Week 9 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season is already here, and fantasy managers are scrambling to secure their lineups through another slate of action as the fantasy playoffs draw closer each week.

Consistency at the kicker position is one of the more underrated facets of a successful fantasy football team. With rankings constantly changing by the week, it’s important to stay on top of this position while league mates may not be paying attention. The kicker position has been extremely volatile all season. Although injuries haven’t been a massive storyline, the overall usage of kickers has increased over the last few years.

There were no injuries to the kicker position to report in Week 8, but another slate of teams will be hitting their bye week, so it’ll be crucial to find replacements where necessary. Aside from elite kicker options like Dallas Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey and Los Angeles Chargers’ Cameron Dicker, we’ll take a look at some of the best starts for Week 9 and which kickers you can confidently leave on your bench.

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### Week 9 Kickers: Start ‘Em

**This Week’s Top Kicker Starts:**
– Brandon Aubrey (DAL) vs. ARI
– Cameron Dicker (LAC) @ TEN
– Michael Badgley (IND) @ PIT
– Tyler Loop (BAL) @ MIA
– Eddy Pineiro (SF) @ NYG
– Joshua Karty (LAR) vs. NO

The Los Angeles Rams are coming into Week 9 following a Week 8 bye and another week for star wide receiver Puka Nacua to get healthy. Nacua is slated to play against the Saints in the upcoming game, so this Rams offense is expected to be at full power once again.

The Rams are a much better team when they’re able to move the ball downfield, and Karty has seen double-digit fantasy performances twice this season when Puka Nacua is in the lineup. The Saints are allowing the fifth-most (9.9) points to opposing fantasy kickers, so look for Karty to have an active day.

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**Cairo Santos (CHI) @ CIN**
The Chicago Bears will be looking for a much better outing following their tough loss to Baltimore in Week 8. While the Cincinnati Bengals are only allowing an average of 7.9 points to kickers per game, their defense has allowed opposing teams totals of 37, 27, 31, and 39 points in recent games.

With Chicago winning four of their last five games and kicker Cairo Santos returning from injury, this could be a great spot for both parties to get back on track with a big performance.

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**Chad Ryland (ARI) @ DAL**
Some of the most effective fantasy kickers come from teams with slower-developing offenses, as drives tend to stall before hitting the red zone. The Arizona Cardinals draw a tough matchup on paper against the Cowboys, but the Dallas defense hasn’t been impervious to mistakes this season.

The Cardinals are fresh coming off their bye week and could look to rack up points in a high-scoring game between both quarterbacks, resulting in multiple opportunities for Ryland.

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### Week 9 Kickers: Sit ‘Em

**Will Reichard (MIN) @ DET**
The Minnesota Vikings face a tough divisional road matchup against the Detroit Lions in Week 9—a game they haven’t historically done well in. With QB Carson Wentz done for the season and rookie JJ McCarthy likely to face a hungry, rested defense, this scenario doesn’t bode well for kicker Will Reichard.

Reichard saw just two field goal attempts in the Vikings’ last loss. It’s wise to fade the Vikings entirely as the Detroit Lions come off a bye week looking to make a statement.

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**Brandon McManus (GB) vs. CAR**
Brandon McManus returned to the Packers from injury in Week 8 after the team had to sign backup Lucas Havrisik in an emergency situation. While McManus returned against the Steelers, he missed both of his attempts beyond 40 yards.

Green Bay won the game handily in the second half, but those misses came at crucial points that could have boosted his team. With Havrisik still on the active roster, it’ll be interesting to see which direction the Packers decide to go in.

McManus, at 34 years old, has been a league veteran for 12 seasons, while Havrisik, 26, presents a promising option for the future. Havrisik even broke the Packers’ franchise record with a 61-yard field goal in the Packers’ win over Arizona. Don’t be surprised if the team decides to move in a new direction away from McManus.

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**Parker Romo (ATL) @ NE**
Atlanta Falcons kicker Parker Romo has had several standout weeks, including 18.0 points in Week 2 and 10.0 points in Week 4. However, he hasn’t scored more than 5.0 fantasy points in any week since.

The Falcons will face the top-ranked fantasy defense, the New England Patriots, in Week 9. Considering Atlanta struggled against the Miami Dolphins, it’s smart to avoid Romo and the Falcons’ kicking game this week.

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Stay ahead of the competition by making savvy kicker starts and sits for Week 9. Good luck managing your fantasy lineups!
https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/nfl-fantasy-football-week-9-2025-start-em-sit-em-kicker