Younghoe

Koo

Koo, who has battled through a lingering hip injury, reportedly re-injured himself on a 42-yard field goal attempt in Week 15 against the Raiders. It’s not clear if he aggravated the existing hip issue. In any case, Koo’s disappointing 2024 campaign is over. Koo missed nine of his 34 field goal attempts this season, making him one of the league’s most inaccurate kickers. It was a down year for a veteran who had been one of the game’s most reliable kickers since joining the Falcons in 2019. Riley Patterson is in line to kick for Atlanta in Week 16 and beyond.

Koo wasn’t on the injury report Wednesday so this appears to be a new ailment for the kicker. The 30-year-old has dealt with home struggles this year, but should be the starter going forward assuming he’s healthy enough to kick. It would be wise to look elsewhere for Sunday just in case.

Koo has been disastrous of late, missing five of his past seven attempts, including three misses in last week’s loss to the Saints. Koo’s season long field goal conversion rate has dropped to 70 percent, though he’s made all 23 of his extra points. Morris seems committed to Koo, one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL since 2019.

Koo was dealing with a back injury and listed as limited earlier in the week. However, he was upgraded to a full participant and should be good to go in Week 12 against the Saints. Koo has converted on 21-of-22 field goal attempts this season and is 14-of-15 on extra points.

It puts Koo on track to suit up against the Saints, but kicker injuries are a whole different ballgame. If Koo does go, Saints/Falcons has all the hallmarks of a conservative field goal fest.

Younghoe Koo missed Wednesday’s practice with a back injury and seems iffy for Week 12 against the Saints. Wright, who has made 40 of his 46 NFL field goal tries, could sub in for Koo and make for a desperation fantasy play.

Koo currently ranks sixth in the NFL with 21 made field goals. His 95.4 percent accuracy is tied for fourth best among starting kickers. The Falcons are hoping that he can play, but back injuries can be notoriously fickle, so he will need to get in a practice before there can be any hope he plays. Fantasy managers should have a back-up option ready.

Koo is getting $11.5 million guaranteed. He was set to be a restricted free agent, but the Falcons are instead locking him up through his age-32 season. Koo is now the league’s second-highest paid kicker at $4.85 million per year, trailing only Justin Tucker at $5 million. Koo bounced around the league a bit with the Chargers and Patriots before settling in with the Falcons in 2019. He’s been dynamite in Atlanta, drilling 92.6% of his field goals, going 87-of-94 in three years, and 95.1% of his extra points in that span. He’s also 13-of-14 on field goals of 50-plus yards. Koo deserves the pay day.

That leaves Younghoe Koo, everyone’s favorite fantasy kicker, as the only kicker on Atlanta’s roster. Fry played one game for the Falcons and spent the entire 2020 season on the team’s practice squad.

Koo was an exclusive rights free agent, so this was the only game in town for him. After flopping with the Chargers in 2017, Koo has emerged as one of the league’s best, most creative kickers over the past two seasons. He drains field goals at nearly a 90 percent rate, is awesome from beyond 50 yards, and actually converts the occasional onside kick. He will be a candidate for a multi-year pact soon.