Fantasy: Here’s the real kicker

By Kelly May  |   Friday, July 18, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Fantasy Football
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How do you measure the value of a kicker in fantasy football? Do you simply pick up a guy you’ve heard of, or do you put a little thought into it? Let’s face it, the kicker is usually the least of your worries when it’s time to set up your fantasy draft board. But the most effective fantasy kickers can mean the difference between a win and loss both on the field and on the fantasy scoreboard.

It seems easy enough: You pick up a kicker who has the most points from last year, or you take the guy on the best offense, or you take the guy on your favorite team. But just like any other position in the NFL, the best kicker is often determined by chance, circumstance and luck of the draw.

There are two guys who can solve your kicker conundrum in a hurry this year, and only the most ardent of football fans has heard of either of them. Both represent huge fantasy value because of their team’s offensive woes and their own ability to be consistent.

The Cincinnati Bengals' Shayne Graham is entering his eighth season in the league. He got his first opportunity to kick in Buffalo during the 2001 season. The next year, Graham found himself in Cincinnati, where he's been since.

You may be wondering why such a nondescript kicker for the Bengals is a premium fantasy choice. The answer is a simple: When a team has no problem getting from its own 20-yard line to its opponent's 20, then turns into a Pop Warner squad the closer it gets to the end zone, you have the ingredients for a great fantasy kicker.

The Bengals stalled out more in the red zone last year than a jittery 16-year-old trying to learn how to drive a standard in San Francisco. They made it inside the enemy 20 a total of 56 times and walked away with 24 field goals. Bad news for Bengals fans, but fantastic news for Graham owners.

The Titans were even more erratic once they got inside the 20-yard line during the 2007 season. They had 55 red-zone trips and ended up with 24 field goals and only 20 touchdowns. That means they came up empty-handed 11 times.

The good news for the Titans was that they had a guy in Rob Bironas who could hit from just about anywhere on the field, evidenced by his 80 percent success rate (4 of 5) from over 50 yards. As impressive as that is, it’s more astounding that he was able to convert eight field goals in a game against the Texans last October.

As your fantasy draft rolls along and you're struggling between a third wide receiver and a fourth running back, it may be a good idea to take a look at a kicker instead. They may not be household names, but you’ll feel a lot better about your chances each week when you can count on points from your least likely source.
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