Who is the best kicker in the NFL? Justin Tucker is responsible for one of the longest field goals ever and is widely considered to be one of the best kickers of all time. As we dive into our 2023 kicker rankings, it’s clear there are a lot of greats around the NFL.
While the Baltimore Ravens have the best kicker in the NFL, it is a volatile position. Chris Boswell was near the top of the 2022 kicker rankings then the Pittsburgh Steelers fan-favorite missed eight field goals last season. It’s one of the most scrutinized positions in the NFL today, so there will be plenty of surprises this fall.
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Let’s dive into our 2023 kicker rankings, evaluating all 32 teams the worst kickers to the best kicker in NFL this fall.
2023 kicker rankings: Worst kickers in NFL
32. Anders Carlson, Green Bay Packers
Anders Carlson is the worst kicker in the NFL right now. The Green Bay Packers drafted Carlson with the 207th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft hoping to fix him. In 2020 with the Auburn Tigers, he earned second-team All-American honors after converting 90.9 percent of his 22 field-goal attempts. However, Carlson combined for a 67.5 percent conversion rate in his other four seasons. Packers’ special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia can work wonders, but Carlson is unproven and his track record in college is alarm.
31. Tanner Brown, Los Angeles Rams
Rookies open the season at the bottom of our 2023 kicker rankings. Tanner Brown had a successful career with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, finishing as a 2022 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist after making 22-of-23 field goals and all 42 of his extra-point attempts as a senior. However, he only attempted two field goals from 50-plus yards away and went 8-of-12 from 40-plus yards.
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30. Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers
Jake Moody is one of the highest-drafted kickers in the modern era. Drafted with the 99th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers, Moody earned second-team All-American honors in 2022 and was a consensus All-American the previous season. Moody is outstanding from inside 50 yards – 48-of-52 – but he only made 40 percent of his kicks from 50-plus during his Michigan career.
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29. Tristan Vizcaino, Dallas Cowboys
Tristan Vizcaino has played for nine NFL teams since he entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Plenty of clubs have tried to make it work with Vizcaino, but he’s only appeared in 10 games and attempted 12 field goals. The 91.7 percent conversion rate suggests there might be something here, but the desperation of the Dallas Cowboys search for a replacement makes it far more likely Vizcaino is one of the worst NFL kickers in 2023.
28. Cade York, Cleveland Browns
Cade York is another cautionary tale for any NFL teams that are considering using a high pick on a kicker. The Cleveland Browns drafted York, an LSU alum, with the 124th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was chosen ahead of running back Tyler Allgeier, tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo and Pro Bowl cornerback Tariq Woolen. In return, the Browns landed a kicker who whiffed on 25 percent of his field goals, with a 70.4 percent conversion rate from 30-plus yards away.
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27. Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It should come as no surprise that some of the worst NFL kickers have bounced around the league. Chase McLaughlin spent the 2019 season with three teams and was with two clubs in 2020. In the last two years, he had stints with the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. Slated to be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker in 2023, McLaughlin will likely make less than 85 percent of his field goals, with his career average (78.7 percent) pointing towards him struggling to stay rostered.
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26. Elliott Fry, Denver Broncos
After releasing Brandon McManus, the Denver Broncos scooped up Elliott Fry. The 28-year-old didn’t play last season and has been waived 10 times during his NFL career. A former kicker in the Alliance of American Football, Fry has attempted just six field goals (83.3 percent) since entering the league in 2019.
25. Joey Slye, Washington Commanders
Relationships matter in the NFL and Ron Rivera’s familiarity with Joey Slye from their days with the Carolina Panthers helped him land in Washington. Slye, who went undrafted in 2018, made 83.3 percent of his field-goal attempts last season. What truly holds him back in the 2023 kicker rankings is the abysmal conversion rate on extra-point attempts (85.7 percent) and the lack of consistency over the course of his career.
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24. Caleb Shudak, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans kicker Caleb Shudak is one of the shortest players in the NFL at 5-foot-7. Undrafted in 2022, the Iowa native made his NFL debut as an injury replacement for Randy Bullock, making 3-of-4 field goals. After signing a reserve/futures contract with Tennessee this offseason, Shudak is poised to be their starting kicker in 2023.
