Fantasy Football Week 17 kicker rankings: Brandon Aubrey & Lucas Havrisik evaluated as Mason Crosby returns

With Week 17 of fantasy football about to be here, some players are having a very merry Christmas and can look ahead to the next round of games. We are reaching the end of the season and it is about to be championship week in most formats.

As those of you who can afford to look ahead know, getting the right kicker can mean big points and there have been several huge kicking performances this season. One such came on Sunday, as Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders went for 22.00 points against the Dallas Cowboys.

Given that he has hit 9 or more points every game since Week 11, Sanders is a must-start if you have him. Few other kickers get the same treatment as Sanders, but Justin Tucker (Baltimore Ravens) and Brandon Aubrey (Dallas Cowboys) fall into that category too.

Aubrey is yet to miss a field goal this season and while he hasn't hit huge points in the last two games, his ceiling is simply too high to ignore. With a very important game against the Detroit Lions looming, expect Aubrey to be clutch when needed.

Looking at the projections, there are a few kickers that look like traps in Week 17 of fantasy football. Lucas Havrisik of the LA Rams is one such kicker, as he has missed his fair share of field goals (5 misses from 20 attempts & 1 missed PAT), one of which visibly frustrated HC Sean McVay on Thursday.

While the Rams have a favorable matchup against the New York Giants, Havrisik's proclivity for misses is too great to risk starting him in fantasy football. Speaking of the Giants, Cade York recently became their third kicker to go on IR, and as such NY has picked up veteran Mason Crosby.

While we've seen some fairytale stories this season of retired players coming off the couch to play ball, you shouldn't gamble on it here. The Giants offense has not been good enough, nor has Crosby's last few seasons of kicking, to warrant picking him up in fantasy football.

Dustin Hopkins of the Cleveland Browns had to exit their Week 17 game with a hamstring injury and is undergoing tests. It feels highly unlikely that he will play in Week 17, and if he does his effectiveness will be a concern.

If you are looking for a reliable kicker to replace him, there is one who stands out here. Presuming C.J. Stroud returns to the lineup for the Houston Texans, their offense will be much better than it has been during his absence.

This means more red-zone opportunities and Ka'imi Fairbairn appeared on the list of the most accurate kickers in NFL history this season. Rostered in only 6% of fantasy football leagues, Fairbairn is an easy choice and you could likely pick him up as your second or maybe third waiver selection.

Below are the projections for every kicker set to start in Week 17 of fantasy football:

Fantasy Football Week 17 kicker rankings

1. Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys (vs. Lions) - 7.97
2. Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Cardinals) - 7.93
3. Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers (@ Commanders) - 7.92
4. Chase McLaughlin, Tamps Bay Buccaneers (vs. Saints) - 7.61
5. Lucas Havrisik, LA Rams (@ Giants) - 7.59
6. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Bengals) - 7.53
7. Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers (@Seahawks) - 7.50
8. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills, (vs. Patriots) - 7.43
9. Ka'imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans (vs. Titans) - 7.43
10. Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears (vs. Falcons) - 7.30
11. Cameron Dicker, LA Chargers (@ Broncos) - 7.29
12. *Dustin Hopkins, Cleveland Browns (vs. Jets) - 7.17 (injury concern)
13. Wil Lutz, Denver Broncos (vs. Chargers) - 7.14
14. Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins (@ Ravens) - 7.09
15. Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders (@ Colts) - 7.05
16. Matt Gay, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Raiders) - 7.03
17. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Dolphins) - 6.68
18. Brandon McManus, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Panthers) - 6.55
19. Nick Folk, Tennessee Titans (@ Texans) - 6.49
20. Mason Crosby, New York Giants (vs. Rams) - 6.44
21. Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals (@ Chiefs) - 6.39
22. Matt Prater, Arizona Cardinals (@ Eagles) - 6.26
23. Mike Badgley, Detroit Lions (@ Cowboys) - 6.23
24. Greg Joseph, Vikings (vs. Packers) - 6.17
25. Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons (@ Bears) - 6.08
26. Greg Zuerlein, New York Jets (@ Browns) - 6.07
27. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks (vs. Steelers) - 6.04
28. Eddy Pineiro, Carolina Panthers (@Jaguars) - 6.04
29. Blake Grupe, New Orleans Saints (@ Buccaneers) - 6.01
30. Anders Carlson, Green Bay Packers (@Vikings) - 5.89
31. Joey Slye, Washington Commanders (vs. 49ers) - 5.42
32. Chad Ryland, New England Patriots (@ Bills) - 5.38

If you are struggling for a defense in Week 17 of fantasy football, these rankings could help.