Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Week 4 Kickers

Week 4 start 'em and sit 'em recommendations for the kicker position from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.

Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at the NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Alvin Kamara will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system.

Be sure to check out my Week 4 PPR rankings before finalizing any lineup decisions or if your league has special scoring rules, sign up for SI Fantasy+ for customized rankings. Members also get access to myself and our team of high-stakes winners all week long to answer your specific fantasy questions.

Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES

MORE: Week 4 Rankings, Articles, Reports & Tools Hub

Week 4 Start 'Em: Kickers

Start of the Week

Matt Prater vs. Saints

Prater has had a nice start to the season, averaging 9.3 points over his three games. He’s scored 11 or more points twice, and he’s tied for third in field-goal attempts (9). He’ll be in a good spot this weekend, as the Lions host a Saints defense that’s allowed the fourth-most points (10.7 PPG) to the position. In a contest with an over/under of 54, Prater should produce in a potential scoreboard scorcher.

Start ‘Em

Rodrigo Blankenship at Bears

You might not know his name yet, but the rookie out of Georgia has been a real asset for fantasy fans. He's tied for third in points at the position. He’s also second in both field-goal attempts (10) and conversions (8). I like him against a Bears defense that’s surrendered an average of almost nine fantasy points a game to enemy kickers. Blankenship could be a free agent in some leagues.

Ryan Succop vs. Chargers

Succop has averaged fewer than seven fantasy points so far this season, but this week’s matchup against the Chargers makes him an attractive streamer. Los Angeles has surrendered both the second-most field attempts (11) and conversions (10), and opposing kickers have averaged more than 12 fantasy points a game against them. The over\under in the game is 45 based on DK Sportsbook.

More Starts

• Ka’imi Fairbairn vs. Vikings
• Joey Slye vs. Cardinals

Sleepers

• Tyler Bass at Raiders
• Sam Sloman vs. Giants
  

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Week 4 Sit 'Em: Kickers

Sit of the Week

Jake Elliott at 49ers

Listed as a start ‘em last week, Elliott came through with three field goals and 13 fantasy points in a tie with the Bengals. However, an upcoming game in San Francisco makes Elliott a fade for me in Week 4. Since the start of last season, opposing kickers have taken the third-fewest field-goal attempts (23) and averaged the fourth-fewest fantasy points (5.6 PPG) when facing the Niners. 

Sit ‘Em

Jason Myers at Dolphins

Myers has failed to make much of a fantasy impact, as the Seahawks continue to score touchdowns rather than settle for field goals. That’s very obvious when you look at his stats, as Myers has one field-goal attempt in 2020. I’d keep him on the sidelines this week, as he faces a Dolphins defense that’s allowed just one field-goal conversion (two attempts) and the fewest points to kickers (3.7 PPG).

Michael Badgley at Buccaneers

Badgley is coming off a four-point stinker in a loss to the Panthers, and his 7.3 fantasy points per game average after three weeks isn’t all that impressive. This week’s matchup in Tampa Bay isn’t favorable on paper, either. In three games, kickers have attempted just four field goals (four conversions). That’s tied for the third-fewest attempts allowed. Badgley needs to be left on the bench or waivers.

More Sits

• Graham Gano at Rams
• Cairo Santos vs. Colts

Busts

• Dan Bailey at Texans
• Daniel Carlson vs. Bills
  

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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for the latest news and analysis!

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