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19. Will Lutz, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints kicker Will Lutz missed the entire 2021 season with an injury then returned and made just 74.2 percent of his field-goal attempts last year. It’s been a rough three-season stretch for Lutz, with a 78 percent conversion rate on 59 field-goal attempts bringing down his reliability. If he can ever return to the player who went 91-of-102 on field goals from 2017-’19, it will restore a lot of confidence in New Orleans.
22. Greg Zuerlein, New York Jets
The artists known as “Greg the Leg” and “Legatron” isn’t the All-Pro kicker he used to be. Since that 2017, Greg Zuerlein has hit on just 81.4 percent of his 177 field-goal attempts, with a 52.6 percent conversion rate when attempting from 50-plus yards out. Zuerlein isn’t the type of kicker the New York Jets should be constantly trusting from deep, but he should be money from inside 50 yards in his age-36 season.
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21. Matt Prater, Arizona Cardinals
Now that Tom Brady is retired with both Andy Lee and Robbie Gould unsigned, Matt Prater is one of the oldest NFL players in 2023. Prater, who will be 39 in Week 1, entered the league in the same draft class as Mario Williams, Reggie Bush and Vince Young. Despite being the oldest kicker in football, Prater can still hit from deep (5-of-6 in 2022) and he’s made 83.9 percent of his field goals in the last two years.
20. Greg Joseph, Minnesota Vikings
Much like so many of the NFL kickers today, Greg Joseph weaved his way around the league before settling down with the Minnesota Vikings. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but didn’t attempt a single kick that year. In Minnesota, Joseph made 86.8 percent of his field goals in 2021 but struggled last season (78.8 percent). However, he did prove to be quite clutch for Minnesota with a 61-yard game-winner highlighting his heroics.
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19. Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chris Boswell was the worst NFL kicker in 2022. Across 12 games, he made just 71.4 percent of his field-goal attempts and only 42 percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks. What was most alarming about his campaign is that six of his misses came between 30-49 yards out. While this is the same kicker who holds the NFL record for most made field goals in a postseason game (six), we need to see Boswell turn things around before we buy into him being back to his usual form.
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18. Eddy Pineiro, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro missed a field goal attempt in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers and in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons. Outside of that, he was perfect on his other 33 attempts. It was the first true opportunity he received since his 2019 campaign in Chicago (82.1 percent), but he might stick around for a while considering he’s made 41-of-43 attempts in the last two years.
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17. Ka’imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans
Very few things have gone right for the Houston Texans in recent years but their decision to sign Ka’imi Fairbairn has worked out nicely. A native of Hawai’i, Fairbairn made 93.5 percent of his 31 field-goal attempts last season and he was perfect on extra points. Another season like that, while avoiding a repetition of his 2021 woes (78.9 percent) and Fairbairn climbs the kicker rankings.
16. Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears
Cairo Santos solved the Chicago Bears’ kicking woes. Since he stepped foot in the Windy City, Santo has made 90.6 percent of his field goal attempts and proven himself as one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL. Chicago doesn’t rely on him a lot from a distance (22nd in deep attempts), but he’s very dependable for someone kicking footballs outdoors.
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15. Brandon McManus, Jacksonville Jaguars
Brandon McManus is the perfect example of a kicker whose popularity exceeds just how good he is. Playing in Denver absolutely helped him – 40 career makes from 50-plus yards – and the move to the Jacksonville Jaguars might decrease his effectiveness from long-range. If that’s the case, a kicker with an 81.2 percent conversion rate on field goals in the last two years might not live up to Jacksonville’s expectations.
14. Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins
An All-Pro selection and the NFL scoring leader in 2020, Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders has fallen on hard times. After converting on 90-plus percent of his kicks in 2018 and’20, Sanders is responsible for a 77.8 percent conversion rate over his last 34 games. He’ll get a lot of opportunities this season in Miami and the weather is ideal. If Sanders is closer to the player we saw late last season – 86.4 percent conversion rate in final 11 games – he’s safe. If his woes continue, Miami will find his replacement.
