Something has morphed this year when it has come to kickers. To start the season, the narrative was pretty much every kicker routinely hitting multiple 50-plus yard bombs and making a profound difference in weekly fantasy matchups that reward distance.
Over the last few weeks, the narrative has been missed field goals and extra points that are spreading throughout the league. Everyone has their own missed field goal malaise story.
If your fantasy kicker is reliable, hold onto him tight. If not, make a change. This will only get more worrisome when more games are subject to the elements and misses end seasons.
Fantasy football risers
Kansas City Chiefs TE Noah Gray – The Chiefs are creatures of habit. In 2022, running back Jerick McKinnon became a red-zone TD machine late in the year, scoring eight receiving touchdowns in his last six regular season games. Until two weeks ago, Gray hadn’t caught a TD pass in 14 games. Over the last two, he has four touchdowns and is becoming a go-to option in the red zone.
Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison – For the last month, Vikings opponents have made a point of doubling Justin Jefferson, leaving other receivers open to make plays in single coverage until they stop. In the last four games, Addison has caught 18 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns. He’s making it harder to keep him on a fantasy bench.
Miami Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith – In the Tua Tagovailoa era, the tight end has been largely irrelevant, but Smith has become an exception. After having just one game with more than 62 receiving yards in the first nine games, in his last two Smith has caught 15 passes for 188 yards and three TDs. For someone struggling to find a fantasy tight end, Smith’s late-season surge could be a blessing.
Chicago Bears WR Rome Odunze – He has largely been a fantasy disappointment as he and Caleb Williams make their way in the NFL, but a key barometer for success is target share. In his first nine games, Odunze was targeted 50 times with more than seven targets just once. In his last two games, he has been targeted 20 times, catching 11 passes for 104 yards. He isn’t fantasy-viable yet, but getting targeted a lot is a good start.
Las Vegas Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers – There isn’t much to be excited about with the Raiders, but Meyers has done his part. Over his last four games, he has caught 28 passes for 308 yards and one touchdown with a rush for 20 yards. It has averaged out to 15 points a game, which should, at a minimum, make Meyers a flex option.
Fantasy football fallers
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey – The first overall pick in most leagues, he spent the first eight weeks on injured reserve. In the three games since his return, he hasn’t scored a touchdown, has rushed for just 149 yards, caught 13 passes for 132 yards, and has weekly fantasy numbers of 16.7, 14.6, and 9.8. Nobody who used the No. 1 pick on Run CMC thought they were signing up for this.
Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. – He came in hot with four touchdowns in his first four games but has been inconsistent since. Harrison’s weekly fantasy point totals over the last seven games are 5.6, 0.0, 5.1, 23.1, 5.4, 16.4, and 7.7. Of those, two were expected … every week. Harrison is no longer an auto-start.
Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb – His return from a devastating injury is a great story, but he’s not the same. Chubb’s explosiveness hasn’t returned. He brings nothing as a receiver (three catches for seven yards in five games). He’s averaging just three yards a carry and, even with 20 carries last Thursday, hasn’t hit 60 yards since coming back. Chubb’s only value is at the goal line, and those guys are notoriously hit or miss.
New York Giants WR Malik Nabers – He called his own offense “soft” in the Giants’ latest loss. He’s been a must-start for everyone who took him higher than he was ranked, and Nabers leads the Giants with 67 catches for 671 yards and three TDs. However, this is a weekly game. In his last five games, Nabers has point totals of 8.1, 14.1, 14.9, 10.8, and 12.4. Even with garbage QBs, those numbers hit under pregame projections every time. Don’t bench him, but expectations must match production, and all options should be on the table.
Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris – After igniting the Steelers offense with three straight 100-yard rushing games, Harris forced his way into must-start territory. Over his last three games, Harris has rushed 55 times for just 157 yards (2.9 YPC) with one TD and weekly point totals of 11.3, 13.3, and 7.4. If there are other options open, Harris’ time in fantasy lineups may be done.
