ClutchPoints
Another week of fantasy football, another week of managing the ever-fluctuating kicker market. The position remains the most volatile and often unpredictable for fantasy managers, which will not change in NFL Week 9.
Although four teams are on a bye in Week 9, Chase McLaughlin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the only fantasy-relevant kicker who will be out of commission. Any potential Andre Szmyt, Nick Folk or Jake Elliott owners will also have to look elsewhere, but were probably not doing too well under those situations anyway.
Any potential owners of Brandon McManus might also need to seek a backup option. McManus’ quad injury has him listed as questionable for Week 9, but the Green Bay Packers’ recent transactions suggest that he will suit up.
Fantasy football managers address the kicker position early in the week, but there are always several options available. Many overlooked players are still available in most leagues late in NFL Week 9.
As one of four rookie kickers starting in the 2025 NFL season, the New England Patriots’ Andy Borregales has still not gained fantasy football managers’ respect by Week 9. Missing two extra points in Week 2 did not help, but the Miami alum finds himself in a potential breakout spot against the Atlanta Falcons.
Since those two Week 2 blunders, Borregales has not missed a kick, going 8-for-9 on field goal attempts and 19-for-19 on extra points. He has also not missed a field goal since his Week 1 debut.
The Falcons enter Week 9 allowing 8.0 points per game to kickers, tied for the 10th-most in the league. They are coming off a Week 8 game against the Miami Dolphins in which they gave up 10 points to Riley Patterson.
The Patriots should be able to move the ball efficiently against the Falcons’ inconsistent defense. New England is running the ball at the seventh-highest rate through nine games ahead of a matchup with Atlanta’s defense, which is currently allowing the 11th-most rushing yards per game and 10th-most yards per carry.
Drake Maye currently has the Patriots’ offense looking as good as it has in years, which will give Borregales opportunities to put up points. He could end the week as a top-12 fantasy football kicker.
Blake Grupe could easily be the next kicker to lose his job. The third-year kicker has a league-high six missed field goals through eight games. But if he is going to receive the axe, it should not be in Week 9, when he should have his best game of the year.
While Grupe’s accuracy issues have plagued his young career, he will have his best matchup of the year in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are currently allowing the 11th-most kicker points in the league, largely based on their NFL-best 40 percent red zone defensive touchdown rate.
Grupe has had his struggles, but he has also thrived in the right...
