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FANTASY FOOTBALL PRE-SEASON FEATURES

2004 Player Statistics and Analysis: Kickers
Updated: August 31, 2004
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David Akers PHI HT 5'10'' WT 200 AGE 30 EXP 6
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 PHI 16 26 31 84% 50 37 38 115
2002 PHI 16 30 34 88% 51 43 43 133
2003 PHI 16 24 29 83% 57 42 42 114
  Avg 16 27 31 85%   41 41 121
Akers fell to being the 8 th best kicker last year which was lower than he was certainly drafted. However – 8 th is still a very worthy fantasy kicker and in his previous seasons he had ended 5 th, 6 th and 2 nd in the NFL. With that sort of consistency, he deserves to be highly drafted as a kicker. The Eagles offense did nothing to improve the running game this year but acquired Terrell Owens which produces the first ever Eagle team with a legitimate stud wideout that Akers has ever had. It does not hurt his chances of scoring and likely helps. Consider Akers a very safe bet in a draft and a high pick that will not fall far even if he does. Akers has found kicking at the new Lincoln Field much more difficult due to the winds and his high success ratio of 2002 will likely continue to be elusive.
Morten Andersen KC HT 6'2'' WT 205 AGE 44 EXP 23
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 NYG 16 23 28 82% 51 29 30 98
2002 KC 14 22 26 85% 50 51 51 117
2003 KC 16 16 20 80% 49 58 59 106
  Avg 15 20 25 82%   46 47 107

After managing a 7 th place ranking for 2002 kickers, Andersen fell back to 13 th last year. His problem is that he kicks tons of extra points but not nearly enough field goals thanks to touchdown machine Priest Holmes. When the Chiefs get close, more often than not they score. Consider too that Andersen is 44 years old and no longer has the length strength as evident in his only five successful kicks from outside the 40 yard-line and none over 50 yards. A decent back-up as he gets lot’s of extra points, but not enough field goals to be considered a starting fantasy kicker.

08/27/04 - Andersen is being challenged by Lawrence Tynes and may lose his job.

Doug Brien NYJ HT 6'0'' WT 180 AGE 34 EXP 11
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 TB 3 5 6 83% 42 2 2 17
2002 MIN 6 5 6 83% 42 5 7 20
2003 NYJ 16 27 32 84% 48 24 24 105
  Avg 8 12 15 80%   10 11 47
Brien finally finds a team to stick with and enters 2003 as the starter. He had a nice 84% success rate for his field goals but ended 2003 as the 14 th best kicker in the league. His numbers are more likely to decline as well since his best games all came in the first six weeks of the season when Testaverde was the quarterback. When Pennington returned in week 8, he held fairly constant around 6 points per game which would drop him to the lower end of a fantasy back-up. Brien has to contend with New York weather as well, and his game scores were higher on the road than at home at the later part of the season. There is some upside here with Pennington back to health and with an offense that should be the same or slightly better but not enough to warrant much more than a bye week filler.
Kris Brown HOU HT 5'11'' WT 206 AGE 28 EXP 6
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 PIT 16 30 44 68% 55 34 37 124
2002 HOU 16 17 24 71% 51 20 20 71
2003 HOU 16 18 22 82% 50 27 27 81
  Avg 16 22 30 72%   27 28 92
Brown has come off two very down years with the Texans, understandable for a franchise that has only two seasons under their belt. His 82% success rate on field goals is strong but the Texan’s offense is not developed enough to see the 25 point increase that would be needed to make him worthy of being a fantasy starter. Houston went from 31 st to 28 th in kicking last year but Brown is at least two years away from being considered even a fantasy back-up. It is notable that his numbers increased with Domanick Davis’ emergence last season.
Josh Brown SEA HT 6'0'' WT 202 AGE 25 EXP 2
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2003 SEA 16 22 30 73% 58 48 48 114
  Avg 16 22 30 73%   48 48 114
Brown ended his first season as the 10 th best kicker in the league . His success at kicking (73%) could be better but as a relative youngster he has some development yet. He is on a great team to get plenty of opportunities as well, since the Seahawks are returning all offensive skill players from 2003 and are likely to be even better in 2004. Brown is a player that will likely be towards the end of starters taken but could well end up as one of the highest scorers this year. He is consistent scoring and plays for an explosive offense. After the run on kickers begins, Brown is a great pick-up that can be had much cheaper and yet will likely outscore many of the kickers taken before him.
John Carney NO HT 5'11'' WT 180 AGE 40 EXP 16
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 NO 15 27 31 87% 50 32 32 113
2002 NO 16 31 35 89% 48 37 37 130
2003 NO 16 22 30 73% 50 36 37 102
  Avg 16 27 32 83%   35 35 115
Carney is an fairly consistent kicker in fantasy terms, bouncing from 8 th to 3 rd to 16 th during the past three seasons. Last year one factor was his drop in successful kicks which made him become a mere fantasy back-up . He’s been around for 15 previous seasons and his leg doesn’t get the long kicks as well anymore. The Saints are optimistic they will have a good team this year, much as they have every year but even if the scoring rises, it will likely be from an increase of extra points – not field goals. With Deuce McAllister as an excellent runner and receiver, and Brooks as an above-average passer, the Saints offense has not needed to rely on the kicker as much as most other teams. Consider Carney as just a fantasy back-up but one with decent upside and a consistent source of at least six or seven points per game.
Bill Cundiff DAL HT 6'2'' WT 200 AGE 24 EXP 3
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2002 DAL 16 12 19 63% 48 25 25 61
2003 DAL 15 23 29 79% 52 30 31 99
  Avg 16 18 24 73%   28 28 80