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13. Riley Patterson, Detroit Lions
It’s a sign you’re a good kicker when an NFL team trades for you before others have a chance to sign you. Riley Patterson returns to the Detroit Lions after making 85.7 percent of his field-goal attempts and 97.3 percent of his extra points last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he’s anything like the player who briefly dominated for Detroit in 2021 – 92.9 percent conversion rate – the Lions will be elated with the deal made to acquire him.
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12. Nick Folk, New England Patriots
Trading up for Chad Ryland suggests the New England Patriots are prepared to move on from Nick Folk. If that’s the case, the veteran should be on the radar of half the NFL. Folk made the fifth-most field goals (32) in the league last season and is responsible for a 90.4 percent conversion rate on both field goals and extra points in the last three years. He’s not a kickoff guy, but his ability to put points on the board is far more important.
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11. Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers finally have a good kicker. Undrafted out of Texas last season, Dicker was signed by three different NFL teams before he received his first chance. He made both of his kicks in his NFL debut with the Philadelphia Eagles, including the game-winner, and then was immediately released. It worked out perfectly for the Chargers, who made 19-of-20 field goals and all 20 extra-point attempts. If he replicates his production, Dicker will be considered one of the five best NFL kickers by November.
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10. Matt Gay, Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts signed one of the best NFL kickers in free agency. Before arriving at his new home, Gay was the Lou Groza Award recipient and a consensus All-American in 2017 at Utah. He struggle early, only making 77.1 percent of his kicks in 2019 with Tampa Bay then couldn’t make the Colts’ 53-man roster in 2020. However, a change of scenery worked wonders on him as Gay made 93.8 percent of his 64 field-goal attempts from 2021-’22, posting the fourth-highest field-goal conversion rate (93.3 percent) in the NFL last season.
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9. Graham Gano, New York Giants
After failing to make the Baltimore Ravens roster as an undrafted free agent in 2009, Graham Gano kicked off his career with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. Another NFL team came calling, but Gano largely struggled with the Washington Commanders (73.8 percent conversion rate). Following some adjustments, Gano enjoyed seven productive seasons in Carolina (85.5% conversion rate) and earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2018. Now, the New York Giants kicker boasts a spectacular 91.8 percent conversion rate since 2020, including 20-of-25 from 50-plus yards away.
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8. Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
After being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 153rd overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Jake Elliott lost the competition for the starting job to Randy Bullock and was released. The Philadelphia Eagles signed him off Cincinnati’s practice squad and Elliott has been one of the best NFL kickers ever since. He led the NFL in extra points made (51) last season and made 89.3 percent of his 56 field-goal attempts over the last two years.
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7. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks
Jason Myers began his professional football career as a kicker with the 2014 San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League. The 5-foot-10 placekicker earned his first job with the Jacksonville Jaguars and struggled, but adjustments turned his career around in 2018 with the New York Jets. Over the last five years, Myers has converted 88.5 percent of his field goals and is 204-of-219 on extra-point attempts.
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6. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs
Harrison Butker had an uncharacteristically poor season in 2022. From 2017-’21, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker converted on 90.1 percent of his 162 field-goal attempts, including 94 percent from under 50 yards out. However, Butker made just 75 percent of his field goals last season, including four whiffs from beyond 50 yards. History suggests it was just an outlier season, but Butker will have to work his way back up the kicker rankings this season.
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5. Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals
Among the best NFL kickers, few are more reliable from deep than Evan McPherson. In the last two years for the Cincinnati Bengals, McPherson has made 14-of-16 attempts from beyond 50 yards away. What keeps him just behind the top options in our kicker rankings is his shakiness from shorter distances, only converting on 68.2 percent of his kicks from 40-49 yards out.
- Evan McPherson stats (career): 83.9% field-goal conversion rate, 93.5% extra-point conversion rate, 14-of-16 from 50-plus
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4. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills
Tyler Bass holds the NFL record for the most 50-plus yard field goals made in a single game (three), but he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl to this point in his career. Coming from Dutch Fork High School, Bass earned All-Sun Belt honors three times at Georgia Southern. Since landing with the Buffalo Bills in 2020 (188th overall pick), Bass has displayed one of the most powerful legs in the NFL. He’s also made 87 percent of his field-goal attempts in the last two years.
