Repos 2012 Fantasy Picks – Top 5 Kickers

August 9, 2012 fantasy football, Sports

Just like in real life, kickers are usually pretty low on the priority list come draft time. However, just like in real life, sometimes a kicker can get you those few extra points you need to beat out an opponent in a close game.

Here are my Top 5:

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5. Garrett Hartley Hartley missed the 2011 season with a hip injury, and will probably be pushed by John Kasay in training camp. So why rate him so high? Despite all the offseason turmoil, the Saints still have one of the top offenses in the league, and Drew Brees will be on a mission from God, so you know there will be a lot of scorin’ in N’awlins. It also doesn’t hurt that they play half their games in a dome, which plays to a kicker’s advantage. Before 2011, Hartley was one of the better fantasy kickers in the league, so he should be expected to produce well again this year. If for whatever reason he falters and John Kasay gets the job, go with him in this spot.

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4. Mason Crosby Crosby has been a productive kicker since coming into the league back in ’07. He’s playing for one of the better offenses in the league so naturally that’s going to lead to a lot of XP and FG opportunities. Crosby also has a strong enough leg to accurately kick in Green Bay’s harsh winters and can hit from beyond 50. Aaron Rodgers doesn’t mess around, so the Packers tend to score a lot of touchdowns which leads to less FG opportunities. That said, Crosby should give you some good overall scoring so he’s a solid choice.

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3. David Akers Akers was consistently productive during his time with Philly, but was off the chain last year with the 49ers (well, as far as kickers can be off the chain). He hit 44 FGs, including going 7 for 9 from beyond 50. He’s the top ranked kicker on a lot of expert lists going into this season. So why is he “just” number 3 here? Well, a lot of pre-season rankings rely too heavily on the previous season’s performance and don’t always account for potential changes in the upcoming season. In 2011 the 49ers struggled in the red zone, leading to a lot of FG tries for Akers. This offseason they picked up Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, and Brandon Jacobs which should improve their efficiency there. I believe those changes are going to reduce Akers’ scoring chances. Still a solid choice, but he’s not hitting 44 FGs again in 2012.

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2. Sebastian Janikowski Seabass is also a long-time vet, and one of the better known kickers in the league. He also looks like he just got up off the couch and suited up to play, by no means is he a physical specimen. But dude can kick the shit out of the ball, and that’s all you should care about. With Carson Palmer once again leading the Silver and Black, you can count on plenty of opportunities for medium to long range FGs for Seabass. He was 31 for 35 last year and hit one from 63. This man is the king of the long-range kick and should give fantasy owners a lot of point production again in 2012.

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1. Stephen Gostkowski I think this guy has quietly become one the best fantasy kickers in the league. That’s what happens when you play on the same team as fantasy beasts like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots score at will, and Gostkowski benefits from that. Last year he kicked at least one FG in every game, which is amazing considering how many touchdowns the Pats score. There’s no reason to think the Patriots are going to regress offensively this year, so you should expect a lot of scoring from Gostkowski again this year. Unlike the other guys on this list he’s not really a heavy hitter, don’t expect him to try -or hit- from beyond 50 too often. But the lack of long kicks is made up for in volume and accuracy, there’s a lot of XPs and short to medium range FGs that will help your scoring total.