Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by James Burulcich
- Edited by Marc Caviglia

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie (except for a kicker).

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Kickers.

Jason Hanson, K, Detroit Lions
2010 Stats: 12-of-14 Field Goals Made, 19-of-19 Extra Points Made

At 41, Hanson is currently the oldest active player in the NFL and entering his 20th season with the Lions. His 1,890 career points currently rank No. 7 all-time in points scored and all he needs is 73 points to move all the way up to No. 3 on the list. Before a sprained MCL caused Hanson to miss Detroit’s final eight games last year, the veteran kicker had converted on 12-of-14 field goal attempts and all 19 extra points. Plus, he continued to show off a powerful right leg, having nailed three of four kicks from outside of 50 yards.

At 41, Hanson is currently the oldest active player in the NFL and entering his 20th season with the Lions. His 1,890 career points currently rank No. 7 all-time in points scored and all he needs is 73 points to move all the way up to No. 3 on the list. Before a sprained MCL caused Hanson to miss Detroit’s final eight games last year, the veteran kicker had converted on 12 of 14 field goal attempts and all 19 extra points. Plus, he continued to show off a powerful right leg, having nailed three of four kicks from outside of 50 yards.

Hanson is fully recovered from his MCL injury and for the first time since the Barry Sanders days there is a lot to like in Detroit.  The Lions have some of the best playmakers in all of football in Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best and Calvin Johnson, and if everything goes as planned should have no problem putting points on the board. Another bonus for those who have an eye on Hanson is that the Lions play 11 games indoors this year, which means no weather impacting his kicking outcome. Hanson is only owned in 7 percent of 12-team leagues on Fleaflicker.com, however he has a good chance to finish as a top 10 fantasy football kicker in 2011.