When deciding on which kicker and/or defense/special teams (DST) to grab in your drafts, the key aspect to consider is not just who to pick, but when to pick them. Since kickers and DSTs are among the easiest positions to swap out during the season, it’s crucial to maintain flexibility in your roster decisions for these slots and not develop strong attachments to any specific player unless they prove to be exceptional, which can be difficult to ascertain ahead of the season.

Draft Strategy for Kickers and DSTs

Focus initially on elite performers for both positions, but also give significant weight to their early-season schedules. Structuring your rankings based on these considerations will differentiate these tiers from others. Unlike traditional positions where we project total season points, here we prioritize which players can provide advantages right at the start before integrating other options with favorable schedules a few weeks into the season.

Rankings Overview

These kicker and DST rankings are designed for target selections late in your drafts, as both are typically not prioritized until nearly the end.

Dave’s Rankings:

• QB tiers
• RB tiers
• WR tiers
• TE tiers
• K/DST tiers

Position	Third-to-last Round	Second-to-last Round	Last Round
Kicker	Broncos DST	Steelers DST	Cardinals DST
	Eagles DST	Packers DST	Texans DST
		49ers DST	Ka’imi Fairbairn
		Brandon Aubrey	Jake Bates
		Evan McPherson	Cameron Dicker
		Ravens DST	Wil Lutz
		Bills DST	Joshua Karty
		Jets DST	Tyler Bass
		Commanders DST	Harrison Butker
		Lions DST	Chase McLaughlin
			Dustin Hopkins
			Tyler Loop