Fantasy Football Week 17 Kicker Streamers: Daniel Carlson, Jake Moody, and More

Welcome to championship week in fantasy football! Some leagues play into Week 18, but most fantasy leagues finish in the penultimate week of the season because so many players usually sit out of the last game.

Kicker is one position where we usually don't have to worry about backups taking over unless there is an injury or a guy gets cut. There are 32 kickers (sometimes less) every week, and those players are often the same, making it easier to pick through names than it is at a position like wide receiver.

Let's look at four kickers with good matchups in Week 17 who are widely available in fantasy leagues and can be picked up and inserted into your lineup. Most stats are from NFL.com.

Use FantasySP's defensive rankings to find the teams and players with the best matchups each week!

Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders vs. New York Giants

The Raiders have scored just 217 points this season, 29 fewer than the next closest team. They haven't succeeded often passing; they haven't succeeded often running. Star tight end Brock Bowers has had a few big performances, and Ashton Jeanty is showing flashes of why he was drafted in the first round, but this team is generally failing to put points on the board (and Bowers was just placed on IR).

That leaves their kicker wanting for chances, but the matchup is in his favor in this one, as the Giants have given up fifth-most points, 27.5 per game. New York allows the most yards per rush attempt and 10th-most yards per pass attempt, getting beat no matter what the offense does.

Even if Vegas doesn't operate as a high-level offense, they should be able to run the ball effectively with Jeanty, and that could open things up in the passing game. The Raiders are likely to get into scoring position more in this game than they have most of the season.

Carlson is our only kicker on the list this week who is guaranteed positive conditions, as he plays indoors at home. Late in the season when winter weather can affect nearly any game, it's a nice little bump to have perfect "weather."

Jake Moody, Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys

It has been a tumultuous start to Moody's career, as he was a third-round pick by San Francisco, struggled in his second year, then missed two kicks in Week 1 and was cut. He has been good in six games with the Bears and Commanders, and he will probably have a job to start next season, maybe with Washington.

Kickers don't get a lot of chances, so a cold streak can really stand out, especially early in a career. We have seen other highly regarded guys, like Carlson, get cut early then catch on elsewhere and excel, and it wouldn't be a surprise with Moody, who was a stud in college.

The Cowboys allow the second-most points per game, 30.3, which makes them one of two teams to give up more than 450 points (we'll get to the other in a moment). They are another team getting beat in every facet, allowing the second-most yards per pass attempt and the ninth-most yards per rush attempt.

Moody has been good since leaving San Francisco and has a very positive matchup here, making him a nice streamer. This game is on Thursday (Christmas Day!), so make this move early if you're going with the Washington kicker.

The game also takes place in Washington, so there's a chance that winter weather could be a factor. While early reports show mild conditions, check the weather before game time.

Chad Ryland, Arizona Cardinals @ Cincinnati Bengals

I said that two teams have given up over 450 points, and Cincinnati is the other one, as they have allowed more points than any other team. They have given up the most yards per pass attempt and the third-most yards per rush attempt; the Bengals probably have the worst defense in football.

That means good things for everyone on Arizona's offense, making them a hotbed of potential fantasy production for championship week. Guys like Jacoby Brissett, Michael Wilson, and Trey McBride will be popular names, but don't forget Ryland.

Arizona's kicker hasn't had a great year: While he has made all 32 extra points, Ryland is just 23 of 31 on field goals, missing three kicks between 40-49 yards and four from 50-plus yards. On top of hurting his team, those are high-value kicks for fantasy owners, making Ryland a questionable fantasy player.

Ryland struggled as a rookie before bouncing back last year, but this is now two rough years out of three, and he might have to fight for his job next year. For one week, though, he has a good outlook against the Bengals and is a decent streamer.

The game takes place in Cincinnati, so this is another situation in which the weather needs to be verified before game time. Early reports call for a chance of precipitation but warm enough weather to keep it from snowing.

Charlie Smyth, New Orleans Saints @ Tennessee Titans

We usually stop at three kickers, but I want to add Smyth for a few reasons. First, Smyth has a fun story as an Irish player who came through the International Player Pathway program, something I mentioned when listing him here last week against the Jets. Second, Smyth had a huge week against New York, making both his extra points and five of his six field goal attempts, only missing from 61 yards at the end of the first half.

Smyth was the top fantasy kicker in Week 16, and he has another great matchup here against the Titans. Tennessee has given up the seventh-most points per game, nearly 27, making opposing players at every position good fantasy options.

New Orleans isn't a great offensive team, but they have been able to put their young kicker in position to score, as evidenced by last week. There's a low floor here; beware that the Saints' offense could fail to move the ball. Smyth is a good low-to-mid-level streamer with a little upside, though.

This game is outside in Tennessee where things could be affected by weather. Early reports call for decent weather but make sure to check this one before throwing Smyth into your lineup.