Fantasy Football: 3 Kickers to Stream for Week 9

Kickers aren't part of every fantasy league, but if they're used in yours, you shouldn't gloss over the position. Fantasy points are fantasy points, and hitting on a high-scoring week from a kicker can help you win your matchup.

Streaming the position might be the best way to go about it, and if that's the strategy you're deploying, this weekly article should be handy for you.

Here are three kickers you can stream this week.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Fantasy Football Kickers to Stream for Week 9

Will Reichard, Vikings

Matchup: vs. Colts

Will Reichard gets another mention in this space as the K10 in fantasy points despite having just a 16% roster percentage on Yahoo! and 23% on ESPN. Reichard has cracked double-digit fantasy points in four of his seven games and remains perfect on both field goals (14-for-14) and extra points (20-for-20).

The Minnesota Vikings are 5.5-point home favorites over the Indianapolis Colts, which should give Reichard a great chance to getting kicking opportunities in Week 9.

Minnesota has a solid 25.50 implied team total, and Sam Darnold and friends shouldn't have trouble moving the ball versus a team that's 26th in schedule-adjusted pass defense, per numberFire's metrics.

Additionally, while it's not entirely clear whether Indy will stick with Anthony Richardson following a noncommittal remark by head coach Shane Steichen, facing the inconsistent Richardson would give the Vikings' defense a golden opportunity to bounce back after struggling to slow down the Los Angeles Rams last week.

Per numberFire's metrics, Minnesota ranks third in schedule-adjusted total defense, which is bad news for a quarterback who's showing ugly marks in completion percentage over expected (-12.5%) and passing success rate (36.7%), per NFL Next Gen Stats. A strong performance by the defense would lead to short fields and extra opportunities for the offense, further increasing Reichard's chances of getting FG attempts.

As always, playing indoors is a boost for kickers, too, and Reichard will have that going for him at home in U.S. Bank Stadium.

Blake Grupe, Saints

Matchup: at Panthers

At the beginning of the season, Blake Grupe looked like a potential long-term fantasy solution at kicker when the New Orleans Saints went bananas and scored 40+ points in back-to-back weeks. Well, it's safe to say it hasn't worked out that way as the Saints have lost every game since that 2-0 start, entering Week 9 on a six-game losing streak.

Despite that, Grupe could be worth a spot start this weekend. The reason? New Orleans is facing perhaps the NFL's worst team: the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers rank 32nd in numberFire's nERD-based power rankings by a wide margin, and they're miserable on both sides of the ball, ranking 31st in adjusted total offense and 32nd in adjusted total defense. It's no wonder the 2-6 Saints are 7.0-point favorites despite playing on the road.

Although New Orleans' offense has been scuffling with Derek Carr out, the team is "optimistic" he will be able to play in Week 9, and let's not forget that Carolina was one of the two teams the Saints stomped for 40+ points in the opening weeks.

As for Grupe, he's curiously missed two extra points this year, but he's otherwise been getting the job done, nailing 13-of-14 field goal attempts. While he's unlikely to have long-term appeal, this is the right spot to add him as a bye week fill-in.

Joshua Karty, Rams

Matchup: at Seahawks

Joshua Karty is available in even the deepest of leagues, but his fantasy value could be on the upswing.

The Rams' offense looked completely rejuvenated in Week 8 with both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp healthy, and carving up a tough Vikings defense is no easy feat. Matthew Stafford would go on to throw four touchdown passes after logging just three TDs total across the prior six weeks.

Despite this strong showing, the offense was a bit too efficient, as Karty was mostly a spectator with zero FG attempts, leading to an underwhelming 4.0 fantasy points. Still, if this outburst is a sign of things to come, Karty should be far more involved in the days ahead.

L.A. is another team sporting a promising implied team total (25.0) as slight favorites on the road versus the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are now 19th in adjusted total defense after getting wrecked by the Buffalo Bills for 31 points, so the Rams should be able to keep their momentum going.

Karty hasn't been flawless on field goals (9-of-11) or extra points (13-of-15), but he hasn't done anything to put his job in jeopardy, and he nailed all of his extra points in Week 8. If nothing else, he could be someone to have on the radar in case this Rams offense becomes a major factor in the season's second half.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.