Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em 2022; NFL wild-card playoffs: Kicker rankings

Kickers can sometimes be wrongfully ignored in Fantasy Football lineups. Many managers simply pick one on draft day and stick with them for the entire season, while paying little attention to their output. This is often a mistake. Managers who ignore their kickers can miss out on a chance to optimize their lineup each week and gain additional fantasy points.

This creates opportunities for managers who pay attention to their kicker position to gain an edge over other fantasy teams who don't. Every advantage counts in Fantasy Football, especially in a playoff format where every lineup decision is magnified. With little time and resources in playoff formats, targeting the right kickers can be one way to squeeze out a few extra fantasy points.

NFL wild-card playoffs Fantasy Football kickers: Start 'Em

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Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins

Tyler Bass finished the 2022 Fantasy Football regular season among the top five kickers in fantasy points per game and total points scored. He did so by playing in the high-powered Buffalo Bills offense, creating plenty of scoring opportunities for their kicker. They are projected to once again be one of the highest-scoring teams in the wild-card round.

Brett Maher, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brett Maher was the only kicker during the 2022 season to average more than 10 fantasy points per game. He also led the way in total fantasy points scored at the position. He has been one of the most reliable kicking options this season and should continue to do so during the playoffs.

Graham Gano, New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings

Graham Gano quietly ranked among the top five kickers in Fantasy Football during the season. He has done so by being extremely efficient, including successfully converting on more than 90% of his field-goal attempts. His game against the Minnesota Vikings has shootout potential, so he could see plenty of scoring opportunities.

NFL wild-card playoffs Fantasy Football kickers: Sit 'Em

Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills

Jason Sanders finished the season ranked 17th among kickers in total fantasy points scored. Scoring opportunities may be difficult to come by in the wild-card round. The Miami Dolphins will be without their top two quarterbacks, forcing Skylar Thompson into the starting role. Sanders may not get many chances against the Buffalo Bills' top 10 fantasy defense.

Ryan Succop, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Ryan Succop has been inconsistent during the 2022 Fantasy Football season. He has particularly struggled in the second half of the year. He finished among the top 20 kickers just once in his final eight games of the season. He will be difficult to trust in the wild-card round, especially in a projected low-scoring game.

Greg Joseph, Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants

Greg Joseph played in one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL, but recorded just a K20 finish to the 2022 Fantasy Football season. He did so by missing a league-high 12 total kicking attempts this year. His inefficiency makes him extremely difficult to trust this week, despite playing in a potential shootout.

Top 12 Fantasy Football Ks in NFL wild-card playoffs

Brett Maher, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Robbie Gould, San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Graham Gano, New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings
Riley Patterson, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Greg Joseph, Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants
Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Ryan Succop, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills

About the author

Adam Hulse is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda with 4 years of experience. He is also the host of the podcast "Sports Talk with Adam Hulse."

Adam studied Communications at Villanova University and played American football at Pop Warner and as a high school Freshman. His favorite team are the Dallas Cowboys, and if Adam could lay his hands on a time machine, he would love to witness their glory years from the 1990s. The Cowboys' 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX is his favorite Super Bowl of all time.

Given his affinity for 'America's Team,' Adam's favorite players of all time include Emmitt Smith. Michael Irvin, Tony Romo and Dak Prescott.

Adam takes a lot of pride in his work, which naturally culminates into insightful content for his readers, performance analysis being his forte. When not writing about football, Adam spends a time on his podcast.

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Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein