Are you ready for the 2008 fantasy football season? KFFL is and we are here to help you dominate your fantasy football draft on the way to bringing home a fantasy league football championship this season.

Knowing the latest surrounding each fantasy football pick is essential in having a strong fantasy football draft. The following is KFFL's breakdown of draft-worthy place kicker options.

Be sure to check back often, as KFFL's free fantasy football coverage is updated weekly until the start of the 2008 fantasy league football season. For your fantasy football rankings and fantasy football cheat sheets, look no further. You can access those through KFFL's free fantasy football draft guide!

Editor's note: All average draft position figures are based on 12-team leagues.

Tier 1

1) Nick Folk | Dallas Cowboys | 6-foot-1, 222 Pounds | 2nd Year

PROS: Folk proved equal to the task of playing in one of the league's top offenses as a rookie. He showed good overall accuracy by connecting on 26 of his 31 field goal attempts. He was perfect on his 14 kicks from 30-49 yards. Folk finished the season with 131 points, which was a rookie record and third-most in Cowboys history. Not only does the offense help him, but he plays at least eight games in the favorable conditions at Texas Stadium.

CONS: He could show some better accuracy from close range as he missed two of his 12 chip shots (20-29 yards). Folk's accuracy could also be better from long range. He connected on just two of his five attempts from 50-plus yards. Kickers might not be the most volatile position, but there is no proven track record with Folk that exists with other elite kickers.

FANTASY TIP: Folk's spot in a high-powered offense makes him one of the better kickers for fantasy purposes. He is going around the beginning of the 14th round in most drafts, which is a fair value.

2) Robbie Gould | Chicago Bears | 6-foot, 183 Pounds | 4th Year

PROS: Gould has been the one constant in an unpredictable Bears offense, connecting on 84 of his 99 attempts, including 32 of 36 during a 2006 Pro Bowl season. He finished last year with 31 field goals in 36 attempts, including a solid 12 of 14 from 40-49 yards. He has attempted at least 36 field goals in each of the last two years.

CONS: Gould has shown plenty of promise despite conditions that should work against him. Chicago in November and December is hardly a kicker's paradise. The team's offense doesn't inspire much confidence, which could lead to fewer chances if they don't receive stability from the quarterback or running back positions. Head coach Lovie Smith does not let him take many long field goals, which could be a byproduct of the Chicago weather.

FANTASY TIP: As far as the numbers go, Gould has been a beast the past two years. He is going, on average, near the start of the 15th round. Little should be paid attention to the weather since Gould has kicked well despite the conditions. There is some risk taking him due to the Bears' poor offense; however, he is still a strong choice as a top kicker.

3) Stephen Gostkowski | New England Patriots | 6-foot-1, 210 Pounds | 3rd Year

PROS: It is tough to expect the Patriots offense to have another record-breaking season; however, they should still be among the top offenses in the league. Gostkowski should find this boosts his chances in 2008. Last year, he connected on a league-leading 74 extra points. He is an accurate kicker from inside 40 yards (35-for-40, 87.5 percent).

CONS: His 74 extra points were needed since Gostkowski managed just 24 field goal attempts - good for 25th in the league. This could stem from head coach Bill Belichick's apparent disdain for the field goal. He has attempted just 75 field goals since 2005 and has been known to forego kicking in lieu of fourth-down attempts. Poor conditions could play a factor with the team facing snow and rain late in the season.

FANTASY TIP: Gostkowski should attempt more field goals if the offense comes back closer to the norm. He may be a bit overvalued, and it's questionable if Belichick trusts him kicking attempts greater than 45 yards. This could lead to more situations like last year in which the offense went for it on fourth down instead of kicking a reasonably distanced field goal. Gostkowski has been one of the first kickers off the board in most drafts, being selected near the beginning of Round 14.

Tier 2

4) Shayne Graham | Cincinnati Bengals | 6-foot, 200 Pounds | 8th Year

PROS: If the Bengals can jumpstart their offense, Graham could be a hot commodity in fantasy leagues. He finished with the third-highest field goal percentage (91.2) in the league last year, connecting on 31 of his 34 attempts. Both the attempts and makes were career highs. He has been consistent as well, receiving at least 30 field goal attempts in each of his last four seasons.

