NFL Player News

Elliott is expected to again serve as Philadelphia's starting kicker in 2026, Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com reports.

Per the Eagles' official site, Elliott is the only kicker on Philadelphia's active roster less than a week out from training camp, so it looks like he won't face any competition for the job this year. He's coming off a down year by his standards in 2025, when he converted just 74.1 percent of his regular-season field-goal attempts, his lowest rate since the 2020 campaign (73.7 percent).

Grupe is set to compete against Spencer Shrader (knee) for the Colts' kicking job, Paul Bretl of USA Today reports.

Grupe spent the first two-plus years of his NFL career with the Saints but was released in late November after connecting on only 18 of 26 field goals (69.2 percent) across 11 regular-season games in 2025. He got a new opportunity with the Colts and rebounded by making all 11 of his field-goal tries over the final five regular-season games. Even with Shrader working his way back from a torn ACL that he sustained in early October, Grupe will need to have a strong training camp and preseason to hang onto his kicking gig.

McLaughlin is slated to play out the 2026 season on the final year of his current contract, Logan Robinson and River Wells of SI.com report.

McLaughlin suited up for all 17 regular-season games for Tampa Bay last season and set a new career high in made field goals (32), though he also logged a career-low conversion rate on attempts (84.2 percent). After going 11-for-12 on FG tries from 50-plus yards last season, McLaughlin is a solid candidate to bounce back in terms of accuracy in 2026. If he does, he'll be primed to hit the open market in 2027 as one of the league's top available kickers.

Fitzgerald is set to open the 2026 campaign as Carolina's kicker following a standout rookie season, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

After entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent, Fitzgerald won Carolina's kicker job in training camp last year and held the role through the campaign, making 24 of 29 field-goal attempts and 27 of 30 extra-point tries over 17 regular-season games. Even more impressively, he tied for the league lead with four game-winning FGs and ranked third in opponents' average drive start, a measure of his effectiveness on kickoffs. Fitzgerald's rookie season also included two made field goals of 55-plus yards, so he's essentially checked all the boxes. He isn't expected to have any competition for the starting role heading into training camp.

Zvada and Ben Sauls are expected to compete during training camp for the Giants' primary kicker role, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

Sauls emerged as the Giants' kicker down the stretch last season, when he made all eight of his field-goal tries and all seven of his PATs in Weeks 16-18. Meanwhile, Zvada went unselected during April's NFL Draft but signed with New York following a standout college career that included setting a Michigan record with seven field goals of 50-plus yards (on seven attempts) over 13 games in 2024. Zvada was less effective as a senior, but his big leg drew the attention of the Giants, and he'll at least have a chance to push Sauls for the starting job in training camp. It initially looked like it would be a three-man competition, but the Giants cut veteran kicker Jason Sanders -- who has since signed with the Jets -- in early June.

Sauls is set to compete during training camp with undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada for the Giants' kicker job, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

Sauls was the Giants' kicker in Weeks 16-18 and went 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts and 7-for-7 on extra-point tries. He didn't show much of a leg to go with that accuracy, however, as his longest FG last year was from a modest 45 yards. New York parted ways with long-time kicker Graham Gano (neck) in late March, leaving Sauls as the most likely option to begin the 2026 campaign. However, Zvada could challenge for the role with a strong training camp after a decorated college career that included the most field goals (seven) made from 50-plus yards in Michigan history.

Smythe will enter training camp positioned to compete with Tanner Brown for the No. 1 kicker job, Luke Loffredo of USA Today reports.

Smythe started New Orleans' final six games of the 2025 season, going 12-for-16 on field-goal tries and making all 13 of his extra-point attempts. He first joined the Saints back in 2024 as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway. During training camp and the preseason Smythe will work to outperform Brown, who has spent time on various practice squads in the league (most recently the Rams and Falcons in 2024) but has yet to log a regular-season appearance.

As the coming season approaches, Borregales is set to reprise his role as the Patriots' top kicker, SI.com reports.

After being taken in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Borregales beat out Parker Romo last summer to emerge as New England's starting kicker ahead of the team's surprising 14-3 regular-season campaign. In the process, the 23-year University of Miami product made 27 of 32 field-goal attempts (84 percent) and 53 of 55 extra-point tries, en route to recording 134 points (seventh in the league among kickers) in 17 games. In his second campaign as a pro, his fantasy upside hinges on how an offense led by rising young signal-caller Drake Maye clicks, but at a minimum Borregales should be a solid streaming option when the Patriots are heavily favored and/or playing indoors.

As the coming season approaches, Myers is set to retain his role as the Seahawks' top kicker, Michael Hanich of SI.com reports.

In that role with the defending Super Bowl champions, Myers racked up a career high and league-leading 171 points in 2025, while making 41 of his 48 field-goal attempts and all 48 of his extra-point tries in 17 regular-season contests. Looking ahead to the coming campaign, the 35-year-old -- who currently is the only kicker on his team's roster -- should maintain a solid enough weekly floor working behind the Seahawks offense to maintain fantasy viability in 2026, even if he sees a modest reduction in terms of volume.

Lutz, who signed a contract extension with Denver last November, enters the 2026 campaign as the team's clear primary kicker, Bob Morris of SI.com reports.

Lutz has been very reliable since joining the Broncos in 2023, playing in all 51 of the team's regular-season games and making 89.0 percent of his field-goal tries. He's converted 12 of 18 attempts from 50-plus yards during that time and hasn't missed any extra points over the past two years. Morris notes Lutz's contract includes no guaranteed money in 2028, but with most of his salary guaranteed from 2026 to 2027, the veteran kicker is essentially locked in as Denver's starting kicker for at least the next two years.