Fantasy football sleepers: Place kickers

September 7, 2011 @ 10:40:05

By Cory J. Bonini
Edited by Keith Hernandez

KFFL.com's analysis of fantasy football sleepers will help you identify the characteristics that go into making up a sleeper. These gems can be fairly well-known players or the lesser heralded guys you may not know much about. Fear not, since no one likes doing the dirty work, KFFL.com has done it for you!

Be sure to check for weekly updates.

Note: All average draft position (ADP) figures are based on 12-team, non-PPR leagues unless specified otherwise.

Dan Carpenter | Miami Dolphins | ADP: 15th round

2011 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics

XPA		XP%	FGA		FG%	FG 1-19		FG 20-29		FG 30-39		FG 40-49		FG 50+		Tot FGs
Lo	Hi		Lo	Hi		Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi
36	39	100	32	35	91	0	2	8	10	7	9	12	14	2	4	29	32

Carpenter has a very strong leg (60-yard career long) and is in an offense that should provide him plenty of three-point tries. His accuracy slipped considerably last year, but after two showings in the 80s the prior to years we'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Miami's offense is the type that should consistently put him in field goal situations; they aren't good enough to be better than average. His extra point attempts should remain low (25 last year), but expect him to be in the mid-30s for field goal tries.

Alex Henery | Philadelphia Eagles | ADP: N/A

2011 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics

XPA		XP%	FGA		FG%	FG 1-19		FG 20-29		FG 30-39		FG 40-49		FG 50+		Tot FGs
Lo	Hi		Lo	Hi		Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi
38	41	100	30	33	81	0	2	8	10	7	9	7	9	1	3	24	27

Philly thought enough of the 2011 draft prospect to spend a fourth-round pick on Henery after David Akers led the league in kicking points with 143; Akers is no longer in the picture.

The Nebraska booter connected on 94.7 percent of his kicks, going 18-for-19 on the year. In 2009, Henery split the uprights 24 times in 28 attempts (85.7 percent). He even has punting experience over the last two years, which isn't something fantasy owners care about, of course, but it illustrates his value to the team.

In 2010, Akers kicked 47 extra points, the second most in the league, and knocked 32 of his 38 three-point tries through the goal posts.

Fantasy football owners should snag Henery as their kicker in the final round or two of drafts.

Forget last year's mess

Matt Prater | Denver Broncos | ADP: N/A

2011 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics

XPA		XP%	FGA		FG%	FG 1-19		FG 20-29		FG 30-39		FG 40-49		FG 50+		Tot FGs
Lo	Hi		Lo	Hi		Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo	Hi
33	36	100	29	32	82	0	1	8	10	7	9	5	7	3	5	24	27

Denver has a new head coach in John Fox but chose to retain offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, so offensive continuity and familiarity should exist.

Prater missed four games last year because of a groin injury that is expected to be healthy for 2011. He made 88.9 percent of his field goal attempts last year (16-for-18) and topped 85.0 percent in accuracy for the second straight season. Prater has one of the strongest legs in the league, as evidenced by his 59-yard make last year and 56-yarder in 2008.

The Broncos' offense should be more consistent in 2011, and their defense has improved considerably on paper. Prater is a low-end No. 1 option if you're looking to wait until the very end of the draft and want to take a mild chance at the position.

QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

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Cory J. Bonini

Cory J. Bonini is a senior editor at KFFL. In late 2002, Bonini joined the KFFL staff as a research analyst. He vaulted himself into one of the industry's leading fantasy analysts.

Bonini has been involved in fantasy sports since 1996. A member of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association as well as Fantasy Sports Writers Association, he has been featured in print, on the radio and is also a published writer on scores of sites. Bonini co-hosted Big Lead Sports on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio from 2011 to 2012.

Bonini was recognized with the 2010 Best Article in Print Award from the FSWA and was a finalist for the same award in 2011. In '11, he finished first overall in the FSWA NFL experts challenge that featured 60 of the industry's best competitors.

Follow him on Twitter @CoryKFFL

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