Blake Grupe DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

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.