2007 Fantasy Football Preview: Kickers
08/10/2007
Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
Do yourself a favor and wait for a few kickers to be drafted before pulling the trigger. If you can’t snag one of our top five, you can wait even longer because there isn’t much difference between PK6 and PK16. You’ll want to focus on good kickers in good offenses. That way, you’ll benefit from lots of extra points and a good number of field goal attempts. It also helps if the kicker plays his home games indoors or in nice weather. There are exceptions to these rules (Matt Stover, Robbie Gould, etc.), but if their offenses tank, so will their production.
Don’t bother drafting a backup kicker unless your league roster is huge. You’re better off rolling the dice on a flier at RB or WR who might pan out and help your team. There are always decent kickers on the waiver wire to fill in during your kicker’s bye week.
We’ve ranked the top 20 in tiers in order to give you a better idea of how we view the dropoff within the position. In parenthesis, we’ve included the players Average Draft Position (ADP), which is the average round that the player is selected in Antsports’ 12-team leagues with a high performance scoring format. We’ve also included the ADP ranking (PK1, PK2, etc.) to see where the player is going relative to his peers. All of the data is from mock drafts conducted at Antsports.com from July 15th to July 31st.
Adam Vinatieri, Colts (PK1, 11.08)
25/28 FG, 38 XP
He’s one of the best kickers in the league and he plays indoors for the most potent offense in the league. ‘Nuff said.
Nate Kaeding, Chargers (PK2, 13.04)
26/29 FG, 58 XP
Just look at those extra points! He’s a consistent scorer because the Chargers’ offense is so productive.
32/37 FG, 35 XP
Always undervalued, Wilkins usually finishes near the top. The Rams’ offense gives him lots of scoring opportunities.
27/29 FG, 34 XP
Elam has finished in the top 10 six straight times. He’s starting to lose some leg, but he’s still accurate, the offense looks to be good and the thin air in Denver adds some distance.
Shayne Graham, Bengals (PK3, 13.06)
25/30 FG, 40 XP
Graham has finished in the top 11 four straight times. The Bengals’ offense will always give him opportunities to score.
32/36 FG, 47 XP
Gould came out of nowhere to be the PK1 in 2006. Kicking in Chicago isn’t easy, so we’re a little leery, but the Bears’ redzone troubles should keep Gould flush with chances.
Matt Stover, Ravens (PK9, 16.01)
28/30 FG, 37 XP
Stover has finished in the top 10 four straight times. The Ravens’ offensive woes lead to lots of FG attempts for Stover.
Josh Scobee, Jaguars (PK15, 16.08)
26/32 FG, 41 XP
Scobee has a strong leg and is adept at finishing drives when the Jags’ offense can’t.
Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots (PK8, 15.05)
20/26 FG, 43 XP
Kicking in New England is no fun, but the Pats figure to be even better offensively in 2007, so Gostkowski should kick lots and lots of extra points.
David Akers, Eagles (PK12, 16.05)
18/23 FG, 48 XP
With Donovan McNabb back, expect more FG opportunities for Akers, who already kicks a ton of extra points.
Joe Nedney, 49ers (PK11, 16.04)
29/35, 29 XP
The home field is windy, but he’s got a big leg and the offense is looking better.
Josh Brown, Seahawks (PK14, 16.06)
25/31 FG, 36 XP
Brown has a huge leg and will benefit if the redzone offense continues its downswing. Seattle’s nasty weather makes things iffy.
John Kasay, Panthers (PK13, 16.06)
24/27 FG, 28 XP
Carolina’s offense should be better, which means more extra points for Kasay. He has a nice leg and his accuracy is good.
Olindo Mare, Saints (PK10, 16.03)
26/36 FG, 22 XP
Mare’s situation has improved, but his accuracy is questionable. Still, he kicks indoors for one of the best offenses in the league, so he should be solid.
Jason Hanson, Lions (N/A)
29/33 FG, 30 XP
Hanson kicks indoors for one of the best offenses in the league. The addition of Calvin Johnson might reduce the team’s redzone failures, limiting his FG opportunities.
Mike Nugent, Jets (N/A)
24/27 FG, 34 XP
He hit 21 straight FG to finish the season, but he plays in a tough stadium.
Neil Rackers, Cardinals (PK4, 14.05)
28/37 FG, 32 XP
He has a monster leg, but his accuracy is iffy. If the offense improves, so will his numbers.
Lawrence Tynes, Giants (N/A)
24/31 FG, 35 XP
Tynes goes from KC to NY and joins an offense on the upswing. Still, the Meadowlands is a tough place to kick.
Jeff Reed, Steelers (N/A)
20/27 FG, 41 XP
The new offense should help, but kicking in Pittsburgh is brutal.
Dave Rayner, Packers (N/A)
26/35 FG, 31 XP
If he can improve his accuracy, he will move up. The Packers’ underrated offense should give him lots of attempts.