Cairo Santos

Cairo Santos looks like a steady but unspectacular fantasy kicking option for 2026. He’s still with the Bears through 2027, so there’s no team-change concern, and recent previews continue to frame him as a reliable streaming play rather than a must-draft starter.

The biggest reason for optimism is the context around Chicago’s offense. Santos finished 2025 as a useful fantasy kicker, and the Bears are again expected to provide enough scoring chances to keep him in the weekly conversation, especially in games where the offense moves the ball but stalls in field-goal range. That combination usually matters more for kickers than raw talent, and Santos has shown he can capitalize on it.

The main red flag is his recent thigh injury. He missed multiple games in 2026 and was replaced temporarily by Jake Moody, though reports later indicated he was expected to resume kicking duties once healthy. For fantasy managers, that means his floor depends not just on Chicago’s scoring chances, but also on whether he stays fully available and avoids another in-season setback.

Overall, Santos is a solid late-round or waiver-wire kicker in 2026, not a high-ceiling target. He fits best for managers who want stability, a strong offense, and a name that should get usable field-goal volume, but he probably won’t separate himself from the pack enough to be treated as an elite fantasy option.