Fantasy Football Week 16 kicker rankings: Younghoe Koo, Ka'imi Fairbairn & Brandon Aubrey in the spotlight

With Week 15 not quite in the books, some fantasy football managers are in a position where they can look ahead to their next matchup. Week 16 means fantasy playoffs in all formats, with many leagues entering the second round of their postseason.

This is a desperate time, and that calls for desperate measures in fantasy football. Every point matters now, and getting the right kicker could mean pushing into a bowl game, while starting the wrong one could mean the end.

While Jake Elliott of the Philadelphia Eagles kicker and Jason Myers of the Seattle Seahawks are yet to play, it's not too early to look at the events of the weekend and predict Week 16.

Elliott is projected to be the top kicker in Week 16 and looks to be in for a good day against the New York Giants. While a lot can change between now and game day, he has come up big this season with eight performances of nine or more points and is projected to hit 8.38 in Week 16.

Around a PAT behind him are a host of kickers, with Ka'imi Fairbairn, Younghoe Koo and Brandon Aubrey being perhaps the most intriguing. Fairbairn returned from IR for the Houston Texans on Sunday and recorded 17 points in the overtime win against the Tennessee Titans, (who just happened to be wearing Oilers throwbacks).

Fairbairn has a decent matchup against the Cleveland Browns ahead, which may sound strange, as they have an elite defense. The Texans, who have an injury crisis at WR, will be in a tough battle, and touchdowns could be thin on the ground. With sacks and incompletions a real possibility, field goals could be flowing in Week 16, hence Fairbairn's 7.7-point projections in fantasy football.

Younghoe Koo has not had the best two weeks of his career after briefly becoming the NFL's most accurate kicker in history. After missing two 50-plus-yard attempts in Week 14, the Atlanta Falcons came unstuck in challenging Carolina weather, and Koo managed only 1 point in the 9-7 loss.

Koo faces the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16, who dispatched the Pittsburgh Steelers with surprising ease on Saturday. The Colts' defense is very good, which combined with the Falcons' inconsistencies could mean they struggle to score TDs and settle for field goals. That bodes well for Koo's outlook in fantasy football.

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey has been Mr. Automatic for field goals this year and is the No. 1-ranked kicker in fantasy football. Aubrey is having a record-setting rookie season. While he can be a bit suspect on PATs, he's undroppable. With Dallas likely smarting after a whipping by the Buffalo Bills, expect an exciting game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 16.

Below are the projections for every kicker in Week 16 of fantasy football:

---

Fantasy Football Week 16 kicker rankings

1. Jake Elliott, Eagles (vs. Giants) - 8.38
2. Ka'imi Fairbairn, Texans (vs. Browns) - 7.77
3. Younghoe Koo, Falcons (vs. Colts) - 7.70
4. Wil Lutz, Broncos (vs. Patriots) - 7.69
5. Harrison Butker, Chiefs (vs. Raiders) - 7.61
6. Chris Boswell, Steelers (vs. Bengals) - 7.53
7. Jake Moody, 49ers (vs. Ravens) - 7.49
8. Brandon Aubrey, Cowboys (@ Dolphins) - 7.36
9. Cameron Dicker, Chargers (vs. Bills) - 7.24
10. Jason Sanders, Dolphins (vs. Cowboys) - 7.13
11. Randy Bullock (Q), Giants, (@ Eagles) - 7.11
12. Riley Patterson, Lions (@ Vikings) - 7.11
13. Matt Gay, Colts (@ Falcons) - 7.06
14. Cairo Santos, Bears (vs. Cardinals) - 7.01
15. Chase McLaughlin, Buccaneers (vs. Jaguars) - 6.84
16. Lucas Havrisik, rams (vs. Saints) - 6.79
17. Nick Folk, Titans (vs. Seahawks) - 6.77
18. Brandon McManus, Jaguars (@ Buccaneers) - 6.72
19. Greg Zuerlein, Jets (vs. Commanders) - 6.65
20. Greg Joseph, Vikings (vs. Lions) - 6.53
21. Tyler Bass, Bills (@Chargers) - 6.51
22. Dustin Hopkins, Browns (@ Texans) - 6.46
23. Evan McPherson, Bengals (@ Steelers) - 6.41
24. Justin Tucker, Ravens (@ 49ers) - 6.38
25. Daniel Carlson, Raiders (@ Chiefs) - 6.34
26. Blake Grupe, Saints (@ Rams) - 6.21
27. Eddy Pineiro, Panthers (vs. Packers) - 6.08
28. Anders Carlson, Packers (@ Panthers) - 6.04
29. Jason Myers, Seahawks (@ Titans) - 6.02
30. Joey Slye, Commanders (@ Jets) - 5.93
31. Chad Ryland, Patriots (@ Broncos) - 5.77
32. Matt Prater, Cardinals (@ Bears) - 5.52

Excited for the NFL season? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor to simulate your team's journey and explore Playoff Chances for detailed insights on your favorite team's or rival's playoff prospects!

Stuck on your defense? This breakdown of Week 16's best defenses could help.