Fantasy Football: 4 top kickers lead the way for 2020 season

Wil Lutz, Harrison Butker, Kai Forbath and Justin Tucker are the four most dominate kickers in the NFL.  Any one of them would be an ideal selection as a kicker for a DFS fantasy football team.

By comparison, the gap between the highest scoring kicker (Butker with 162 fantasy football points) and the No. 4 kicker (Tucker) was just 10 points during the 2019 season. The gap between the No. 4 and No. 5 kickers is 15 points and it is a 25-point differential between the No. 1 and No. 5 kickers.

Since many fantasy football leagues are set up like NFL divisions as  4, 8 or 12-team formats, this article focuses on the top 12 defenses in fantasy football.   The 2019 ranking of kickers  is based on the metrics provided by the ESPN standard scoring system.

The assessments of where each kicker ranks entering the 2020 season is based on recent free agent activity and off-season moves by teams and players.

Looking to dominate your fantasy leagues this year? Try The Ultimate Draft Kit from the Fantasy Footballers. Hundreds of videos, articles and player write-ups, plus the Reception Perception, in-depth analysis and draft cheat sheets! Here are the rankings for the top 12 (tier 1) kickers for the 2020 fantasy football season.

TIER 1 KICKERS

1. Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints

• 2019 rank – No. 2
• 2019 statistics – 159 points, 9.9 points per game

Comments – With the re-signing of Drew Brees and Tayson Hill, Wil Lutz will kick close to 50  extra points and attempt 40 field goals.   Lutz was a perfect 16 of 16 kicking fields of 39 yards or less. Kicking field goals of 40 yards or more, he was 35 of 41. Expect 10 points per game if you select Lutz to be the kicker on your 2020 fantasy team.

2. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs

• 2019 rank – No. 1
• 2919 fantasy statistics – 162.0 points, 10.2 points per game

Comments – It is like splitting hairs regarding the top two kickers in fantasy football. Butker (3) than Lutz (1).  Lutz  kicked 3 out of 5 field goals of 50 yards or more Butker was 3 out 6.  They are solid kickers that deliver results for their offenses.

3. Kai Forbath, Dallas Cowboys

• 2019 rank – incomplete (appeared in only 4 games)
• 2019 fantasy statistics –  53.0 points, 13.3 points per game

Comments – Do you remember the  look om former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett‘s face  after another field g;oral attempt failed? He looked disheartened like “here we go again.” (Re-)enter Kai Forbath who the Cowboys had signed as an unrestricted free agent in 2011. He didn’t play for the Cowboys because during his first team physical the doctors ;found a  pre-existing quad injury.  After kicking briefly for Tampa Bay, Forbath landed kicking jobs with Washington, New Orleans, Minnesota,  Jacksonville and New England,  After signing with Dallas early in December of 2019,  Forbath successfully kicked 10 out of 10 field goals and 10 out of 10 extra points.  Garrett is gone, but Forbath has found his kicking rhythm and a team that needs him.

4. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens

• 2019 rank- No. 3
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 152 points, 9.5 points per game

Comments – Tucker was the model of consistency for the Ravens last year by kicking 57 extra points.  He missed just one out of 29 field goal attempts in 2019. Tucker would be a valuable DFS asset on a fantasy football team.

5. Matt Gay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• 2019 rank – No. 4
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 137 points, 8.6 points per game

Comments – As a rookie, Matt Gay finished No. 4 in scoring among kickers in 2019. He is expected to post more points this year with Tom Brady as the Bucs’ starting quarterback.

6. Matt Prater, Detroit Lions

• 2019 rank – No. 8
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 128 points, 8.0 points per game

Comments – Prater fits right in with the Lions’ rich history of quality kickers that includes Jason Hanson (1992-2012) ad Eddie Murray (1980-1991).   Prater is the current record holder for the longest field goal – 64 yards – in the NFL.

7. Zane Gonzalez, Arizona Cardinals

• 2019 rank – No. 6
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 132 points, 8.3 points per game

Comments – Gonzalez, who took over as the Cardinals kicker in the middle of the 2018 season, solidified his hold on the job in 2019. He-was 31 out of 35 on field goals and 34 out of 35 in extra points.

8.  Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers

• 2019 rank – No. 10
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 124  points, 7.8 points per game

Comments – Boswell remained productive, while the Steeler offense fizzled without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.  Big Ben will be back for the 2020 season. which should lead to a productive year for Boswell.

9.  Josh Lambo, Jacksonvillle Jaquars

• 2019 rank – No. 5
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 133  points, 8.3 points per game

Comments – Lambo’s success rides on how well.quarterback Gardner Minshew plays in his second year as the Jags’ starter.

10. Dan Bailey, Minnesota Vikings

• 2019 rank – No. 7
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 130 points, 8.1 points per game’

Comments – Kirk Cousins is back at quarterback, while Minnesota hopes they can find the right replacement for wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

11. Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos

• 2019 rank – No. 9
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 125  points, 7.8 points per game

Comments – McManus had a tough year in field goal accuracy in  2019 compared to the top 10 kickers. He was 29 for 34 in field goals. His misses were forattempts that were greater than 40 yards.

12. Joey Slye, Carolina Panthers

• 2019 ranks – No. 11
• 2019 fantasy statistics – 123 points, 7.7 points per game

Comments – Slye broke into the top tier of kickers as a rookie in 2019. This year he has to avoid a sophomore slump.

The kicker who made the biggest climb in the rankings is  Dallas’ Kai Forbath.  JOsh Lambo of Jacksonville suffered the biggest fall in the rankings.

SLEEPER

This year’s “sleeper” is 49ers kicker Robbie Gould who missed three games in 2019 and had a subpar year by his standards.   If San Francisco plans to repeat as NFC champs in 2020, they’ll need plenty of points from Gould.