CONS: If the Bengals offense could match the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys, Graham could be the top kicker on the board. He is maddeningly inconsistent: Eleven of his 31 field goals came in two games. The team generated only 38 extra points last year. If he wants to reach the elite level, the team's offense will need to be better.

FANTASY TIP: Fantasy owners are generally looking Graham's way around the middle of the 15th round. This could be good value for him. His inconsistency makes him tougher to bank on in head-to-head formats than total point leagues He has a solid leg and kicks in an offense that has room to grow. If all the chips fall into place, grabbing Graham at that stage should be a solid pickup.

5) Adam Vinatieri | Indianapolis Colts | 6-foot, 202 Pounds | 13th Year

PROS: When at his best, Vinatieri has as much potential as almost any kicker on this board. He has a career 82.3 field goal percentage and receives a decent number of scoring opportunities in the Colts' explosive offense. He has great accuracy from inside 40 yards, especially at home where he missed just one kick from that range in 14 games since signing with the club. He has also shown the ability to kick outdoors, spending 10 seasons in New England.

CONS: Vinatieri struggled through one of his worst seasons in years in 2007. He connected on just 23 of 29 field goal attempts and did not make a field goal longer than 39 yards. It was the first time in his career he did not have at least one 40-yarder.

FANTASY TIP: With two Super Bowl-winning field goals under his belt, Vinatieri has arguably the most name value of anyone on this list. Combine that with his spot in the Colts offense and there is a good chance he will be overvalued on draft day. Owners are taking him near the beginning of the 14th round.

6) Mason Crosby | Green Bay Packers | 6-foot-1, 212 Pounds | 2nd Year

PROS: Crosby delighted Packers fans with a league-leading 141 points last year, connecting on 31 of 39 field goals. He was deadly accurate with his field goals from inside 40 yards, missing just one of his 19 attempts. The team's offense is another positive for Crosby. They were one of the top units last year. However, the team may struggle a bit in the red zone with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers behind center, which could create more field goal opportunities for Crosby.

CONS: One potential drawback for Crosby comes from the intense wind and wintry conditions in Green Bay. It did not limit him last year, but he struggled outside of 40 yards (12 of 19), which could hurt him if the team has trouble moving the ball. The offense could take a step back if Rodgers fails to perform or second-half stud running back Ryan Grant struggles.

FANTASY TIP: Crosby has been the top kicker off the board in most drafts, going late in the 13th round. Owners could be slightly overvaluing him at that draft position, and with a lack of experience in addition to Green Bay's volatile weather, it might be a situation to avoid that early.

7) Nate Kaeding | San Diego Chargers | 6-foot, 187 Pounds | 5th Year

PROS: Kaeding again posted a solid conversion rate on his field goals, making 24 of the 27 he attempted last year. He has averaged 26.3 field goal attempts per season for the last three years, making 23. He hasn't missed more than three in a season since his rookie campaign, making him one of the league's most accurate kickers during that stretch. The conditions in San Diego likely help him with his kicking as they are generally favorable.

CONS: As good as the Chargers offense has been since Kaeding's arrival, they haven't helped him out much over the years with Kaeding having never attempted more than 29 field goals in a season. The team doesn't give him many opportunities on longer kicks with just three from 50-plus yards combined over the last three years.

FANTASY TIP: Kaeding is a reliable pick. The conditions and the team's offense mean he is an arguably one of the most risk-free picks in fantasy drafts. He is, however, a bit overvalued by going on average near the end of the 13th round.

8) Josh Brown | St. Louis Rams | 6-foot, 212 Pounds | 6th Year

PROS: Brown makes the jump from the sometimes nasty conditions in Seattle to the cozy confines of the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. His leg strength boosts his value, as Brown has made at least three field goals from 50-plus yards three straight years. Consistency is another plus, with Brown tallying 109 points or more in all five of his seasons. Retired Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins attempted at least 30 field goals in each of the past three seasons.

CONS: Kicking for the Rams was a mixed bag for Wilkins, who scored fewer than 100 points three times in his final six seasons, though some of that was due to his own inaccuracy. Brown's accuracy could be called into question, as he has only finished with a conversion rate of better than 83 percent once in his career. Beset by injuries, the Rams offense was wildly inconsistent in 2007 and is currently in a transitional phase.

