Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Aww, kickers, everyone’s favorite fantasy football position. Ok, we know that’s a bold face lie, but trust us, when we tell you that your kicker can have as big an impact as anyone else on your roster when it comes to your fantasy season. Don’t believe us? Well, just think back to all those one-point losses you’ve endured over your fantasy career, and we know you’ll see otherwise. So, take a couple of minutes and read through our analysis of all 32 NFL kickers, starting with No. 1 Stephen Gostkowski. Read on to find out where the rest of the kickers rank in our download-able fantasy football cheat sheets rankings.

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF AUGUST 15, 2009::

TIER 1

1. Stephen Gostkowski – New England Patriots (Bye: 8)

Improving on an already impressive 2007 season, Gostkowski led the league in scoring in 2008. His extra point stats experienced a big drop due to Tom Brady’s injury, but he was able to make up for it with 16 more field goal opportunities. The season ended with him making 36 out of 40 FG (10 from 40-yards or more) netting fantasy owners a sweet 155 points. 

With the return of a healthy Brady in 2009, the offense should return to dominating the field, which translates to lots of scoring opportunities for Gostkowski. With a stellar leg and a spot on one of the most dynamic teams in the league, expect him to surpass his numbers from last season putting him atop all other fantasy football kickers at No. 1.

2. David Akers – Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 4)

A lot of people counted Akers out in 2008 due to his age and an uncharacteristic 2007. He silenced his critics by having his best fantasy football season yet, winding up 2nd among fantasy kickers with 149 points. He scored a field goal in each of his 16 games and showed he could still kick with the best of them, registering an accuracy rating of 82.5%. 

With an improved Eagles offense, Akers should see a load of opportunities in 2009. Though he may not net the same numbers as last year, he remains among the top tier of fantasy football kickers thanks to a very strong team and his veteran experience. 

TIER 2

3. Mason Crosby – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 5)

Following an amazing rookie season, Crosby’s stats took a hit in 2008. While he did make 3 field goals from 50+ yards, he went from 14 attempts from 40-49 yards in 2007 to just 6 in 2008, lowering his long range production significantly. Thanks to his strong leg and a good offense, he still managed to kick for 131 fantasy points, nailing 27 of 37 FGs and 46 extra points.

With Aaron Rogers at the helm and a good core of guys around him, the Packers’ offense can do some serious damage, which means Crosby should score plenty in 2009. Expect his long range attempts to look more like those in 2007 and his overall numbers to surpass all of his previous seasons.

4. Nate Kaeding – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 5)

Kaeding is one of fantasy football’s most reliable kickers. Though his production went down in 2007, he came back strong last year scoring 127 fantasy points and hitting 27 of 32 FGs. And, while owners would like to see more long distance attempts, he makes up for it with his mid-range consistency and extra points.

The Chargers’ offense should be even more explosive this year, so Kaeding will get his chances to score, and score he will as long as his accuracy doesn’t continue to drop as it has in the past 3 years, though it is worth noting, even with the decline, Kaeding was making field goals at an 84.4% clip last season. He’s dependable, and he’s a Charger making him a lock for 2009. 

5. Jason Elam – Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 4)

At 39, Elam remains one of the game’s best kickers. Not only did he make 29 out of 31 FGs for an impressive 93.5% accuracy rating, he went 10 for 10 on kicks from 40+ yards, proving you’re only as old as you feel. Elam ended the season with 139 fantasy football points, an improvement over the last 2 years. 

With Matt Ryan a year wiser, a powerful running game intact and veteran TE Tony Gonzalez coming aboard, the Falcons look to be a force in 2009. Elam remains one of the elite kickers in all fantasy leagues, and owners can expect his numbers to slightly increase from last year. 

6. Rob Bironas – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 7)

Bironas continued to show great accuracy and a dependable leg for the Titans, making 29 of 33 FGs in 2008. Capitalizing on Tennessee’s strong 1-2 punch running game, he recorded a field goal in every game but two during the regular season and a whopping 16 of those were from 40 yards or more. He ended the season with an impressive 140 fantasy points.

Even if Kerry Collins is less than stellar at the helm, the QB has some new receiving weapons and the running game should be stronger than ever, making Bironas a great fantasy option in 2009 and a spectacular pick up for leagues that award extra points for distance. Don’t be surprised if he records his best fantasy numbers to date this season. 

