games.

Given the opportunity to double the amount of playing time this season, we could be looking at one of the highest-scoring kickers. If you’re in a deep league, Mevis is the perfect addition to your team when the top names are off the board.

Jake Bates (K – DET) | Bye: Week 6

As is the case with Harrison Mevis, Jake Bates is also in a highly favorable position, aligned with an aggressive offense that can get up the field quickly. What Bates may lack in opportunities and efficiency, he more than makes up for it with extra points. The 27-year-old hit a league-leading 54 extra points last season with double-digit scoring weeks in three out of the last five games.

A kicker who plays in a dome in half their contests, while being a part of an offense with tremendous scoring prowess, should always be in consideration.

Bates finished the season strong and knocked in his first two attempts in the preseason. If your league still applies the standard three points for any field goal, there are probably better options. However, in all other leagues where distance is rewarded, Bates is a must-add at the end of drafts.

Cairo Santos (K – CHI) | Bye: Week 10

Cairo Santos is certainly looking to bounce back from a rough season. He connected on 25 of his 30 field-goal attempts, yet was perfect when it came to extra points (39-of-39) . The Bears are expected to take another step offensively in the hands of Caleb Williams, opening up extra field-goal attempts for the veteran kicker.

Santos projects to have close to 10 more attempts in the upcoming season, while successfully scoring over 40 extra points this season. That increase in production would firmly plant Santos amongst the top 10 kickers in the league. When the other options go off the board, Santos gets our approval as part of what could be one of the more potent offenses in the NFL.

Chase McLaughlin (K – TB) | Bye: Week 10

We close out our recommendations with a kicker who may not be the first name to come to mind, yet is in a very intriguing situation.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield were unable to come to terms on a contract extension over the offseason. The news became a highly publicized story. An unhappy Mayfield playing for a contract could have the makings of something truly special.

This would directly correlate with Chase McLaughlin’s production, given that it could be a career year for Mayfield. McLaughlin regressed to an 84.2% field-goal rate after two stellar seasons with over a 93% success rate on field-goal attempts.

Despite the drop in efficiency, McLaughlin still managed to finish within the top 10 of all kickers last season (156 points) and produced the second-highest amount of fantasy points in his seven-year career. If Mayfield can truly provide an MVP-type season, McLaughlin would be a heavy favorite to crack the top five at the end of the regular season.