FANTASY TIP: In early drafts Brown has been selected in the 14th round, on average, which is high for a low-level No. 1 kicker with such risk. Don't select him that early, but if he's available in the final round he's worth considering, especially because he has upside if the Rams offense bounces back.

9) Rob Bironas | Tennessee Titans | 6-foot, 205 Pounds | 4th Year

PROS: Bironas converted a league-leading 35 field goals last year (out of 39 attempts) - including eight in a Week 7 win. He was shut out from the FGM column just once last year (Week 13). He connected on at least two field goals in 11 games in '07, and his career long is 60 yards (2006). Bironas was also outstanding on his long kicks, making 13 of his 15 kicks from 40-plus yards.

CONS: Bironas' 89.7 conversion percentage was more than 10 percent higher than his previous career high (79.3 in 2005). Last season was likely a career year for him. A new offensive coordinator in Mike Heimerdinger could limit his attempts if the team doesn't move the ball well. 

FANTASY TIP: Bironas could give you a solid option in the kicking game. There is mild concern about the offense's ineptitude, but it seems like it worked out just fine for him in '07. Look for him to go, on average, in the 16th round, but don't reach any earlier for him due to his past woes.

Tier 3

10) Josh Scobee | Jacksonville Jaguars | 6-foot-1, 192 Pounds | 5th Year

PROS: After raising his point total in each of his first three seasons, Scobee knocked home 12 of his 13 field goal attempts (92.3 percent) during an abbreviated 2007 campaign. He managed 62 points in eight games, which would equate to 124 points over a 16-game season. After struggling a bit with accuracy during his first two years, Scobee has gone 38-for-45 (84.4 percent) over the past two seasons.

CONS: A quadriceps injury robbed Scobee of eight games last season, though he showed no ill effects upon returning. His accuracy gets progressively worse at each distance, including a suspect 69.2 percent from 40 to 49 yards and a paltry 42.9 percent from 50-plus. In terms of lengthy attempts, Scobee has been limited to just one try of 50-plus yards during the last two seasons.

FANTASY TIP: He scored 119 points in '06 and registered a 124-point pace in '07, which could make him a top-10 kicker if he could repeat that output this season. With Scobee coming off an injury-shortened season, he could be a nice value at the end of most drafts.

11) Neil Rackers | Arizona Cardinals | 6-foot-1, 202 Pounds | 9th Year

PROS: Rackers has been a solid option for owners with three straight seasons of at least 110 points. He gets a ton of opportunities - averaging 34.5 field goal attempts per season from 2004-07 - and the team isn't shy about trotting out Rackers from long range with 32 attempts from 50-plus yards in that span. Arizona has the ideal offense from a kicking perspective as they move the ball efficiently but bog down in the red zone.

CONS: Outside of 2005, when he was 40-for-42 (95.2 percent), Rackers has made better than 80 percent of his kicks just once in eight NFL campaigns. His career accuracy of 75.6 percent is underwhelming, and he missed nine field goals in both 2006 and 2007. While he receives a lot of long field goal attempts he is a woeful 4-for-16 from 50-plus yards in the last two seasons.

FANTASY TIP: If Rackers could ever make 80-plus percent of his kicks he could be a stud, but given his limitations he's a last-round option, albeit an intriguing one based on the sheer volume of opportunities.

12) Jason Elam | Atlanta Falcons | 5-foot-11, 195 Pounds | 16th Year

PROS: The veteran has never scored fewer than 103 points during his 15-year career, and he has hasn't tallied less than 114 since 2000. Elam has been highly accurate over the years, sporting an 80.6 career conversion percentage on field goals. He has made at least 80 percent of his attempts in seven of the last 10 seasons. Elam is practically automatic from inside the 40-yard range, going a combined 51-for-52 on kicks of that distance during the past three years.

CONS: Leaving the thin air of Denver could take some of the sting out of his kicks, and he hasn't exactly been exceptional on converting from 40-plus yards in the last three seasons (27-for-40, 67.5 percent) to begin with. The Falcons offense could be among the league's worst, which may leave scoring opportunities at a premium. As a team in 2007, the Falcons accounted for just 103 kicking points and don't look much improved offensively entering 2008.