7. Ryan Longwell – Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 9)

Coming off a few lackluster seasons, Longwell bounced back big in 2008 rewarding his fantasy football owners with 140 fantasy points. The veteran kicker made 29 out of 34 FGs and solidified his place among the top ten fantasy kickers by going 6 for 6 from 50 and beyond. 

The Vikings have one of the strongest O-lines in the league and questionably the most talented playmaker in Adrian Peterson. If Minnesota’s QB situation plays out right, this offense will reach the next level, and Longwell will meet if not exceed his 2008 numbers.

8. Neil Rackers – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 4)

Accuracy problems plagued Rackers in 2007, but 2008 showed a significant improvement. Though he only made 7 FGs from beyond 40 yards, he was pretty consistent from all other distances, connecting on 25 of his 28 attempts and ending the season with 124 fantasy points. 

With Kurt Warner returning, the Cardinals should continue to be a major factor offensively, giving Rackers numerous chances to improve his 2008 numbers. If he can get a hold on his accuracy and the team does not suffer from a Super Bowl hangover, he will earn his top 10 status with a great 2009 season. 

9. Nick Folk – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 6)

After a huge rookie season, Folk’s fantasy football numbers suffered a big drop in 2008. Most of the blame can be put on a Dallas offense that struggled mightily due to injuries. Folk actually improved his accuracy rating to an impressive 90.9%, but with fewer opportunities, he made only 20 total FGs and ended the season with 114 fantasy points.

Folk had hip surgery in the off-season, but he looks ready to go for mini camp. With the Cowboys eager to erase the bad memories of the 2008 season, a healthy and improved offense should turn Folk back into a kicking stud. As far as picks go, this kid has value written all over him.

TIER 3

10. Robbie Gould – Chicago Bears (Bye: 5)

Gould has never made a field goal from beyond 50 yards, so he has less value in leagues that award points for distance. What he does do, though, is kick the ball with dead on accuracy, almost every time. In the past 3 seasons, Gould has only missed 12 out of 101 FGs. And, despite an offense that was very underwhelming at times, he still managed to score 124 fantasy points in 2008. 

Having Jay Cutler as the new QB and beast-like running back Matt Forte with a year of experience under his belt should open the door for this Bear’s offense to bump it up a notch. If the pieces all fall into place, and they should, look for Gould to put down his biggest fantasy numbers ever.

11. John Kasay – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 4)

After a sub-par 2007, Kasay’s fantasy football numbers greatly improved from 109 to 140. This leap can be attributed to an absolutely outstanding running game and Kasay’s 90.3% accuracy rating. He was virtually a lock from anywhere shorter than 50-yards out, making 28 out of 31 FGs, 12 of them from beyond the 40. 

In 2009, the running game will be back and as powerful as ever, which will lead to a solid Panthers’ offense that will provide Kasay with plenty of ways to score. He will have to prove that a weak offense was the only thing keeping him from obtaining big fantasy numbers in his two seasons prior to last, but he will. Look for him to put up big numbers again in 2009. 

12. Garrett Hartley – New Orleans (Bye: 5)  (Suspended 4 games - John Carney signed)

Hartley took over mid-season when the other Saints’ kickers proved to be less than dependable. He only played half the season, but he was perfect in that time, going 13 for 13 on FGs, 4 of which were from the 40 plus territory. 

Thanks to his performance, he is expected to land the starting job in 2009. Blessed with a great leg and being on one of the league’s most high powered offenses, Hartley should rack up lots of points. If it wasn’t for his 4-game suspension it really wouldn’t be a big surprise if Hartley was sitting up top with big boys at the end of the season. 

13. Kris Brown – Houston Texans (Bye: 10)

Even with Matt Schaub injured much of the season, Brown improved on his stats, his accuracy and his fantasy football points, totaling 132 in 2008. He completed 29 of 33 FGs, but what will have teams in standard scoring leagues licking their chops is the fact that he’s hit 7 of 8 through the uprights from 50+ yards over the last two seasons. 

The Texans are a young, up and coming team and each year they get better. Expect the same from Brown. As long as Schaub and Andre Johnson can stay healthy, this team should move the ball well, putting Brown in a position to capitalize on his strong and accurate foot, all season long. 

14. Lawrence Tynes - New York Giants (Bye: 10)

Tynes was absolutely perfect in 2008. Of course, that’s because he only kicked 1 field goal and spent the rest of the season injured or inactive. However, over the last two seasons, he has improved his accuracy significantly and while his 117 fantasy points in 2007 do not make him top-10 material, he has the leg to put up big numbers. 

