3 FanDuel Kickers to Target in Week 1
Kickers. Love 'em or hate 'em, they are a part of the game. Even in fantasy football.
While you may be tempted to do so, don't leave the position for last when building your FanDuel lineups. Just like you do with the rest of your roster, maximize your squad's potential by spending the extra minute and finding out the best options out there at kicker.
It's time to stop "punting" the spot and start giving the lonesome kicker, the attention he deserves.
The following are the top-three kickers we are targeting in Week 1.
Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers
FanDuel Price: $4,800
When deciding which kicker to roster, you want players on high-scoring teams, particularly those favored to win by big margins. In Week 1, it doesn't get much better than Chris Boswell.
His Pittsburgh Steelers own the second-highest implied total (27.5) on Sunday's main slate, with the Black and Gold favored by eight points over the Cleveland Browns. Our algorithms also have them as a 72.4% favorite to win. In Boswell's previous trip to Cleveland -- Week 11 of last season -- the Steelers carried a similar over/under and spread. All Boswell did in that one was finish 3-for-3 on field goals with an extra point, a nice haul for fantasy owners.
Matt Bryant and his Atlanta Falcons also have an advantageous matchup -- that being the Chicago Bears -- but we have opted to side with Boswell and save the $100 in salary.
Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers
FanDuel Price: $4,700
With the Carolina Panthers looking to trade Graham Gano, it may seem strange to recommend him in fantasy right now. However, the Panthers' matchup versus the San Francisco 49ers is just too good to pass up.
Carolina enters the Week 1 showdown as 5.5-point favorites, and they have a 65.3% chance of winning, according to our algorithms. Add in an over/under of 48 points and the Panthers having the fourth-highest implied point total (26.75) on Sunday's slate, which provides the perfect ingredients for kicker success.
With the primo matchup and the general manager's assurance that Gano would get all the kicking work in the season opener, there is no reason to shy away from him in Week 1. If you do choose to go this route, keep an eye on the NFL news, in case Carolina pulls a stunner and finds a team willing to give up an asset for a kicker.
Ryan Succop, Tennessee Titans
FanDuel Price: $4,600
We don't have any minimum-priced kickers that we could recommend with any confidence in Week 1, but Ryan Succop at $4,600 is the next best thing.
The Oakland Raiders-Tennessee Titans tilt owns the second-highest over/under of the week (50.5), meaning there will be plenty of points to go around. While we would like the Titans to be bigger favorites -- the spread is just 2.0 points in their favor -- they do own the fifth-highest implied point total (26.25) on Sunday's slate. Our algorithms don't see this contest being as close as Vegas does -- we have Tennessee as a 61.0% favorite.
Recommending Succop may be a bit surprising to some, considering the perceived mediocrity of the Titans' offense (14th with 23.8 points per game in 2016). However, with improved receiving weapons for quarterback Marcus Mariota and a below-average defense on the docket in Oakland, the offense and Succop are in a good spot in Week 1.