FANTASY TIP: Once among the steadiest kicking options in fantasy football, Elam's offseason change of address and advancing age dictate he be bypassed on draft day.

13) Matt Stover | Baltimore Ravens | 5-foot-11, 178 Pounds | 18th Year

PROS: Stover continues to show no signs of slowing down despite turning 40 years old in January. His numbers have been consistent this decade, as he has attempted fewer than 30 kicks only once since 2000. He is remarkably consistent from inside 40 yards, missing just six of his 166 tries from inside 40 yards over the last eight seasons. From 40 to 49 yards, Stover is solid. He went 8-for-12 from that distance last year and has a 71.2 percent lifetime conversion rate (121-for-170).

CONS: As accurate as he may be from in close, Stover does not get many chances to demonstrate his leg strength. He has attempted just two kicks from 50 yards or more in the last three years. A shaky offense could also concern fantasy owners. Baltimore, most notably, has huge question marks at quarterback.

FANTASY TIP: Fantasy owners are looking Stover's way during the latter stages, sometime around the 17th round. He should still have value as a weaker No. 1 kicker this year, and it is hard to see a problem in making him your final draft pick.

14) Jeff Reed | Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-foot-11, 225 Pounds | 7th Year

PROS: After a down year in 2006, Reed proved he was still up to the task of Heinz Field by hitting 23 of his 25 field goal attempts, posting the highest conversion percentage of his career (and best in the league). He was perfect from inside 40 yards (19-for-19) and missed just once from the 40-49 range. Consistency is another strong point. He has five straight seasons with at least 100 points.

CONS: His numbers from last year might look good, but they were generally career highs, percentage-wise. He managed only 25 field goal attempts, which was tied for 25th in the NFL. His numbers have been gradually declining from a career-high 33 field goal attempts in 2004 to 25 last year. Week-to-week consistency is a major concern after Reed scored four or fewer points six times last year.

FANTASY TIP: On average, fantasy owners have been calling Reed's name near the end of the 17th round. That should be good value at this spot or anywhere below here for someone aiming for their sixth straight 100-point campaign.

15) John Kasay | Carolina Panthers | 5-foot-10, 198 Pounds | 18th Year

PROS: Kasay is a solid kicker. The team's offense could be better this year with improvements on the offensive line, in the running game and with the return of quarterback Jake Delhomme (elbow), which could benefit Kasay. As well, he still has power in his leg. He connected on both of his 50-plus-yard tries last year. The team obviously doesn't have a problem with him attempting long field goals. He attempted seven in 2006 and eight in 2005 from 50-plus yards.

CONS: Kasay again struggled to put points on the board. He finished with just 24 field goals coming on 28 attempts and attempted only 27 extra points. It has been four years since Kasay attempted more than 30 field goals, and the one year he did (2005) he made just 76.5 percent of his kicks. Kasay could be more consistent as he scored three points or less four times in 2007.

FANTASY TIP: Kasay is a decent bounce-back candidate this season, but he has managed more than 100 points just twice in the past 10 years. He should be available as a last-round selection.

16) Phil Dawson | Cleveland Browns | 5-foot-11, 205 Pounds | 10th Year

PROS: The 2007 season was Dawson's best in most regards as he established career highs in extra points made (42) and tried (43), field goal attempts (30) and points (120). Accuracy was again his calling card as he converted better than 80 percent of his kicks for the sixth time in eight seasons. Cleveland's offense is suddenly among the league's most high-powered units, which should give Dawson more chances to score.

CONS: Dawson's 120 points represented the first time in his career than he surpassed 100 points in a season. He has received 29-30 field goal attempts in each of the last four seasons - solid, but not spectacular. Leg strength is an issue as Dawson has made just 66.1 percent of his career attempts from 40 to 49 yards and has only nine efforts from 50-plus yards in his career.

FANTASY TIP: Coming off a 120-point season and kicking behind a quality offense has Dawson being selected in the mid-16th round. That's about the right spot for a player with Dawson's blend of abilities and shortcomings to be leaving draft boards.

