New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe was perfect in Week 17, hitting his lone extra point and a 34-yard field goal try. On the season he is 30-for-32 for extra point attempts and has converted 23 of his 27 field goal attempts. All of those misses have come from 40 yards out or further. Grupe won't be kicking in the comfort of a dome in Week 18 but he will have good weather conditions when the Saints travel to Tampa to take on the Buccaneers. That said, Grupe should probably be avoided for fantasy purposes. Since their Week 12 bye, the Saints have averaged just 11.4 points per game. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will be at the helm again in the season finale. The Saints have had a hard time sustaining drives since he took over for Derek Carr (hand), which means there is less of a chance for Grupe to get on the field. Grupe has a good leg and can be of service when called upon but the Saints' woes on offense should steer fantasy managers elsewhere in Week 18.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe was blanked in Week 16. It wasn't that he missed any kicks, it was the fact that the offense was never in a position to get him on the field in a 34-0 shellacking at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. When Grupe last saw scoring opportunities, in Week 15, he went two-for-two on field goals (from 41 and 51 yards out) and nailed his lone extra point. In Week 17, Grupe and the Saints face the Las Vegas Raiders, who have given up the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers. Still, Grupe remains a risky option in fantasy football's championship round. With Derek Carr (hand) and Alvin Kamara (out) the Saints' offense could still be stuck in the mud come Sunday. New Orleans has averaged 12.8 points per game in rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler's five starts thus far. With most fantasy leagues whittled down to their final two teams, there should be safer alternatives on the wire to stream in Week 17.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and converted his sole extra point try in Week 15. Grupe was good from 41 and 51 yards away and he is now 14-for-16 from 40 or more yards out. It was an encouraging effort after his 0-for-2 showing in Week 14. Despite the rebound, Grupe is not a recommended start in Week 16 when the Saints take on the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. The weather at Lambeau Field is expected to be wet, windy, and cold, which is far from ideal for a kicker used to kicking in the optimal conditions provided by a domed stadium. Pass on Grupe this week but keep an eye on his availability as he may be useful in Week 17 when New Orleans faces the Las Vegas Raiders.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe converted both of his extra point attempts in Week 14 but he missed both of his field goal tries. It is worth noting that the misses were both from over 50 yards out. The first, a 53-yarder, had the distance but veered left of the uprights. The second was a 60-yard try at the end of the first half that was blocked by the Giants. Before those whiffs, Grupe had been a perfect 5-for-5 from 50 or more yards out. Grupe is a tough sell for fantasy football purposes in Week 15. The Saints will next face the Washington Commanders, who have seen the fourth-fewest field goal attempts in the league and are tied for the third-lowest fantasy points per game allowed to opposing kickers. On top of that, the Saints offense as a whole will be downgraded with quarterback Jake Haener drawing the start in light of regular starter Derek Carr's (concussion, hand) injuries. Fantasy managers can and should find a more bankable option for the first round of the fantasy playoffs.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe hit a pair of 54-yard field goals in Week 13 but also missed a 36-yarder in the 21-14 loss to the Rams. The miss was his first since Week 8 and just his second missed field goal of the year. He is now 5-for-5 on attempts from 50 yards or more. On the season Grupe has been good on 20 out of 22 field goal attempts and has converted 26 of 28 extra point tries. In Week 14 the Saints face the New York Giants, who rank in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing kickers. Grupe has not been spectacular by any stretch but his long-range accuracy offers some appeal. With six teams on bye this week, it may be necessary to shop the wire to fill the kicker slot. Grupe is a decent option but fantasy managers will be best served to shop for a more lucrative matchup as the Saints-Giants pairing is expected to be a low-scoring affair.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe did not register a field goal attempt in Week 11's 35-14 win over the Cleveland Browns but he did convert all five of his extra point tries. Season-long, he is 18-for-19 on field goals and 26-for-28 on extra points. His last missed kick came in Week 8 when he pushed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide right. Grupe has converted his other eight kicks from 40 or more yards away. On deck are the Los Angeles Rams, who are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers. The matchup features an over/under of 49.5 and if the expected offensive showcase comes to fruition, then there will be plenty of chances for Grupe to get on the field. Grupe makes for a solid choice at kicker in Week 13.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe was perfect in Week 10, converting both of his field goal attempts and both extra point tries. He scored the first points of the game against the Falcons with a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter and hit another from 26 yards out in the third quarter. On the season he has missed just one of his 19 field goal attempts and is now 21-for-23 on extra points. Grupe offers a solid floor, rarely straying far from his average 7.5 fantasy points per game. In Week 11, the Saints face the Browns, who have offered little to opposing kickers this season, though that may be because they are allowing teams to reach the end zone more often than they are stopping them short, particularly in close range. Cleveland has only seen five field goals attempted at a distance of 39 yards or fewer. They have also had the good fortune of opponents going 8-for-14 from 40 yards out or more, with just one block to their credit. Grupe is 8-for-9 from that range. Grupe isn't an option to get excited about but a top-12 finish isn't out of the question. He is worth a look for fantasy managers seeking a kicker in Week 11.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe went 3-for-3 on field goal attempts in Week 9. Grupe got off to an early start, hitting tries from 29 and 31 yards out in the first quarter, and then nailed a 51-yarder in the third. He also converted his lone extra point attempt on the day. To date, Grupe is 16-for-17 on field goals and 19-for-21 on extra points and ranks in the top 12 in fantasy points. In Week 10, he will take the field against the Atlanta Falcons, which has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing kickers this season. That offers an upside to Grupe, who already represents a fairly stable floor. Remove his highest and lowest fantasy scores in 2024 and he averages seven fantasy points per game. Grupe is widely available and is worthy of a start for managers seeking help at kicker in Week 10.
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe converted field goal attempts from 40 and 43 yards out in Week 8 before missing a 44-yarder in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was his first missed field goal attempt of the season. He was not able to try for an extra point as the Saints were held out of the end zone in the 26-8 loss and remains a perfect 20-for-20 on the season. In Week 9, Grupe and the Saints take on the Panthers in a rematch of their Week 1 blowout wherein Grupe had his highest-scoring game of the season. In that matchup, he converted five extra points and had four field goals, including two from over 50 yards away. New Orleans figures to put up big numbers once more against Carolina's soft defense, paving the way for another big day for Grupe. Fantasy managers in need of a streaming option can plug him into their Week 9 lineups.
New Orleans Saints placekicker Blake Grupe was good on his only field goal attempt in Week 7. The make, from 35 yards out, kept Grupe perfect on field goal tries this season. He also converted his only extra-point attempt of the night. Facing the stiff defense of the Denver Broncos, the Saints found it hard to give Grupe chances to enter play and the situation is likely to repeat in Week 8 when they get the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have had just nine touchdowns scored against them this season and have allowed the fewest points in the league (83). Naturally, they have seen the fewest extra point attempts and similarly have seen the third-fewest field goal attempts tried against them. Fantasy managers should shop the wire for a different kicking option in Week 8, as Grupe's situation is about as poor as it can get.
Blake Grupe
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