Parcells did help raise the kicking game last year, rising to 20 th in the league compared to the 30 th of the season before that. Still, the problem is that the Cowboys offense is predicated more on ball control and great defense than posting an obscene amount of points. The running game is bound to be improved with Julius Jones but that may only turn a few field goals into extra points. The Dallas defense endeavors to keep scores low and with a better running game to speed up the game clock, chances are better that Cundiff falls rather than improves in fantasy points. If you deduct Cundiff’s big seven field goal game in week two, he was really closer to the 30 th of 2002. A fantasy back-up at best.

08/27/04 - Cundiff is being challenged by Matt Bryant and appears in jeopardy of losing his job.

Phil Dawson CLE HT 5' 11" WT 195 AGE 29 EXP 6
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 CLE 16 22 25 88% 48 29 30 95
2002 CLE 16 22 28 79% 52 34 35 100
2003 CLE 13 18 21 86% 52 20 21 74
  Avg 15 21 25 84%   28 29 90
Dawson suffered a fractured arm which ended his 2003 season three weeks early. He was on pace to gain 91 points for the season which still would have been slightly lower than the previous two years. The Browns stumbled badly offensively last year but the effects to Dawson were not tremendous. He actually kicked more than one field goal in eight different games. This year Jeff Garcia should have better success running the offense and between Lee Suggs and William Green, the running game should produce better than last season. But as a team, the Browns ranked 23 rd and 20 th the past two seasons and there is little reason to expect that Dawson will see enough increase to merit being a starting fantasy kicker. Play him for the match-up on the bye week you are filling.
Paul Edinger CHI HT 5'8'' WT 162 AGE 26 EXP 5
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 CHI 16 26 31 84% 48 34 34 112
2002 CHI 16 22 28 79% 53 29 29 95
2003 CHI 16 26 36 72% 54 27 27 105
  Avg 16 25 32 78%   30 30 104
The Bears will sport a new offense this season – another variation of the west coast scheme – but that style rarely produces the best kickers and in the Windy City, Edinger has been pretty consistent around 100 points a season which spells a definite fantasy back-up. While the offense in Chicago is bound to improve, that may not have a big affect on Edinger and would likely result in an up-tick in extra points at the expense of field goals. There is also the weather factor to consider as well later in the season though Edinger was far more effective early in the season even at home. New offense, tougher venue to kick spells only a deep draft pick here.
Jason Elam DEN HT 5'11'' WT 200 AGE 34 EXP 12
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 DEN 16 31 36 86% 50 31 31 124
2002 DEN 16 26 36 72% 55 42 43 120
2003 DEN 16 27 31 87% 51 39 39 120
  Avg 16 28 34 82%   37 38 121
Elam has been a paragon of consistency in a position that typically has little. He has finished as the 6 th or better kicker in six of the past seven years (2000 he was 16 th). The thin air of Denver has been a kicker’s dream for making the longer kicks and Elam has had an advantage that no other kicker has. There is some risk he falls this year with the loss of Portis, but the reality is that through many other backs and offenses, Elam has always been consistently valuable for fantasy teams. He almost always ends up around 5 th or 6 th but once rose to 3 rd. Once the kicker run begins, Elam is a very solid pick likely after half of them are already gone. He is always a definite fantasy starter.
Aaron Elling MIN HT 6'2'' WT 200 AGE 26 EXP 2
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2003 MIN 16 18 25 72% 51 48 48 102
  Avg 16 18 25 72%   48 48 102