Tier 4

17) Lawrence Tynes | New York Giants | 6-foot-1, 202 Pounds | 5th Year

PROS: Four years in the NFL, four years with more than 105 points for Tynes. After spending his first three years kicking for the Kansas City Chiefs, Tynes joined the Giants prior to the 2007 season and proceeded to convert a career-high 85.2 percent of his field goal attempts. He was a steady week-to-week option, scoring seven or more points nine times and tallying fewer than four just once. Tynes was 8-for-8 on field goals of 40 to 49 yards in '07.

CONS: Tynes seems to suffer from lapses in concentration as he has missed six extra points (including two last season) in his career while going a rather disconcerting 9-for-14 (64.3 percent) from 30 to 39 yards over the past two years. Kicking outdoors in New York late in the year is no easy task - last season he made one or no field goals in five of the team's final six games.

FANTASY TIP: A decent kicker that doesn't generate much excitement among fantasy owners, Tynes is not worth drafting in most leagues but could be monitored as a possible spot play or waiver wire addition.

18) Kris Brown | Houston Texans | 5-foot-11, 208 Pounds | 10th Year

PROS: After five years of fantasy hibernation, Brown enjoyed arguably the finest season of his career in 2007. He matched his career high by converting 86.2 percent of his field goal attempts and finished with 115 points. He was otherworldly from 50-plus yards, making all five of his attempts - only Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski made more from that distance (six), but he required 11 attempts.

CONS: Brown did virtually nothing during his first five years with the Texans, making 75.2 percent of his field goals and averaging 84.4 points per season. His spike in accuracy in 2007 represented just the second time in seven years that he has made better than 80 percent of his field goal tries. Despite going 5-for-5 from 50-plus yards last season, Brown is a career 65.5 percent kicker from 40 or more yards.

FANTASY TIP: A strong start (59 points in his first six games) put Brown on fantasy radars last year, but he was average for much of 2007 and below average in the preceding five years. Leave him for the waiver wire but keep him on your watch list.

19) Jay Feely | Miami Dolphins | 5-foot-10, 210 Pounds | 8th Year

PROS: Feely took to the warm weather during his first campaign in Miami, converting a career-high 91.3 percent of his field goal attempts. He has the leg strength for the longer field goals, connecting on 8-of-10 field goals from 40 yards or longer last year.

CONS: The former New York Giant failed to garner many individual games with high point totals last year. He recorded one field goal or less in seven games and only connected on more than two in a week twice during the year. With an 80.3 career conversion percentage, Feely will be hard pressed to match his 2007 percentage. As well, there is uncertainty surrounding the Dolphins offense. It is not known how it will come together under new head coach Tony Sparano or how much leeway he'll give Feely in the kicking game. A poor offense helped limit him to a career-low 23 attempts last year.

FANTASY TIP: Feely is a risky pick next year due to the Dolphins' potentially inept offense and a possible drop in conversion rate. Therefore, steer away from him in most fantasy leagues. He has value as nothing more than a No. 2 kicker.

20) David Akers | Philadelphia Eagles | 5-foot-10, 200 Pounds | 10th Year

PROS: Akers returned to the land of 30-plus attempts with 32 field goal attempts last year. He was perfect from inside 40 yards, connecting on all 22 of his attempts. The Eagles offense could be dangerous enough it could give Akers a boost.

CONS: Akers has not been accurate each of the last three years. He has completed just 75 percent of his attempts (58-for-77) since the start of the 2005 season. The drop in accuracy affects him most on his deep kicks; a 53-yard field goal in Week 4 was one of only two kicks longer than 39 yards last year. He has now struggled on his 40-plus yard kicks two of the last three years (2007 - 2-for-10; 2005 - 6-for-11)

FANTASY TIP: Akers is going, on average, in the beginning of the 15th round. Consider Akers a No. 2 kicker. In 14-team leagues, it is conceivable to draft him as a weak No. 1. 

21) Ryan Longwell | Minnesota Vikings | 6-foot, 200 pounds | 12th Year

FANTASY TIP: Longwell, an 81.9 percent kicker over his career, should have enough opportunities to make himself a reasonable fantasy candidate in 2008 as a No. 2 option. He could be considered a matchup play as the season wears on. Avoid drafting him, however, due to a lack of overall opportunities that have led to three straight seasons of less than 100 points.

