Tier 1
1. Adam Vinatieri (Colts) bye week: 6 years: 34
-For the second year in a row, the Colts’ perennial Pro Bowler tops our kicking rankings. Still sharp as nails at 34, Vinatieri is money in the bank within 50 metres. Playing on indoor turf, as well as being backed by the powerful Colts offense, will ensure that Vinatieri remains at the top of this list for another season. Draft him first if you take your kicker before the last round.
2. Nate Kaeding (Chargers) bye week: 7 years: 25
-Kaeding officially launched himself into star kicker status with his 26/29 performance last year. San Diego’s powerful offense will continue to give the strong-legged surfer plenty of opportunities to score three points, and in most cases, Nate will deliver. Write it with confidence.
3. Shayne Graham(Flares) bye week: 5 years old: 29
-Graham took a slight setback last season as his 25/30 performance included some easy misses. Still playing for a high-powered offense has a way of dampening your fantasy rating if you’re a kicker. Graham will continue to see plenty of scoring opportunities and his consistency will be better than ever.
4. Jeff Wilkins(Rams) bye week: 9 years old: 35
Wilkins, his favorite kicker, continually excels year after year on the artificial turf in St. Louis. The false surface no doubt aids in his incredible consistency and he will continue to rack up points playing for the Marc Bulger-led Rams attack. Ultra accurate beyond 50 yards, Wilkins is a great option for his team. Draft him because I know I will if I get the chance.
5. Robbie Gould (Bears) bye week: 9 years old: 25
-What a discovery this guy turned out to be for the Bears. After going perfect for 2/3 of the season in less-than-ideal kicking conditions in Chicago, Gould finished 32/36 and clinched his first Pro Bowl. Although kickers in Chicago tend to be inconsistent due to eddying winds and bitter cold, draft Gould for the first 3 months of the year and then look for a replacement once December rolls around.
6. Matt Stover (Ravens) bye week: 8 years: 39
-The eternal wonder once again was almost automatic as his result of 28/30 confirms that he is still the best in this game. Although Baltimore’s offense always seems to have trouble scoring in the 20s, Stover always seems to get 3-4 FG attempts per game, which should improve his numbers. Draft it and never worry about your kicking situation again.
7. David Akers (Eagles) bye week: 5 years: 32
-Another model of consistency, Akers turned in an 18/23 year for the NFC East-winning Eagles. Despite the low number of tries, I think Akers is still worthy of being a standout player for his team. Predicting how many downs a kicker will have is impossible to do, so don’t let that get you past. Draft it and wait for more attempts with great precision.
8. Jason Elam (Broncos) bye week: 6 years: 37
Age is beginning to affect Elam’s long-distance efficiency, as he’s no longer the guy who routinely ran for 54 yards with room to spare. However, he is still extremely accurate and the thin air in Denver should help give him that extra distance he lost at lower altitudes. He still has a better year or two to go, so don’t hesitate to draft this all-time great.
9. John Kasay (Panther) bye week: 7 years: 37
-Another whose age is becoming a factor, Kasay’s 24/27 performance last season was another dull year of excellence for this great veteran. Carolina has gotten used to fighting their way into the end zone, so Kasay should still see plenty of scoring opportunities. Claim him if you miss out on the best and be happy you have a solid player you can count on.
10. Neil Rackers (Cardinals) bye week: 8 years: 31
-After making the Pro Bowl in 2005, Neil Rackers struggled with inconsistency during the 2006 season. Even though he made 28/37 shots from the field, those nine errors contained some doable kicks that Rackers drilled during his terrific previous season . Still, the Cardinals will score a ton of points and there will be plenty of opportunities for the Rackers in terms of downs. Drafting him as a bargain, as he will be demoted due to last year’s struggles.
11. Olindo Mare (Santos) bye week: 4 years: 34
-This ranking might surprise many considering how poorly Mare struggled in 2006, as she made only 26/36 field goals on the year. Until last season, though, Mare was one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, so a bad year shouldn’t scare you too much. The main reason I rank him so high is the fact that he is now playing indoors for the powerful New Orleans Saint offense. He figures in many field goal opportunities for Mare with much more success than he displayed last season. Draft him in the last round of your draft or see if you can get him off the free agent wire.
12. Josh Brown (Seahawks) bye week: 8 years old: 28
-Brown had another decent year in 2006 when he converted 25/31 on the year. The Seahawks are one of the best offenses in the league year-over-year, so Brown should continue to see his fair share of opportunities. He has a knack for scoring field goals of 50-plus yards, so he’s a bonus in leagues that award five points for kicks of that length. solid player.
13. Josh Scobee (Jaguars) bye week: 4 years old: 25
-After battling inconsistency in his first two years in the league, Scobee made a name for himself in 2006 by converting 26/32 from the field. He throws the occasional miss that he can do, but Scobee still has the potential to improve. Get him off the waiver wire.
14. Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots) bye week: 10 years old: 23
-Gostkowski was decent enough in his rookie year for the perennially contending Patriots. Having to deal with immense pressure to replace the iconic Adam Vinatieri, Gostkowski proved that he belongs in the NFL by shooting 20/26 from the field. He has a cannon per leg, so he’ll be useful if your league has 5-point field goals for those 50+ yard kicks.
15. Jay Feely (Dolphins) bye week: 9 years old: 31
-After two solid seasons in the New York pressure cooker, Jay Feely takes his act south to more hospitable confines. Feely has always been a very accurate kicker, with the exception of one or two games each year when he can’t seem like the wide side of a barn to you (like the three misses against the Seahawks in 2005). Overall though, Feely is a decent kicker who has a place on your team. Write it too late.
The Rest (Do Not Draft)
16. Jeff Reed (Steelers)
17. Lawrence Tynes (Giants)
18. Jason Hanson (Lions)
19. Mike Nugent (Jets)
20. Rod Bironas (Titans)
21. Joe Nedney (49ers)
22. Dave Rayner (Packers)
23. Rian Lindell (Bills)
24. Shaun Suisham (Redskins)
