Fantasy football sleepers: Place kickers

September 10, 2010 @ 10:46:00

By Cory J. Bonini and Tim Heaney
Edited by Bryce McRae

KFFL.com's analysis of fantasy football sleeper players for the 2010 season will be updated weekly throughout the offseason. We have separated our sleepers and undervalued players this year, so be sure not to confuse the two.

Sleepers are also undervalued players in some cases, but the latter usually comes in the way of a proven player that isn't being shown the appropriate amount of love in drafts. No one likes doing the dirty work, so let KFFL.com do 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.

Place kickers

Dan Carpenter | Miami Dolphins | ADP: 20th round

So a league top-10 89.3 field goal percentage (25-for-28 last year) isn't good enough for you? How about the fact Miami brought in Brandon Marshall to help their offensive charge? Chad Henne is maturing behind center, and the 'Phins still have a strong running attack.

Carpenter has leg strength, too: 9-for-11 from 40-plus yards, including eight of nine from 40-49. He ranked 11th in standard format points last season and has an opportunity to earn more three-point chances.

Fantasy value: Carpenter boasts legit No. 1 fantasy kicker potential, for what that's worth. He has a notable combination of accuracy and distance ability in an offense that looks primed to expand its horizons. Not bad for a final-round, no-name boot.

David Buehler | Dallas Cowboys | ADP: 24th round

Never kicking even a regular season extra point, Buehler will make the transition from kickoff specialist to full-time place kicker for the Cowboys. He has the benefit of kicking for a high-powered offense and in what is typically nice weather.

His predecessor, Nick Folk (Jets), averaged 47.5 extra point tries and 26.5 field goal attempts in his two full seasons as Dallas' booter. Buehler's preseason only confirmed his status as Dallas' kicker..

Fantasy value: Most owners wait until the final round or two before they select their place kicker, but in standard 16-round drafts, Buehler isn't being drafted, on average. Give him a chance. If it doesn't work, address the position on the waiver wire.

Ryan Succop | Kansas City Chiefs | ADP: N/A

With a few more extra points, Succop would have the attention of a lot more fantasy owners. He connected on 25 of his 29 field goal kicks (86.2 percent) and was perfect on his 29 point after tries last year.

Kansas City's offense should improve in 2010 with the additions of running back Thomas Jones and wide receiver Dexter McCluster. Bringing in offensive coordinator Charlie Weis should help, too.

If KC can score at least five more touchdowns in 2010, Succop will be a force to be reckoned with. He has the leg strength to be very productive (53-yard long last year).

Fantasy value: Draft him as your No. 1 once the marquee place kickers are off the board. His upside makes him worth the slight risk. There are no reasons why place kickers like Rian Lindell (Bills), Josh Scobee (Jaguars), Sebastian Janikowski (Raiders) and John Kasay (Panthers), on average, should be going ahead of Succop.

KFFLians are saying....

Comment

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1

Ted-Zee-Man, at 06:34 on 08/14/10, says: I happen to like Nick Folk alot. He has a very strong :Leg, has moved to a team that will let him kick Field goals from anywhere they may happen to stall on the field inside the 50 yd line.

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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-hosts Big Lead Sports on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio each Wednesday evening from 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. ET.

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

Tim Heaney

Since Tim joined KFFL in 2006, his work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly and Yahoo! Sports, among numerous publications.

Tim co-hosts KFFL's Big Lead Sports block every Thursday (10pm-1am ET) on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210 | XM 87) and competes in Tout Wars (2011) and LABR (2012).

Follow him on Twitter.

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