Elling gets that indoor benefit over most kickers, but his numbers at home are only slightly better than his road trips. His 71% success rate is nothing special and he only had five kicks good over 40 yards. He finished 15 th last year and the Viking offense will be similar to 2003. Elling is a great backup kicker to snag in a draft and a very good option to have later in the season when bad weather may affect your primary kicker. Scoring typically goes down later in the year and Elling holds strong with his heated, no-wind environment on a team that can post some good points. HC Mike Tice should have a more cohesive squad with experience in his scheme and the Vikings will post good points. Elling is an excellent second kicker and a decent pick if you like to wait late for kickers.

08/29/04 - Elling has been shaky in preseason and just missed an extra point and two field goals last night. The Vikings may be bringing in a new kicker this week.

Jay Feely ATL HT 5'10'' WT 206 AGE 28 EXP 4
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 ATL 16 29 37 78% 55 28 28 115
2002 ATL 16 32 40 80% 52 42 43 138
2003 ATL 16 19 27 70% 46 32 33 89
  Avg 16 27 35 77%   34 35 114
Feeley saw a dramatic drop in one season. After placing #1 in scoring with 138 points in 2002, his opportunities in Atlanta were drastically reduced by an offense that spent little time beyond mid-field in 2003. Consider Feeley an excellent draft pick for kicker that will be around late in the draft since he comes off such a disappointing season. With Vick back and a new offense, chances are excellent that his kicking duties will be in far more demand this season and if a “sleeper” kicker exists, he will qualify since most people only remember the past season.
Shayne Graham CIN HT 5'11'' WT 200 AGE 27 EXP 4
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 BUF 6 6 8 75% 41 7 7 25
2002 CAR 11 13 18 72% 50 21 21 60
2003 CIN 16 22 25 88% 48 40 40 106
  Avg 11 14 17 82%   23 23 64
Graham comes off a franchise record of 88% completions in his field goals last season which finally allows his mail to go to the same zip code for two consecutive years. Graham has a decent leg for long kicks though never made any in excess of 50 yards last season. His biggest success factor will be the play of Carson Palmer. Rudi Johnson has proven to be more than adequate as a runner and thought the Bengals have solid receivers; it was Kitna who got the offense close enough for Graham to matter last year. The Bengals play a fairly brutal schedule this season and coupling that with the new quarterback should result in a small dip down for Graham. Even with his 106 point 2003, he still only ranked 11 th and any dip at all pushes him to a fantasy back-up role.
Martin Gramatica TB HT 5'8'' WT 170 AGE 29 EXP 6
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 TB 14 23 29 79% 49 28 28 97
2002 TB 16 32 39 82% 53 32 32 128
2003 TB 16 16 26 62% 50 33 34 81
  Avg 15 24 31 76%   31 31 102
Not unlike Wilkins, Gramatica offers a maddening trend of “good and bad” seasons. In the past five seasons, he has ranked 15 th, 4 th, 18 th, 5 th and finally 27 th in 2003. Unlike Wilkins, his trend says this will be an up year. After such a crash and burn in 2003 by the Buccaneers, his drop in numbers is not surprising. Gramatica historically has been around 80% as a kicker and has the long leg for the deep field goals. After such a bad showing last season, he is undoubtedly lower in the rankings for most people and yet will have an excellent chance of delivering far better than perception of last year would suggest.
John Hall WAS HT 6' 3" WT 240 AGE 30 EXP 9
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 NYJ 16 24 31 77% 53 32 32 104
2002 NYJ 16 24 31 77% 46 35 37 107
2003 WAS 16 25 33 76% 54 26 27 101
  Avg 16 24 32 77%   31 32 104
The new offense in Washington will be so distinctly different from what Spurrier produced that evaluating Hall’s potential is a big shot in the dark. The Redskins offense has acquired Portis for a huge upgrade to the rushing game and Brunell should provide solid production. The Redskin’s defense should also be better under Gibbs and his corps of coaches and assistants. There is risk here from the new offense and a natural learning curve should be assumed, particularly playing in the NFC East. The safest bet is that Hall turns in average numbers and merits being a back-up.
Jason Hanson DET HT 5'11'' WT 182 AGE 34 EXP 13
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 DET 16 21 30 70% 54 23 23 86
2002 DET 16 23 28 82% 49 31 31 100
2003 DET 16 22 23 96% 54 26 27 92
  Avg 16 22 27 81%   27 27 93
Hanson was an inside kicker and the move to Ford Field has not made matters any better or worse. Playing in the Mariucci west coast offense, he mirrored the typical success (minimal) of kickers under Mariucci. In the past five years, he has never risen above 16 th for a season and last year was only 22 nd. Consider Hanson merely as a bye week filler for your starter that will likely only get you five or so points that game. The offense has to be better this season after injuries provided a constant turn-over of players last year but the offense will be no better than average at producing field goal opportunities.
Sebastian Janikowski OAK HT 6'1'' WT 255 AGE 26 EXP 5
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 OAK 15 23 28 82% 52 42 42 111
2002 OAK 16 26 33 79% 51 50 50 128
2003 OAK 16 22 25 88% 55 28 29 94
  Avg 16 24 29 83%   40 40 111
