Lineup calls: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST
The final bye week is in motion, with four of the league’s top-scoring units sitting down.
Injuries, inconsistency and matchup issues force owners’ hands at the primary positions. So, owners are casting a more discerning and critical eye at the final starting slots on the roster. It’s time to find added value among kickers. Sebastian Janikowski owners are cursing the bye.
Top 5 kickers
Neil Rackers at Jacksonville
Rackers converted three field goal attempts against the Chargers in Week 9, his first game with multiple field goal conversions since Week 3. However, he’s been effective, having converted 13-of-15 attempts and 22 PATs overall. Look for Rackers to accrue robust numbers this week against the Jaguars (28.3 points allowed per game).
David Akers at Washington
Akers has been fantasy gold this season. He’s converted multiple field goals in five of eight games (back-to-back four-field goal games coming into this week’s tilt) and powered home 13 PATs in the games in which he recorded one or zero field goal conversions.
Akers converted two field goal tries in the Eagles’ lackluster offensive showing against the Redskins in Week 4.
Dan Carpenter vs. Tennessee
The Dolphins made the big move at quarterback this week by reinserting Chad Pennington under center. He’s efficient and deceptively strong on the deep ball. Pennington will commit fewer turnovers and should keep drives alive against a tough Tennessee defense that returns from its bye week.
That’s music to the ear of fantasy owners, who are counting on Carpenter to continue his recent run of fantasy dominance. Carpenter has kicked 14 field goals in the past four weeks.
Rob Bironas at Miami
Bironas, as expected, has been one of the top options in the game this season. He’s not yet been shut out of a game this season, posting at least one field goal make in every contest. In fact, Bironas rolled up a streak of five consecutive games with multi-field goal conversions prior to Week 8 against San Diego. The Dolphins rank in the middle of the pack, surrendering nearly 22 points per game.
Connor Barth vs. Carolina
Barth has generated only 11 field goals through the first eight games, but he ranks as a top play this week against the woeful Carolina squad (23 points allowed per game). I anticipate that the Tampa Bay defense wins the field-position battle and that LeGarrette Blount ultimately wears down the Panthers.
Sleepers
Josh Scobee vs. Houston
Scobee’s performance in Week 8 was his first without a field-goal conversion this season. However, Scobee did convert five PATs in the Jaguars’ resounding win over Dallas. He, along with all of the Jaguars’ offensive players, is on the radar for this week’s tilt against the troubled Houston defense. Houston is tied with Jacksonville for 29th in total defense at 28.3 points allowed per game.
Flops
Robbie Gould vs. Minnesota
Following a huge start to the season for fantasy owners (five multi-field goal games in his first six games), Gould has attempted only one field goal in the past two weeks. He missed it. The offense continues to sputter, and Gould seems off (he kicked the ball out of bounds on a kickoff following a Week 9 touchdown). Minnesota hasn’t been world-beating defensively, but they woke up against the Cardinals.
