Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF OCTOBER 29, 2011::

There were a lot of high-scoring fantasy football kickers last week, with much of it coming from unlikely places. Josh Scobee was the week’s co-leader in points, tying Olindo Mare and fantasy stalwart Mason Crosby. But Crosby is on a bye this week, as are Sebastian Janikowski, Robbie Gould and Nick Folk, so for those of you needing a bye-week replacement, you might have to dig a bit deeper to find that guy in Week 8.

Who will be this week’s top scorer? Let’s find out with a look at our Week 8 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings.

Standard Scoring

17-39 Yard Field Goal: 3 points |  40-49 Yard Field Goal: 4 points
50-plus Yard Field Goal: 5 points |  Extra Point: 1 point

1. John Kasay (New Orleans Saints) @ St. Louis

Kasay is the co-leader among kickers in fantasy scoring so far this season, and last week, when he booted home two field goals and eight extra points against the Colts, helped propel him to the top spot. He won’t be falling out of it this week when the Saints take their traveling offensive circus to St. Louis, where the Saints may not score 60, but 50 certainly isn’t out of the question.
Point Projection: 15 points

2. Jason Hanson (Detroit Lions) @ Denver

It just so happens that the two leaders at their position in fantasy scoring are first and second in our rankings this week. Hanson is tied with the aforementioned Kasay in fantasy scoring, with each having made 16 field goals. You have to like Hanson this week in the thin air of Denver against a poor Broncos team.
Point Projection: 14 points

3. Neil Rackers (Houston Texans) vs. Jacksonville

Rackers is tied for sixth in fantasy scoring among kickers. He’s done so on the strength of his consistency, having scored at least 10 fantasy points in five of his seven games this season. The Jaguars have been solid defensively this year, but the Texans will present a difficult challenge.
Point Projection: 13 points

4. Billy Cundiff (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Arizona

Cundiff is facing the Cardinals this week, who have given up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to players at the kicker position. Surprisingly, he didn’t have any fantasy points last week, missing the only kick he attempted. That one was from beyond 50 yards, and if there’s a thing that fantasy owners should worry about, it’s that he’s missed all three of his kicks from 50 yards or more this season. They just shouldn’t worry about it this week.
Point Projection: 11 points

5. Dan Bailey (Dallas Cowboys) @ Philadelphia

Bailey is fourth at the position in fantasy scoring, but leads all kickers in field goals made with 17. He’s only missed one kick this season, and that happened to come from inside 30 yards, but that seems like a distant memory. He’s made all six of his kicks from 40-49 yards, and that is the most in the league.
Point Projection: 11 points

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6. David Akers (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Cleveland

Oddly, Akers has missed both of his kicks from between 40 and 49 yards out, but has made all three of his boots from 50 yards or longer. He’s in the top-10 in the league in fantasy scoring, and is coming off of back-to-back games of double-digit fantasy points. He should approach that again this week vs. Cleveland.
Point Projection: 10 points

7. Rian Lindell (Buffalo Bills) vs. Washington

Despite having a bye last week, Lindell remains third in the league in extra points made. He’s been a model of consistency this season, with a high of 11 fantasy points to a low of seven points. The Redskins are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to kickers this season.
Point Projection: 9 points

8. Mike Nugent (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Seattle

Nugent is tied for second in field goals made from between 40 and 49 yards, with five. That’s helped lead him to a ranking of 14th at his position in fantasy scoring even though he was on a bye last week. He should be in line for another strong contest in the Northwest against a poor Seattle team this week.
Point Projection: 8 points

9. Nick Novak (San Diego Chargers) @ Kansas City

Novak is one of five kickers who are perfect so far this season on field goal attempts, and one of just two who is playing this week (the other three have a bye). It’s been a surprise, no doubt, but fantasy owners should ride him while he’s hot, and the Chiefs aren’t going to be standing in anyone’s way from scoring fantasy points.
Point Projection: 8 points

10. Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) vs. Indianapolis

Though only five kickers have fewer fantasy points than Bironas, this is as good a week as any to install him in your fantasy lineup if you have a kicker on a bye. That’s because the Titans face the Colts, and Indianapolis is, in a word, hideous. They have the league’s second-worst run defense, and even though Chris Johnson has struggled of late, a breakout is coming, and it’s coming this week, setting Bironas up nicely.
Point Projection: 8 points

11. Stephen Gostkowski (New England Patriots) @ Pittsburgh

Gostkowski hasn’t made enough field goals this year (10) to be a really effective fantasy kicker, despite all the extra points he puts up. He’s only made three kicks from 40 yards or longer, and hasn’t even attempted one from beyond 50. While he might see some additional opportunity for three pointers against Pittsburgh, it’s still a risky play considering the Steelers have allowed just eight field goal attempts in seven games this season.
Point Projection: 8 points

12. Olindo Mare (Carolina Panthers) vs. Minnesota

Mare jumped up to 13th among kickers in fantasy scoring when he accumulated 18 points last week against the Redskins. He also faces the Vikings this week, who have allowed the most fantasy points per game to kickers.
Point Projection: 7 points

13. Alex Henery (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

Henery took over for David Akers this season, but so far it’s been Akers who has had the last laugh. Henery missed crucial field goals in Philly’s come-from-ahead loss to the 49ers a few weeks ago, but has made all three of his kicks since then. We like his chances to put up a decent number of points against the Cowboys this week.
Point Projection: 7 points