Janikowski has done a far better job than most kickers at getting press, he just doesn’t typically get it for doing something football related. He has a name that is recognized and a supposed monster leg but it has had less fantasy impact than most perceptions think. Sea Bass spent his first three seasons ranked as 9 th, 11 th and 6 th in scoring but last year followed the rest of Raider scoring in their cannonball off the high-dive board. He ended 21 st in the league and only that thanks to some big games in the first five weeks of the season. Consider that the new offense of Norv Turner will be using some very old players this season and Janikowski is more likely to fall even farther in 2003. He makes a decent fantasy backup from his upside but the risk should make him on of the final back-ups drafted.
Nate Kaeding SD HT 6’0”' WT 187 AGE 22 EXP R
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
ROOKIE SD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kickers are often never drafted and the Chargers snatching Kaeding in the 3 rd round shows how coveted this kicker was. Nate holds the Iowa record for 22 consecutive field goals as a junior and last year was successful on 20 of 21 attempts. He is as talented a kicker coming out of the college ranks as any other – obviously. The reality though is that he is now a Charger. He goes to a team that has ranked 26 th and 28 th in kicking the past two seasons and with Philip Rivers as the starting quarterback, the numbers from last season may be optimistic. He’s far too big a risk to take even as a back-up and it doesn’t matter if he kicks 100% if he gets fewer opportunities than any other kicker.
John Kasay CAR HT 5'10'' WT 198 AGE 35 EXP 12
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 CAR 16 23 28 82% 52 22 23 91
2002 CAR 2 2 5 40% 27 5 5 11
2003 CAR 16 32 38 84% 53 29 30 125
  Avg 11 19 24 79%   19 19 76
Kasay returned from an injury-shortened 2002 and turned in the 4 th highest points in the NFL. Needless to say, the change in offensive scheme and a few new players has paid big dividends for Kasay who also has a big leg when it comes to kicking the long ball. The Panthers landed 30 th in 2002 for kicking and are a key example of the “rise and fall” nature of the kicking position. The Panthers still have a good schedule this year and Kasay should be much closer to his 2003 numbers than the 2002 debacle. With all the NFC teams gunning for the conference champs his season, it would not be surprising if Kasay actually improves his numbers slightly.
Rian Lindell BUF HT 6'3'' WT 237 AGE 27 EXP 5
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 SEA 16 20 32 63% 54 33 33 93
2002 SEA 16 23 29 79% 52 38 38 107
2003 BUF 16 17 24 71% 44 24 24 75
  Avg 16 20 28 71%   32 32 92
The Bills offense was far less effective in 2003 and Lindell’s first year with the team was not a big success. His success rate (71%) is lower than desired but with the ineffective nature of the offense, it is not a big surprise – particularly with many line problems. The Bills kicker ranked 12 th in 2002 (Mike Hollis) but the offense does not appear to be destined for any major leap in production this season. Lindell was one the least productive kickers (28 th) in the league in 2003 so chances are best he still will not qualify for being even a fantasy backup kicker for your team.
Ryan Longwell GB HT 6'0'' WT 200 AGE 30 EXP 8
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 GB 16 20 31 65% 54 44 45 104
2002 GB 16 28 34 82% 49 44 44 128
2003 GB 16 23 26 88% 50 51 51 120
  Avg 16 24 30 78%   46 47 117
The joke amongst Cal-Berkeley fans was that when Longwell played for the Bears, he kicked neither long nor well. After seven years in the NFL, that joke is hard to understand given Longwell has been a top fantasy kicker virtually every season. In the past six years, he has only once fallen out of the top 10 (14 th in 2000) and had two 4 th’s and a 7 th last year. Longwell has yet to become the “magic kicker” in a season but has always posted nice, consistent numbers with the odd three or four field goal game. A definite starter with low risk.
Seth Marler JAX HT 6'1'' WT 195 AGE 23 EXP 2
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2003 JAC 16 20 33 61% 53 30 30 90
  Avg 16 20 33 61%   30 30 90
Seth Marler is is no lock to be the starting kicker after a bad 2003 season where he had misses in 11 different games and only managed a 61% success rate on kicks. The Jaguars have the rookie Josh Scobee and Jeff Chandler in camp to challenge for the job and the chances that Marler loses out are fairly good, particularly since the Jaguars burned a 5 th round pick on Scobee. The Jaguars’ kicking game has ranked 25 th in each of the past two seasons, so regardless of the eventual winner of the slot, it is not likely that he will do much more than the 90 or so points that the position has been offering. Jacksonville has a slightly favorable schedule this year with Leftwich more experienced. The kicker could see an increase from the past two seasons but not likely enough to warrant being more than a mere back-up for a fantasy team. Until the kicker is named and his competitors cut from the roster, this is better to leave alone.
Olindo Mare MIA HT 5'10'' WT 195 AGE 31 EXP 8
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 MIA 16 19 21 90% 46 39 40 96
2002 MIA 16 24 31 77% 53 42 43 114
2003 MIA 16 22 29 76% 52 33 34 99
  Avg 16 22 27 80%   38 39 103

