FanHouse MasonCrosby

It's been over a month since we last posted positional fantasy football rankings, so it's time to run our second version. Plus, we added some staff. This is now an average ranking from eight Fantasy FanHouse writers. To view the early version of our kicker rankings, click here.

I'll beat the dead horse here, because I feel like it is my duty. Please don't draft a kicker until the last round and never pay more than a dollar for one in an auction. It's just not worth it because of the turnover from year to year. Check this out:

Top three kickers in '08: Gostkowski, Akers, Carney
In '07: Crosby, Bironas, Folk
In '06: Gould, Kaeding, Scobee
In '05: Rackers, Feely, Graham

I could use a lot more data to continually hammer the point home, but it would be a waste of time. So, uh, yeah. Don't waste a pick until you have to.

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FanHouse's crack squad of savvy fantasy football personnel put our five heads together and amassed consensus rankings for non-keeper, standard scoring leagues. We'll update as the season gets closer, but this is our "incredibly early yet still fun" version.

Last season, the consensus top two picks pretty much anywhere you looked were Shayne Graham and Nick Folk. Folk's average draft position was utterly insane -- going as high as the 10th round in some leagues. Folk ended up 23rd in kicker points, while Graham ended up 30th.

Even though I'd rather outlaw the kicker from fantasy for life, I can't make you do that, but I will say absolutely do not draft one until the last round. This position should be an afterthought because there is simply too little predictable method to the madness.

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Before you move any further, make sure to check out Part 1, if you haven't done so. I explain things in the intro. For our purposes on this post, however, there's no need to twiddle the thumbs. Let's dive in:

Wide Receiver

How about that Sunday night game for the Denver receivers? Last time around, they completely schooled the Chargers secondary. Now Eddie Royal has tons more experience under his belt, and Brandon Marshall is still just as talented. Both of them are in line for an obscene stat-line in what should be a shootout.

Only illegal formations by his teammates can stop Megatron. Yes, start Calvin Johnson in all formats. He's just too good to sit.

I'd avoid Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez, because of the fact that Jim Sorgi should be under center for the majority of the afternoon for the Colts. It's just too much of a gamble to try and predict where the touches go for Indy.

I'm a Bears fan, and I have absolutely no idea how they can do anything to remotely stop Andre Johnson. He's likely to go berserk. Again.

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

The Houston Texans defense looked pretty solid against the hapless Jags at home Monday night. Unfortunately they'll get to travel up to Green Bay on short rest this week. The Packers should move the ball with ease in Lambeau, but let's hope the Texans defense can mount a few red zone stops. I think they can. Mason Crosby is the top kicker this week.

More notes after the rankings.

1. Mason Crosby, vs. HOU
2. Jason Elam, at NO
3. Stephen Gostkowski, at SEA
4. Ryan Longwell, at DET
5. Rob Bironas, vs. CLE

The playoffs are either upon us or one week away in the majority of fantasy football leagues. With this in mind, Fantasy FanHouse is examining what you can expect from the fantasy relevant players on each team.

Chicago Bears

The Opposing Defenses: vs. JAX (14th against pass, t19th against run), vs. NO (24th against pass, t19th against run), vs. GB (5th against pass, 27th against run)
The skinny: Playing three games at home is nice, and none of them are especially good run stopping defenses. You know what the Bears want to do, and that is run the football with Matt Forte. He's even performed beautifully against rock-solid fronts -- like the Vikings. They'll need to mix in the pass as well, though, and at least the Week 15 game should be a good opportunity for that.
The must-start: Matt Forte
The likely-starts: Greg Olsen, Robbie Gould
The spot-starts: Kyle Orton, Devin Hester
The no-starts: Rashied Davis, Desmond Clark, Brandon Lloyd
The D/ST: They are a great start against the sad Jags offense, which happens to be visiting in a second consecutive road game on a short week. Lick your chops if you own the Bears for this week. The Packers and Saints don't pose especially good matchups, so you may have to look elsewhere. Still, both games are at home and you know the Saints outside in the cold doesn't exactly bode well for them, historically.

