Kickers can be frustrating. They are completely unpredictable when it comes to fantasy scoring because they are entirely dependent on something that is outside of their own control, the offense putting them in a position to kick.

Outside of the Justin Tucker owner, most teams will add/drop kickers based on perceived matchups. However, most fantasy players will simply look for a kicker on a high-scoring offense or a kicker facing a poor defense when making their kicker selection. While this sounds like a solid strategy in theory, if the offense is so good that they are always scoring touchdowns, the kicker will be limited to extra-point attempts which will only result in 1 point.

One strategy that I have found successful when looking for a fantasy football kicker is to look for teams with a good offense, but that struggles in the red zone. An additional strategy that I have found is to target the kicker going against a team defense that has a “bend don’t break” defensive philosophy that allows teams to move the ball but is great in the red zone.

The jackpot is to find a kicker on a struggling red zone offense going against a great red-zone defense. Following this strategy, the following kickers could be good streaming options for Week 12 in fantasy football.

Week 12 Streaming Kickers

Greg Zuerlein (DAL)

Zuerlein was a consensus top 10 kicker heading into the fantasy season. However, over the last month, Zuerlein has had a bye week as well as a week missed due to covid. This has allowed Zuerlein’s ownership percentage to drop and he is now available in about 75% of leagues.

Additionally, Zuerlein has a great matchup this week against the Raiders, who have been allowing 14 points per game to opposing kickers over the last month. Zuerlein should be in line for a strong Week 12 as well as a strong finish to the fantasy season. 

Jake Elliott (PHI)

Elliott has been the hottest kicker in the league over the last month. In his last four games, Elliott is averaging 14 points per game. This week the Eagles get a great matchup against the Giants who have been allowing nearly 400 yards per game to opponents over their last 3 outings.

Despite the huge yardage totals, the Giants have been a top 5 defense in terms of red-zone efficiency. This is a winning formula for opposing kickers as the Giants have been great at allowing teams to enter the red zone and holding them to field goals once they get there. Look for Elliott to continue his hot stretch with a great outing in Week 12. 

Robbie Gould (SF)

Gould has been a reliable fantasy kicker for years. The 49ers’ offense has always been good at moving the ball between the 20s but has struggled at converting those red zone opportunities into touchdowns.

In Week 12 the 49ers get a great matchup against the Vikings who have been allowing over 400 yards per game to opposing offenses over the last month. The Vikings have been one of the better matchups for kickers this season, allowing fewer than 8 points only twice this season. Gould offers a safe floor with huge upside in Week 12.