Saints fans weigh in on Week 1 kicker question in “Saints Reacts” poll

New Orleans fans are answering a single, practical question as the regular season approaches: who will be the Saints’ kicker in Week 1? In its latest Saints Reacts poll, Yahoo Sports asked readers to pick who they think will handle kicking duties to open the season, and a strong majority voted for the option they believe will win the job.

According to the poll results published on Aug. 28, 74% of Saints fans selected the same choice in the question about the Week 1 kicker. The remaining votes were spread among other possibilities, reflecting how many teams at this point in camp can still see some uncertainty around special teams personnel.

The poll framing matters because the kicker position is one of the sport’s highest-leverage roles even before the season begins. Field position, touchdown efficiency, and late-game game management all intersect with whether a team has someone it trusts from short range, long distance, and in varying weather conditions. For a team preparing to play meaningful games in September, the kicker depth chart is not just a training-camp storyline, it is a weekly operational detail.

For the Saints, the kicker decision also connects to how the rest of the roster is built and used. Teams manage play-calling around expected kicking outcomes, and coaches often tailor situational plans based on who handles extra points and field goals, including whether they are most reliable for routine attempts or also for deeper tries. While a fan poll cannot resolve the job on its own, it does point to what supporters believe the team’s internal evaluation will ultimately favor.

There is also a psychological component that shows up in the way fans discuss special teams. When one option receives a clear majority, it can report consensus around performance in camp sessions or around a perceived fit with the team’s current style. Even without official confirmation in the poll itself, the 74% figure suggests that most readers are not treating the job as a wide-open coin flip.

At the same time, the Saints’ Week 1 kicker is ultimately determined by the team’s final decisions. A media poll is a snapshot of public expectation, not an official roster statement. Until New Orleans formally sets its kickoff and field-goal personnel for the opening game, any interpretation of fan voting should be treated as opinion rather than proof.

What to watch next is straightforward. The Saints’ preseason usage and any final roster announcements will do more to settle the question than any percentage in a reader poll. Once the season starts, the kicker role becomes self-evident quickly through who is actually lined up for kickoffs, extra points, and field goals in live game situations.

For now, the Saints Reacts poll offers a clear answer to how the fanbase is leaning. With 74% backing their preferred choice, New Orleans supporters appear ready for the season opener, even as the team still needs to translate offseason plans and camp evaluations into the simple, week-to-week reality of who is on the field to kick.