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

The Broncos offense is really good. The Raiders defense is pretty bad, but they've been able to put the clamps on teams in the red zone and in the passing attack recently. The two teams are playing each other in the sea-level-challenged confines of Denver.

I'm smelling a good fantasy kicker! Loving some Matt Prater this week.

More notes after the rankings.

1. Matt Prater, vs. OAK
2. Jason Elam, vs. CAR
3. Jeff Reed, vs. CIN
4. Stephen Gostkowski, at MIA
5. Nick Folk, vs. SF

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

Nick Folk was pretty much the consensus number one kicker this preseason, no matter where you looked. I have had the pleasure of avoiding the disappointment of owning him, because he was pretty much always taken before the last round and I thankfully have a rule against that.

This week, though, he's back. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week in which they got nearly all their weapons healthy, most importantly Tony Romo. I expect the scoreboard operator to be busy in Washington, and we can't expect the Cowboys to totally be firing on all cylinders, which means a few stalled drives mixed in with the multiple TDs. Plus, Folk's just the best kicker in the league when given the chance to be.

More analysis after the rankings.

1. Nick Folk, at WAS
2. Jason Elam, at ATL
3. Matt Prater, vs. DEN
4. Rob Bironas, at JAX
5. Matt Bryant, vs. MIN

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

Though this is the most fickle and unpredictable aspect of fantasy sports, you have to just do your best with kickers. Doing your best is trying to find a team that can move the ball a bit, but also can get stopped in field goal range a few times. Sometimes it works. Sometimes you end up with one extra point and that's it. Thus is the life of trying to predict where the next bolt of lightning will strike.

For this week, I like the Bears and Titans defenses to hold down the offenses a bit. Each offense, however, has enough weaponry to get the ball into field goal range a few times.

Also, Rian Lindell of Buffalo has been very consistent this season, a rarity at this position. Bills against Pats seems to qualify for the above conditions.

1. Rob Bironas, at CHI
2. Robbie Gould, vs. TEN
3. Rian Lindell, at NE
4. Jason Elam, vs. NO
5. Mason Crosby, at MIN

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

Honestly, no one else even had a chance. When I saw Josh Scobee sprint about 60 yards and mug a ball-dude (pictured here ... seriously, he's ripping at it like he plays for Lovie Smith) for the football which he booted as the game-winner, I knew I had my number one kicker for week four. That was awesome. You know when people say something like, "act like you've been there before?" Well, he has. He had already kicked a long game-winner against the Colts in his career. Whatever. It doesn't matter. He's my boy now.

- Loving the chances of the Titans being held out of the endzone by the Vikes, yet getting close enough in the field position game to give Rob Bironas several long field goals.

1. Josh Scobee, vs. Hou
2. Rob Bironas, vs. Min
3. Nick Folk, vs. Was
4. Mason Crosby, @ TB
5. David Akers, @ Chi

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

More Rankings: OVER/UNDER | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | DSTs

Last week I ranted about every outlet in the world ranking Nick Folk number one. This week I just can't justify putting anyone else there ... so I guess I'm no better.

Still, generally, kickers are better if you expect their teams to get in field goal range, but not necessarily the end-zone ... from which theory I bring you Rob Bironas and Robbie Gould this week.

More notes:

- People still love Shayne Graham, but I'm not so sure the Bengals can even score against the mighty Giants' defense.

- Don't sleep on Josh Brown if you need a pickup. Sure, the Rams suck ... but they should be able to get in field goal range several times against Seattle. Oh, and Brown's a bit familiar with that stadium.

1. Nick Folk, Cowboys, @ GB
2. Rob Bironas, Titans, vs. HOU
3. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots, vs. MIA
4. Mason Crosby, Packers, vs. DAL
5. Robbie Gould, Bears, vs. TB