For more veteran fantasy players, Mare’s name conjures up the promise of 1999 when his 144 points were the 2 nd highest that season. He followed that up with a drop to 8 th, then to 19 th, rising to 11 th and then back down to 19 th again in 2003. The notable years are the last two with Ricky Williams there and during those seasons, Mare only made a serviceable back-up. Miami ’s offense is relatively unchanged this year unless you are one of the dozen people in the country that believe David Boston is going to make a big difference. Given that the Dolphins play a very tough schedule and are much the same as 2003, Mare should not see a major change to his numbers.

08/22/04 - The Dolphins offense has looked so bad that there is no reason why you should want Mare even as a backup. While he is a talented kicker, the lack of opportunity he will likely face this season drops him deeply in the rankings.
Joe Nedney TB HT 5'8'' WT 170 AGE 29 EXP 6
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 TEN 16 20 28 71% 51 35 34 94
2002 TEN 16 25 31 81% 53 36 36 111
2003 TEN 1 1 1 100% 50 0 0 3
  Avg 15 24 31 76%   31 31 102
Nedney tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his non-kicking right knee during the first game of 2003 and was lost for the season. He has been held out of most of mini-camps to ease him back into the kicking role again but after being cleared in May by doctors, he had some kicks in camp that were the same height, distance and quickness of his pre-injury form. Nedney was the 4 th best kicker in 2002 and the 3 rd best kicker in 2001. Even without him, the Titans were a great kicking team last year. Consider Nedney still a risk coming off a knee injury regardless of his apparent recovery. He makes a great back-up kicker as most will not recall his fine showings from 2001-2002 and he has the upside to become your starter if he proves fully recovered. Nedney has already been kicking 40 and 50-yard field goals this spring and is back to full strength.
New York Giant Kicker NYG HT 5'9'' WT 191 AGE 29 EXP 3
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2002 NYG 16 26 32 81% 47 30 32 108
2003 NYG 11 11 14 79% 47 17 17 50
  Avg   26 32 81%   30 32 108

Bryant missed time last season with a hamstring pull and when he retuned by week 11, the offense was in full retreat and not in much need for a kicker. He only had seven attempts in the final seven weeks. This season he will battle Bill Gramatica and Todd France during training camp for the job. The ironic fact here is that Gramatica is trying to get a job where he had his most famous game. In 2002 he made a field goal and in celebrating he somehow managed to tear his ACL. Consider Bryant too big a risk to lose his job to consider him as “draftable” and regardless of the eventual starting kicker, the first year of the new offense with a rookie quarterback is not likely to provide the fantasy numbers worth being even a fantasy back-up.

