Note from the Docs: This article is timeless and deserves to be revisited
for folks participating in their 2005 fantasy football draft(s). (7/24/05)
Originally Published on October 29, 2002
We have passed the midway point of the season, and just like every other year it is clear
that all fantasy kickers are overrated. There is nothing wrong with
ranking your kickers. In fact, when it comes time to draft a kicker,
you will need those rankings. The important thing is to have all of
your kickers ranked below your other positions and sleepers.
Predicting whom the top kicker will be before the season starts is almost
like a roll of the dice. Sure, you will have your best bets and they
will usually be in the top 10 by the time it is all said and done, but there
are always a handful of kickers that will out perform many of the “top kickers”.
Average 2002 Preseason Rankings from Top Fantasy
Sites:
1 Jeff Wilkins STL
2 Mike Vanderjagt IND
3 Ryan Longwell GNB
4 Jason Elam DEN
5 Martin Gramatica TB
6 Todd Peterson PIT
7 Paul Edinger CHI
8 David Akers PHI
9 Adam Vinatieri NWE
10 Sebastian Janikowski OAK
11 John Carney NOR
12 Jose Cortez SFO
13 Jay Feely ATL 14 Phil Dawson CLE 15 Olindo Mare MIA
16 John Hall NYJ
17 Joe Nedney TEN
18 Steve Christie SDG
19 Brett Conway WAS
20 Bill Gramatica ARI
21 Matt Bryant NYG
22 Rian Lindell SEA
23 Billy Cundiff DAL 24 Morten Andersen KAN
25 John Kasay CAR
26 Jason Hanson DET 27 Mike Hollis BUF
28 Doug Brien MIN
29 Hayden Epstein JAC
30 Matt Stover BAL
The most insane thing that you will every witness in the fantasy world is
someone taking a kicker in the 7th, 8th, or 9th rounds (We actually watched this happen in a few mock
drafts). They usually go for the traditional favorites
like Jeff Wilkins or Mike Vanderjagt. Later, others follow suit grabbing
Sebastian Janikowski, Jason Elam, and Adam Vinatieri. And even after
an entire draft of a 10 or 12 man league is done, kickers like Morten Anderson,
Mike Hollis, and Olindo Mare are still available according to the preseason
rankings listed above. These same kickers are among the fantasy elite
through week 7:
Rankings through week 7 of 2002
1 Morten Andersen KC
2 Mike Hollis BUF
3 Ryan Longwell GB
4 Jason Elam DEN
5 David Akers PHI
6 Olindo Mare MIA
7 Phil Dawson CLE
8 John Carney NO
9 Jay Feely ATL
10 Martin Gramatica TB
11 Mike Vanderjagt IND
12 Jose Cortez SF
13 Sebastian Janikowski OAK
14 Paul Edinger CHI
15 Jeff Wilkins STL
16 Bill Gramatica ARI
17 Adam Vinatieri NE
18 Matt Stover BAL
19 Jason Hanson DET
20 Matt Bryant(r) NYG
21 Joe Nedney TEN
22 Rian Lindell SEA
23 Todd Peterson PIT
24 John Hall NYJ
25 Steve Christie SD
26 Kris Brown HOU
27 Billy Cundiff(r) DAL
28 Hayden Epstein(r) MIN
29 James Tuthill WAS
30 Shayne Graham CAR
Even though there is still a lot of season to be played, look how far the
likes of Wilkins (1 to 15), Vanderjagt (2 to 11), Peterson (6 to 23), Edinger
(7 to 14), and Vinatieri (9 to 17) have fallen. The point is that even if
you wait until after the draft is completely over you can still grab a great kicker.
All you have to be is quick with the waiver wire and have a short leash on
your kicker. In that last statement lies the problem with drafting
a “top kicker” so early. If you drafted a Wilkins or Vanderjagt in
the earlier rounds, it will be harder for you to part with them than a guy
you drafted near the end of the draft. This doesn’t mean switch your
kicker each week like musical chairs. This will only leave you chasing
the good game all year and always getting the sub par game. Just as any
other player, kickers will have good weeks and bad weeks, so sometimes you
have to ride out a week or two. Just don’t ride out too many weeks
when it comes to a kicker. Finding the best fantasy kicker can sometimes
just be a result of “wait and see”. While other members of your fantasy
league are solely focused on finding that sleeper WR or backup RB on the waiver wire, make sure
you remember to keep one eye on the kickers so that you can get an upgrade.
If you didn’t spend an early pick on your kicker, this won’t be a hard request
to fill. One last word before closing, please don’t carry two kickers
at the same time unless it is your very good kicker’s bye week. That
extra spot on your roster could be held by a sleeper WR or a back-up RB (you
know-something useful). If you take anything from this season into
next season, take the fact that drafting a fantasy kicker any earlier than
your last three rounds is a waste of a pick.
