Kickers are the most underrated position in fantasy football. They don't get drafted until the last round, they're rarely traded, and most managers barely think about them — until a 58-yard field goal swings a close matchup.

Here's everything you need to know about how kickers earn (and lose) fantasy points.

How Are Kicker Points Calculated?

Kicker scoring is based on made field goals, extra points (PATs), and in some leagues, penalties for missed kicks. Unlike other positions, kicker points don't come from touchdowns or yards — they come purely from accuracy and distance.

Action	Standard Points
Field Goal Made (0–39 yards)	3 points
Field Goal Made (40–49 yards)	4 points
Field Goal Made (50+ yards)	5 points
Extra Point (PAT) Made	1 point
Missed Field Goal	-1 point
Missed Extra Point	-1 point

Use our kicker fantasy points calculator to calculate your kicker's exact score for any week.

Field Goals: Where the Points Are

Field goals are the primary source of kicker points, and the distance bonus is what separates a good kicker week from a great one.

Short field goals (0–39 yards) earn 3 points. These are the chip shots — high percentage, low reward. A kicker who only attempts short field goals in a week might score 6–9 points on 2–3 makes, which is solid but not game-changing.

Mid-range field goals (40–49 yards) earn 4 points. Most kickers connect on these at a 75–85% rate. Two mid-range makes puts your kicker at 8 points for the day without a touchdown in sight.

Long field goals (50+ yards) earn 5 points. Some leagues award bonus points at 55+ or 60+ yards — check your specific settings. A kicker who connects on a 55-yarder while also going 2-for-2 on extra points can realistically score 8–10 points from a single game.

Extra Points: Small but Consistent

Each made PAT earns 1 point. This doesn't sound like much, but a team that scores 4 touchdowns in a game gives the kicker 4 extra point attempts — that's a potential 4 additional fantasy points just from PATs. Over a full season, a kicker on a high-scoring offense might attempt 40–50 extra points.

How Kicker Scoring Differs by Platform

Not every platform scores kickers the same way. Here's how the major platforms compare:

Platform	0–39 yds	40–49 yds	50+ yds	Missed FG
ESPN (default)	3 pts	4 pts	5 pts	-1 pt
Yahoo (default)	3 pts	4 pts	5 pts	0 pts
Sleeper (default)	3 pts	4 pts	5 pts	-1 pt
NFL.com	3 pts	4 pts	5 pts	-1 pt

The biggest practical difference is the missed kick penalty. Yahoo's default settings don't penalise missed field goals, which makes kicker scores slightly more predictable but removes some downside risk. Always check your specific league settings — custom scoring is common.

Strategy: How to Pick a Fantasy Kicker

Target kickers on high-scoring offenses. More touchdowns means more PAT attempts. More red zone efficiency means more field goal opportunities. A kicker on a team that scores 28+ points per game will see significantly more attempts than one on a team averaging 17.

Indoor kickers have an edge in December. Weather is the kicker's biggest enemy. A dome kicker in Minneapolis or New Orleans doesn't face wind or snow. If you're heading into the playoffs in weeks 15–17, consider streaming a dome kicker over your outdoor starter.

Watch the kicker-offense relationship. Kickers on teams with good offenses but leaky red zones actually see more field goal attempts — if the offense consistently drives into scoring position but stalls, they'll kick more field goals. Teams that score touchdowns on every drive give the kicker fewer FG chances but more PATs.

Avoid kickers coming off accuracy issues. A kicker who missed 3 kicks in the previous two weeks is a roster risk. Fantasy kickers are stream-worthy — don't be loyal to a cold leg.

How to Calculate Your Kicker's Fantasy Points

To calculate manually: multiply field goals by their distance value (3, 4, or 5 points), add 1 per made PAT, and subtract 1 per miss if your league uses that rule.

Example: Your kicker goes 2-for-3 on field goals (one from 35 yards, one from 47 yards, one miss from 42 yards), and makes 3 PATs.

35-yard FG: 3 pts
47-yard FG: 4 pts
Missed 42-yard FG: -1 pt
3 PATs: 3 pts
Total: 9 fantasy points

Use the kicker fantasy points calculator to run these numbers instantly without doing the math yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do kickers score 6 points for a touchdown?

Kickers don't typically score offensive touchdowns in the NFL, so this rarely comes up. However, if a kicker somehow scores (fake field goal play, etc.), they would earn 6 points like any other position.

What happens if a kicker is injured mid-game?

If your starting kicker is injured and replaced, you only receive points for kicks the starter attempted. Your backup kicker's points go to whichever manager has them rostered.

Should I draft a kicker early?

No. Kicker performance year-to-year is nearly impossible to predict. They should always be the last pick in your draft. Stream kickers based on matchups rather than committing to a starter all season.

How many points does a kicker average per week?

A solid kicker on a good offense averages 7–9 fantasy points per week in standard scoring. Elite weeks (multiple long field goals + a shutout) can push 15+ points. Bad weeks with misses and few attempts can land at 2–3 points.