Update: Bryant was cut today and the competition will be between Bill Gramatica and Todd France
Todd Peterson SF HT 5'10" WT 180 AGE 34 EXP 10
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 KC 16 27 35 77% 51 27 28 108
2002 PIT 10 12 21 57% 46 25 26 61
2003 SF 8 12 15 80% 48 22 23 58
  Avg 11 17 24 71%   25 26 76
You can pretty much drop the analysis and comparisons here. Peterson kicked well enough last year (80%) but the 49ers version of rebuilding entails razing the entire building and starting over with a pile of 2x4’s. This offense is lock to be on the lower end and a decent bet to be the lowest with new starters in almost all skill positions. Peterson becomes an option only in 16 team leagues as the final back-up taken. His only advantage is that the Giants and Jaguars are still deciding which kicker to use and therefore makes him only the 3 rd biggest risk on the board.
Neil Rackers ARI HT 6'0'' WT 205 AGE 28 EXP 5
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 CIN 16 17 28 61% 52 23 24 74
2002 CIN 16 15 18 83% 54 30 32 75
2003 ARI 7 9 12 75% 49 8 8 35
  Avg 13 14 19 74%   20 21 61
Thanks to a back injury to Bill Gramatica, Rackers got the call last November to come join the futility. Having most recently kicked for the Bengals, he was well suited to the low demand for his services. Consider Rackers as about the final kicker to consider. He turned in 74 and 75 points during his last full-season gigs in Cincinnati and the Cardinal kickers have scored in total 74 and 73 points the past two seasons. He is a natural fit for the offense. Gramatica was cut in the off-season. While Denny Green is on board in Arizona, don’t expect any immediate returns for the kicker. In a position with little consistency, the Cardinals have always been consistently bad with kicking.
Jeff Reed PIT HT 5'11'' WT 220 AGE 25 EXP 3
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2002 PIT 6 17 19 89% 50 10 11 61
2003 PIT 16 23 32 72% 51 31 32 100
  Avg 11 20 26 78%   21 22 81
Reed played the final six games of 2002 for the Steelers and scored an astonishing 61 points as Pittsburgh had a schedule quirk of four home games and match-ups against the Texans, Bengals, Jaguars (the bad version) and the Panthers (the bad version). He only managed three field goals against the Buccaneers and Ravens. By the numbers he looked like he should have scored 162 points over 16 games. When he had that opportunity in 2003, he only managed 72% success on field goals and ended with 100 points which was 18 th in the league. The 2003 sleeper never awoke. Going into this season, his outlook is likely no better given all the same players return other than aging Duce Staley. The Steeler offense may even end up using Rothlisberger before the season ends. Chances are best he does no better and could even do worse in a tough division with an offense that is not catching on fire.
Matt Stover BAL HT 5'11'' WT 178 AGE 36 EXP 14
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 BAL 16 30 35 86% 49 25 25 115
2002 BAL 15 21 25 84% 51 33 33 96
2003 BAL 16 33 38 87% 49 35 35 134
  Avg 16 28 33 86%   31 31 115