22) Jason Hanson | Detroit Lions | 6-foot, 190 pounds | 17th Year

FANTASY TIP: The veteran keeps plugging along by enjoying two respectable seasons in a row. Hanson has kicked 29 field goals in each of the past two years, and he has averaged 33 extra point attempts per season over that same span. Due to a lack of offensive production on the Lions' part in general, Hanson doesn't warrant a fantasy selection in '08 but could be a viable waiver wire play from time to time.

23) Mike Nugent | New York Jets | 5-foot-10, 190 pounds | 4th Year

FANTASY TIP: Nugent has kicked at an 82.4 percent clip during his short career. He owns a career long of 54 yards (2006) and has kicked no fewer than 27 field goal attempts in his three years with the Jets. Despite kicking behind an offense that is expected to pick it up a degree this year, too much uncertainty remains to risk drafting Nugent.

Tier 5

24) Billy Cundiff | Kansas City Chiefs | 6-foot-1, 207 pounds | 5th Year

FANTASY TIP: Cundiff hasn't handled the full-time kicking duties for an entire season since 2004 with the Dallas Cowboys. He is battling third-year place kicker Nick Novak for the job, a duel that we expect to continue well into camp. Regardless of the winner, Cundiff is a career 72.3 percent kicker and is not draft worthy in any format.

25) Rian Lindell | Buffalo Bills | 6-foot-3, 233 pounds | 9th Year

FANTASY TIP: The Bills afforded Lindell only 24 extra point attempts in 2007. Despite improving his accuracy rate over the past few seasons, Lindell doesn't offer much in the way of fantasy production due to the limited chances the offense provides him. Stay away from him on draft day, but a favorable matchup could make him a waiver wire option in season for desperate owners.

26) Matt Bryant | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-foot-9, 200 pounds | 7th Year

FANTASY TIP: The Buccaneers offense doesn't exactly provide a wealth of scoring chances. Bryant kicked 33 field goal attempts last year, 11 more than the year before. Without more opportunities to produce, Bryant remains a low-level fantasy option. Avoid him on draft day.

27) Joe Nedney | San Francisco 49ers | 6-foot-5, 233 pounds | 12th Year

FANTASY TIP: San Francisco's offense is pretty bad. Nedney, as a result, is pretty bad for fantasy owners. He attempted just 22 extra point tries last year and an even more pathetic 19 field goals. That is reason enough to stay far, far away from him. Fantasy owners should wait for the offense to improve before considering Nedney as a waiver wire pickup.

Tier 6

28) Shaun Suisham | Washington Redskins | 6-foot, 200 pounds | 3rd Year

FANTASY TIP: Suisham kicked in every game for the first time in his career last year, hitting 82.9 percent of his tries. He attempted 35 field goals in a conservative offense and knocked in 29 of his 30 extra point attempts. Suisham could surprise, but with a new offense being installed in Washington, it is far better to take the safer route by leaving Suisham as a possible waiver wire pickup later in the season.

29) Olindo Mare | Seattle Seahawks | 5-foot-11, 190 pounds | 12th Year

FANTASY TIP: Despite the Seahawks' formidable offense, Mare isn't nearly as dangerous for fantasy owners. He kicked a mere 17 field goal attempts in 13 games last year with the New Orleans Saints, which is laughable even when extrapolated to 16 games (21 tries). Furthermore, Mare connected on an even more absurd 58.8 percent of his kicks. He holds no fantasy value at this time.

30) Sebastian Janikowski | Oakland Raiders | 6-foot-2, 250 pounds | 9th Year

FANTASY TIP: What is there to like about a kicker whose career accuracy rate is 76.8 percent? Janikowski may have a booming leg, but he can't seem to split the uprights to save his life. Since 2004, his season accuracy rates are the following: 66.7 percent, 2005; 72.0 percent, 2006; 71.9 percent, 2007. That is awful in an epic way. Avoid him at all costs.

Editor's note: KFFL's positional analysis will be updated regularly throughout the offseason.