- Tyler Bass stats (2022): 87.1% field-goal conversion rate, 97.5% extra-point conversion rate, 63.2 average kickoff yards
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3. Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo flies under the radar a bit compared to his peers. While he typically lands outside the top five in rankings of the best NFL kickers, Koo has the second-highest field-goal conversion rate (89.05 percent) in NFL history. He wasn’t quite as crisp last season, hitting 86.5 percent of his attempts, but four of his misses came from 50-plus and he’s made 48-of-50 kicks from under 50 yards over the last two seasons.
- Younghoe Koo stats (career): 89.1% field-goal conversion rate, 95.2% extra-point conversion rate, 20 field-goals made from 50-plus yards
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2. Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson is the only player in the NFL who can challenge Justin Tucker in the 2023 kicker rankings. Drafted 167th overall in 2018, Carlson’s NFL career got off to a rocky start. He lasted just two games with the Minnesota Vikings, missing three field-goal attempts. A year later, Carlson converted just 73.1 percent of his attempts with the Raiders. He then transformed himself into the most accurate kicker in football over the last three seasons (107-of-115 converted). This past season, Carlson led the NFL with 11 field goals made from 50-plys yards out.
- Daniel Carlson stats (2020-’22): 93% field-goal conversion rate, 94.8% extra-point conversion rate, 24 field-goals made from 50-plus yards
1. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens – Best kicker in the NFL
Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He holds the all-time record for conversion rate and is the only kicker to convert 90-plus percent of his field goals across his career. In 2022, Tucker finished with the second-most makes from 50-plus yards (nine) and he was perfect on all 24 attempts from inside 40 yards. Entering his age-34 season, Tucker has a shot to finish his career as one of the all-time NFL points leaders.
- Justin Tucker stats: 90.5% field-goal conversion rate, 98.8% extra-point conversion rate, 1,502 points, 57 made field goals from 50-plus yards
Week 1 fantasy kicker rankings
- Justin Tucker vs HOU
- Younghoe Koo vs CAR
- Harrison Butker vs DET
- Evan McPherson @ CIN
- Daniel Carlson @ DEN
- Jason Myers vs LAR
- Will Lutz vs TEN
- Graham Gano vs DAL
- Tyler Bass @ NYJ
- Riley Patterson @ KC
- Jason Sanders @ LAC
- Dustin Hopkins vs MIA
- Greg Zuerlein vs BUF
- Brandon McManus @ IND
- Greg Joseph vs TB
Who is the highest draft kicker in NFL history?
Charlie Gogolak is the highest-drafted kicker in NFL history. During the 1966 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders selected Gogolak with the sixth overall pick. He lasted just six seasons in the NFL, making 55.9 percent of his 93 field-goal attempts. Four kickers have been drafted with first-round picks in the history of the NFL Draft.
Who is the No. 1 fantasy kicker?
Justin Tucker is the No. 1 in fantasy kicker rankings for the 2023 season. The Baltimore Ravens kicker has scored at least 130 points in seven consecutive seasons and he has the NFL record for career field goal percentage (90.524 percent).
What is a NFL kicker salary?
The average NFL kicker salary in 2023 is $2.449 million, per Spotrac. We calculated the average salary for an NFL kicker based on the listed salaries for all 43 rostered kickers this season.
Who are the top kickers in fantasy football?
Justin Tucker, Daniel Carlson, Harrison Butker, Younghoe Koo, Tyler Bass and Evan McPherson are the top fantasy football kickers in 2023.
Has a kicker ever won MVP?
Mark Moseley is the only kicker to ever win NFL MVP. In 1982, Washington Commanders kicker Mark Moseley converted 20-of-21 field-goal attempts (95.2% conversion rate and 16-of-19 extra-point attempts to win MVP. He won MVP in part because it was a strike-shortened season, allowing Moseley to edge out Dan Fouts (17-11 TD-INT, 2,883 passing yards) and Marcus Allen (1,098 scrimmage yards, 14 total touchdowns).