Stover just signed a new five-year contract with the Ravens and had a big rise from 2002 when he was the 26 th best kicker. He ended as the 3 rd highest scorer last season thanks largely to the inability of the Ravens to throw well and when Lewis was unable to get the touchdown, they allowed Stover to grab the three points. Stover connected on field goals in almost every game last year and the Ravens schedule is not much different than last season in difficulty. Expect his numbers to fall slightly as Boller enters his second season but for him to continue to be a big part of the offense. His leg is not quite as strong as it once was, so his long-distance field goals are likely to be a little less than many other kickers.
Mike Vanderjagt IND HT 6'5'' WT 210 AGE 34 EXP 7
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 IND 16 28 34 82% 52 41 42 125
2002 IND 16 23 31 74% 54 34 34 103
2003 IND 16 37 37 100% 50 46 46 157
  Avg 16 29 34 86%   40 41 128
In the past five seasons, Vanderjagt has remained with the Colts and ended his seasons ranked 1 st, 6 th, 2 nd, 17 th and 2 nd. Guess which one is an aberration? On one of the most productive offenses in the NFL, Vanderjagt offers almost no risk of a bad season and the prospect of having the best kicker for any given season. With his consistency and opportunity, he should be in the first two kicker names called in drafts this summer. If you spend an early pick on a kicker, this is one that actually can give you a point advantage.
Adam Vinatieri NE HT 6'0'' WT 200 AGE 32 EXP 9
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 NE 16 24 30 80% 54 41 42 113
2002 NE 16 27 30 90% 57 36 36 117
2003 NE 16 25 34 74% 48 37 38 112
  Avg 16 25 31 81%   38 39 114
While Vinatieri has always held a strange attraction for at least one fantasy team owner per league, the reality is that he has never been that great as a fantasy scorer. Perhaps being on a couple of Super Bowl teams helps with name recognition, but in the past three seasons, he has ended as ranked 9 th, 9 th and 10 th. It is certainly better than average for the NFL but not in fantasy football. The Patriots carry the world champion tag this year but the last time it happened, Vinatieri only ended 9 th. His numbers are wonderfully consistent and are worthy of being a fantasy starter, but do not merit reaching for him early nor letting the Super Bowl influence his perceived value.
Jeff Wilkins STL HT 6'2'' WT 205 AGE 32 EXP 11
YEAR TM GMS FGM FGA FG% LONG XPA XPA PTS
2001 STL 16 23 29 79% 54 58 58 127
2002 STL 16 19 25 76% 47 37 37 94
2003 STL 16 39 42 93% 53 46 46 163
  Avg 16 27 32 84%   47 47 128
Wilkins is perhaps the finest example of why taking kickers early too often feels best only before the season begins. Consider the ranking that Wilkins has had the past five seasons – 5 th, 21 st, 1 st, 22 nd and 1 st. If that trend continues, Wilkins would barely be worth more than the worse fantasy back-up this season. Then again, he has been the #1 kicker in two of the past three years. The Rams drafted Steven Jackson which should help maintain a good rushing game and Marc Bulger to Torry Holt has the look of a long relationship. The Rams schedule is no worse than it has been, so most team dynamics that affect kickers should not happen this year unless injuries or Bruce’s advancing age gets in the way. 163 points is a whole lot to match, but is also a mountain of fantasy advantage to ignore.
   
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