Kickers and punters are people, too! While we may not have kickers or punters with as much pizzazz as Pat McAfee or Marquette King, there are some personalities out there. When the game is on the line, teams turn to their kickers and punters. Nearly 15% of regular-season games since 2000 were decided by three points, and 23.37% of games were decided by three or fewer points. So, having a clutch kicker is worth a few wins in a season.
Concluding our division-by-division look at each position, our Last Word on NFL staff ranks the kickers and punters!
ALSO READ: QB | RB | TE | WR | OL | DL | LB | DB
Last Word on NFL’s Official 2026 Special Teamers Rankings by Division
AFC North
According to Drew VonScio
“One or two plays often decide football games, and AFC North kickers know that better than anyone. Most games within the division are decided on the final possession of the game, whether it is played in Week 1 or Week 18.
Players are starting to report to their respective training camp sites, with many teams beginning practices next week. We’re getting to the end of the positional rankings with the season upon us, with the AFC North defensive back rankings posted on Friday.
It’s now time to rank the best kickers in the division…” READ MORE
AFC South
According to Jordan Coburn
“Many kickers and punters in the NFL impact their team by helping add more points to the scoreboard, whether or not a touchdown is scored, and by putting the defense in a good position to stop opposing offenses. Now it’s time to rank the best special teamers in the AFC South…” READ MORE
AFC East
According to Lance Warren
“The AFC continues to be one of the most fascinating and confusing divisions in football, and that doesn’t change when it comes to our AFC East special teamers.
Despite the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots being the two playoff teams in the division, one of them doesn’t even have a player on this list.
The New York Jets, who went 3-14 in 2025, will be featured multiple times here.
Beyond that, the AFC East special teamers were even harder to rank due to multiple competitions at kicker and punter within the division and no clear sign of who is going to win some of these position battles. Also, multiple possible starters in this division are coming off season-long injuries in 2025, which made those guys harder to place as well.
Long story short, this isn’t an impressive special teams division, which made ranking these players all the more difficult.
With that introduction complete, welcome to the top AFC East special teamers for the 2026 season…” READ MORE
AFC West
According to Jordan Coburn
“Kickers and punters may not be the first thing that comes to many NFL fans’ minds when they think of the AFC West, but each of these players also has the responsibility, just like everyone else on the roster, to perform at their best. Now it’s time to rank the best special teamers in this division…” READ MORE
NFC North
According to Sue Levine
“Ranking the top NFC North kickers and punters for 2026 as we continue the “2026 LWOS Best of the NFL” series. When evaluating the impact of NFL specialists, their success is based on statistical factors, including accuracy, distance, and reliability. Specialists typically enjoy the longest-tenured career of all professional football players based on the reduced likelihood of injury and physical wear and tear on their bodies. According to Statista.com, the average career length for an NFL punter is 6.4 years, with kickers averaging 5.5 years. However, two of the NFL North’s top specialists are long-term veterans with double-digit NFL careers…” READ MORE
NFC South
According to David Keech
“Punters and kickers don’t get the fanfare and notoriety as the rest of their peers in football. Just as they do throughout the league, NFC South Special Teams face scrutiny and pressure game in and game out. This is particularly true when the game is on the line, as the pressure rises. Field position is so important in close games, and punters’ effectiveness is judged on how well they can impact their team’s field position. Kickers have to come up big in the game’s biggest moments, and they have to play with a short memory when they misfire. Special teams are now being regarded as essential to a winning team’s championship chances.
We return with Last Word on the NFL’s top returning series as we take a look at the best players at their position groups. Who makes #1 as the best NFC South Special Teams for 2026? Let’s take a look…” READ MORE
NFC East
According to Drew VonScio
“NFC East kickers were among the best in the NFL, and that holds going into 2026. This division has a deep group of kickers with a lot of talent, and all of them will have a major impact on games this season in what is expected to be a battle for the top spot.
With training camp practices starting in the coming days and the division’s defensive backs graded, it’s time to rank the NFC East kickers…” READ MORE
NFC West
According to Sue Levine
“The top kickers and punters in the NFC West division are among the best in the NFL. Ranking a place kicker’s impact is measured by the overall number of points scored in a season, along with his accuracy and conversion rate. Evaluating the impact of a punter is based upon the net average yards punted and his ability to consistently pin opposing teams inside the 20-yard-line. With that in mind, here are the rankings for the top NFC West kickers and punters entering the 2026 season…” READ MORE
