3 fantasy football kicker value buys

There are few things more satisfying in the world of fantasy football than identifying a player or group to break out when your fellow owners don’t. With that in mind, it’s time to look at some possible sleepers for the upcoming season.

Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins (ADP 224; PK12)

A season ago, the Dolphins produced the NFL’s top-ranked offense in both yards (401.3 per game) and points (29.2). Granted, the consistency wasn’t always there — Miami topped 40 points three times in 2023, including their 70-point outburst in Week 3, and was held under 20 four times — but their weekly ceiling is as high as anyone in football.

That potency led to Sanders ranking second in the NFL in both XPA (59) and XPM (58), trailing only San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody, who went 60-for-61. With head coach Mike McDaniels being aggressive, Sanders settled for just 28 FGAs (tied for 25th in the league), making 24 of them for a solid 85.7 percent conversion rate. Add it up and you get 130 points from the Dolphins kicker, which was good enough for eighth-most in the NFL last year.

There’s little reason to expect any statistical erosion in 2024, either. Miami returns its core playmakers intact, they added wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and if running back De’Von Achane can stay healthy, they might be even more explosive. While it’s not quite a dome, Miami in December and January is still preferable to many NFL destinations. Would anyone be surprised if Sanders, currently being selected as the 12th kicker, finished in the top five at the position?

Greg Zuerlein, New York Jets (ADP 294; PK17)

If you’re looking for a rebound candidate, look no further than “Greg the Leg.” When quarterback Aaron Rodgers was lost for the year on the season’s opening drive, the offense fell apart. Only the two-win Carolina Panthers gained fewer yards than New York (286.6 per game), and just three clubs scored fewer points than Gang Green (15.8). That resulted in Zuerlein attempting just 16 extra points in 16 games — for comparison, Detroit Lions PK Michael Badgley attempted 15 … in four.

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A byproduct of New York’s inability to locate the end zone was Zuerlein logging 38 field-goal attempts, which tied for third in the league, and making 35 of them, which was second. The 92.1 percent success rate was the third-highest of his lengthy career and best since he went 38-for-40 (95 percent) with the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. Even with that, the veteran finished 18th in the NFL in points with 120.

While you can make an argument that a more efficient offense could lead to fewer FGAs, there should be a happy medium out there where a Rodgers-led unit provides enough PATs that it could more than offset any loss decline in field goals. Zuerlein is a definite top-10 PK candidate that is currently being drafted 17th at that spot.

Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears (ADP 312; PK15)

In many ways, what Santos accomplished in 2023 (35 FGM, 31 XPM, 136 points) is exactly the type of output we could see from Zuerlein. Don’t rule out a repeat of that from Santos, and perhaps even more. Yes, it seems strange to think of a Bears kicker as a top fantasy option. Historically, the franchise has been built on defense, and the cold/windy conditions are suboptimal for kicking accuracy.

Chicago has spent the past two offseasons overhauling that image, though, drafting QB Caleb Williams first overall, signing RB D’Andre Swift, and acquiring WRs DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze. These are not your father’s Bears. Plus, Santos has already shown he can handle kicking in the Windy City, converting 89.6% of his 125 FGAs over the last four seasons.

Santos, who quietly finished fifth in scoring last year, is currently being selected as the 15th place kicker based on ADP. If the Bears could generate that many opportunities a season ago with injury-riddled backs, no viable No. 2 receiver (much less a No. 3), and wildly inconsistent play from QB Justin Fields (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers), it seems reasonable to believe they could be better offensively in 2024. That could be good news for Santos.