While Tynes was out, John Carney did very well for the Giants, but the team decided to let home loose before the start of the season. The Giants are an extremely efficient offense, even with Eli Manning’s history of interceptions, and they will get down the field often enough to make Tynes a viable option in all fantasy football leagues, especially in leagues that award extra points for long distance FGs.

15. Adam Vinatieri – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 6)

What happened to the days when you could add field goal points to your score before Vinateri even lined up to kick it? The bad news - his accuracy has dropped off over the past 3 seasons. The good news - he still has the power to go 2 of 2 from beyond the 50, and Manning’s injury and the Colt’s struggles early on in 2008 had a lot to do with his un-Vinateri-like 106 fantasy points. 

Peyton Manning is healthy and an entire season with him controlling the offense is just what Vinateri needs to give his career and fantasy football numbers a big resurgence. He’ll be out to prove that he’s still one of the most clutch kickers in the NFL and in doing so should score often. He had hip surgery in the off-season so keep an eye on his recovery, but he should be ready to go by game time. Expect to see a significant rise in his numbers if he and Manning can stay healthy. 

TIER 4

16. Shayne Graham – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8)

Graham was injured for the first two games of the season, and without Carson Palmer for most of the remainder of season, he finished with a very disappointing 84 fantasy points. Graham is a very accurate long distance kicker, and Palmer is healthy as we head into 2009, so it isn’t too much to expect a rise from his 2008 numbers. Though right now, there are still too many flaws in the Bengals’ offense to put much faith in him having a high quality fantasy season. 

17. Rian Lindell – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 9)

Lindell’s accuracy took a huge dive in 2008. However, he still connected on 30 FGs and ended the season with a respectable 128 fantasy football points. He made a field goal in all of his 16 games and went off for 18 points in week 12 against the Chiefs, proving to be valuable regardless of accuracy issues.

Making 30 FGs will probably not happen again, but the Bills now have Terrell Owens to help the offense became more dominant. Lindell has a strong leg, and if he gets his accuracy under control, he can net lots of long distance points. Expect his production to stay close to his 2008 numbers as the FGs go down, but extra points go up. 

18. Josh Brown – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 9)
Brown may have only scored 19 extra points, thanks to a dreadful Rams offense, but he made up for it with 16 FGs from beyond 40 yards and knocked in at least 1 FG in 14 games for a season total of 129 fantasy football points. If St. Louis improves at all on offense, Brown’s numbers will shoot up. 
19. Joe Nedney – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 6)

Last season, in Mike Martz’s pass heavy offense, Nedney scored 129 fantasy points. The 36 year-old kicker also showed he still had the leg power to punch 10 FGs through from 40 yards and more. However, with Martz gone and the 49ers offense still going through some growing pains, it’s most likely that his numbers will drop significantly in 2009. 

20. Matt Bryant – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 8)

Bryant knocked in 130 fantasy points last year and displayed a high level of accuracy kicking for the Bucs. That, though, didn’t stop them from signing Mike Nugent to a contract in the off-season. Obviously, if Nugent gets the job, Bryant has little fantasy value unless Nugent gets hurt. However, the Bucs are claiming it’s an open competition, and Bryant is still a very good kicker, so monitor this one to the end.

21. Jeff Reed – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 8)

If anything Reed is dependable, hitting 27 of 31 FGs and maintaining good accuracy throughout the season. The Steelers offense is not exactly dynamic, but they do have a Super Bowl ring, proving they can get the job done when needed, so he’ll get his opportunities. Last year, he managed at least 1 FG in 14 games and recorded a total 123 points. Look for him to continue improving, and expect Reed to put up numbers similar to last year.

TIER 5

22. Matt Prater – Denver Broncos (Bye: 7)
23. Jason Hanson – Detroit Lions (Bye: 7)
24. Josh Scobee – Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7)
25. Olindo Mare – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 7)
26. Jay Feely – New York Jets (Bye: 9)
27. Phil Dawson – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 9)

TIER 6

28. Dan Carpenter – Miami Dolphins (Bye: 6)
29. Shaun Suisham – Washington Redskins (Bye: 8)
30. Sebastian Janikowski – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 9)
31. Steven Hauschka – Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 7)
32. Ryan Succop – Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 8)

To see the rest of the rankings, read player profiles from every position and check out the rest of our 2009 FANTASY FOOTBALL KICKER RANKINGS click this link... FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL CHEAT SHEETS

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Cheat Sheet RANKINGS:  QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF

See More ‘09 SLEEPERS:  QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF

See More ‘09 BUSTS:  QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF

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