Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Wondering when you should draft your favorite NFL tight ends in your upcoming fantasy football draft? Continue reading our 2010 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings to find out…

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2010::

TIER 1

1. Nate Kaeding, San Diego Chargers (Bye: 10)

Nate Kaeding has been a fixture near the top of kicker rankings for the past six years. In fact, as Kaeding enters his seventh NFL season, he has the distinction of being the most accurate kicker ever. He’s made 150 of 172 field goals or 87.2% of his regular season attempts. No wonder many fantasy owners drafted Kaeding as the first kicker off the board in 2009 and he did not disappoint. Kaeding scored 10 or more fantasy points nine times, made 32 of 35 field goals and drilled 50 extra points. He finished the season as the No.1 overall fantasy kicker with 155 points, and posted a 91.4% field goal percentage, third highest among kickers who started 16 games. Sadly, Kaeding’s huge season ended on a down note, as he missed three field goal attempts in the Chargers’ embarrassing 17-14 playoff loss to the New York Jets.

There have been offseason changes and issues to the Chargers – LT is gone and Vincent Jackson is suspended for three games and threatening to hold out for most of the season. Some fantasy owners are concerned about the potency of San Diego’s offense and wonder how these challenges impact the fantasy value of various players including Kaeding. On the positive side, San Diego has a fairly easy schedule and should continue to light up the scoreboard. The Chargers red zone challenges over the past few seasons have given Kaeding substantial scoring opportunities inside the opponent’s 30 yard line and this isn’t a bad thing from a fantasy perspective. Kaeding, with his strong and steady leg, will get plenty of chances to put points on the board in 2010. You can count on Kaeding for double-digit fantasy points most weeks in the season. Kaeding is a no-brainer as a No. 1 fantasy kicker. He’ll go early so be prepared to make your move early too.

2. Ryan Longwell, Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 4)

Longwell has been among one of the NFLs elite kickers for over a decade; however, his value went up even higher when quarterback Brett Favre joined the Vikings last year. Longwell produced in a big way for his fantasy owners, netting 142 fantasy points and finished No. 3 overall behind the Chargers’ Nate Kaeding and the Eagles’ David Akers. Known for his pinpoint accuracy, the 14-year veteran was good for 26 of 28 field goals and boasted a 92.9% conversion rate.

The Vikings’ touchdown-focused offense cut into Longwell’s three point scoring opportunities and he attempted just 28 field goals in 16 games. Longwell more than made up for the field goal deficit with a league-best 54 extra point conversions. He was also 10 of 11 from 40-plus yards last season and has reemerged as one of the league’s better options at his position. Longwell has an excellent chance to repeat his fantasy production in 2010 especially if Favre returns for another season. Should Favre decide to call it quits, Longwell’s production could take a slight hit, though he remains a definite No. 1 fantasy starter.

3. Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (Bye: 5)

Could his record-setting offensive production in 2007, including an astounding 74 extra points still be one the reason why Patriots kicker Gostkowski is ranked so high? Or is it that Gostkowski is one of two kickers to finish in the top-5 in fantasy points among kickers in the last three seasons? When you talk about consistent kickers, Gostkowski is among the best. While Gostkowski’s production slipped a bit in 2009 thanks to 10 fewer field goals than in 2008, his 129 fantasy points tied him with Lawrence Tynes and Matt Prater for the No. 5 overall fantasy kicker. Gostkowski enters the 2010 as a No. 1 fantasy kicker. He’s young, accurate, and should continue to produce at a high level. . The Patriots high-powered offense led by quarterback Tom Brady should give Gostkowski plenty of scoring opportunities. Look for Gostkowski to top his totals of 26 field goals and 47 extra points from a year ago. He’ll be among the first kickers drafted in all leagues, so if you like him as your No. 1, you’ll probably need to take him before the last round.

4. Garrett Hartley, New Orleans Saints (Bye: 10)

After being suspended for four games and later injured, Hartley didn’t make a kick until Week 13 of the 2009 season when he took over for John Carney. His limited track record in regular season play makes him one of the toughest guys to predict heading into 2010 and yet, he kicks for a potent offense so the opportunities to make an impact will be there. Over the final five games of the 2009 season, Hartley made nine of 11 field goals and 10 of 11 extra points. He didn’t attempt a kick over 40 yards in the regular season, yet he hit field goals from 43, 40, 46, 44, and 47 yards without a problem in the playoffs and helped the Saints to their Super Bowl victory.

Fantasy football kickers are always a product of their offense no matter how good they are and fortunately for Hartley, New Orleans will continue to score points. There isn’t a guy with more upside going into the fall than Hartley, and this means that you might need to grab him earlier than his statistics merit. As long as he’s healthy and keeps his nose clean, Hartley and his fantasy owners should have a fantastic 2010 season.

TIER 2

5. David Akers, Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 8)
6. Rob Bironas, Tennessee Titans (Bye: 9)
7. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (Bye: 10)
8. Lawrence Tynes, New York Giants (Bye: 8)

TIER 3

9. Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears (Bye: 8)
10. Matt Prater, Denver Broncos (Bye: 9)
11. Dan Carpenter, Miami Dolphins (Bye: 5)
12. Neil Rackers, Houston Texans (Bye: 7)

TIER 4

13. Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 5)
14. Jay Feely, Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 6)
15. Ryan Succop, Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 4)
16. David Buehler, Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 4)

TIER 5

17. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 7)
18. Joe Nedney, San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9)
19. Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (Bye: 10)
20. Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 8)
21. Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 6)
22. Billy Cundiff, Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 8)
23. Nick Folk, New York Jets (Bye: 7)

TIER 6

24. Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions (Bye: 7)
25. Rian Lindell, Buffalo Bills (BYE: 6)
26. Olindo Mare, Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 5)
27. John Kasay, Carolina Panthers (Bye: 6)
28. Josh Brown, St. Louis Rams (Bye: 9)
29. Josh Scobee, Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 9)
30. Graham Gano, Washington Redskins Bye: 9)
31. Connor Barth, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 4)
32. Phil Dawson, Cleveland Browns (Bye: 8)

 
To see in-depth player profiles for all 32 KICKERS check out the rest of our 2010 FANTASY FOOTBALL KICKERS RANKINGS by clicking here… FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL CHEAT SHEETS

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2010 SLEEPERS:  QB |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  |  DEF   (click to view)

2010 BUSTS:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  |  DEF   (click to view)

2010 DEEP SLEEPERS:  RB  |  WR |  TE   (click to view)

2010 BREAKOUT PLAYERS:  QB  |  RB |  WR |  TE   (click to view)

2010 RANKINGS:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  |  DEF  (click to view)

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