FanHouse Joe Nedney

It's no secret that kicker is the most fickle and unpredictable position in fantasy sports. Even the most seemingly sure-fire starters can throw up a terrible stat-line due to exterior variables (like Nick Folk last week, though he did miss a field goal).

Still, we have to plow forward and the best we can do is judge the stats in front of us or hope to find a high-scoring affair. In Week 12, we have a doozy of a Monday Night Football game with serious shootout potential. So we'll roll with those two kickers atop the rankings.

---

---

With the beginning of the NFL Network's glorious Thursday night football beginning this week, fantasy football FanHouse is bringing you a preview for each and every Thursday night game from here on out. You've already seen the rankings, but things can change before Sunday. One thing that can't change? Your lineup choices for the guys playing Thursday evening. That's why we're here.

The Bears enter the game having lost three of their last four (the one win was at home over the hapless Browns). Their defense has plummeted from a respectable unit to one pretty easily shredded, whether via ground or air. The Niners come in having lost four straight and five of their last six. They are ranked fourth in the NFL in run defense and 24th against the pass.

Remember what mom always used to say? "You can't keep an old kicker down." OK, no way she never said that, but we did. John Carney is a 45-year-old shining example of why you never draft kickers before the last couple of rounds. Carney wasn't even on most radars after the Garrett Hartley suspension, yet he already has 21 points through two games of the season. Backed by a high-powered New Orleans offense, Carney should be one of the rare consistent kickers you leave in your lineup. I also think the same goes for Nate Kaeding, who has never dipped below 112 points in a season. Your Week 3 kicker ranking buffet is after the jump.

---

---

Kicker is a position where you should have ample options in free agency, as no one should ever draft a backup kicker. If you actually did draft a backup kicker, go cut one of them and pick up the highest-rated QB, RB or WR you can find.

Kicking performances are very hard to predict on a weekly basis -- a kicker can pick up any number of points each week, and how his offense and defense do really doesn't impact a kicker's numbers. The offense can get shut down, yet the kicker can hit three FGs and have a great game, even though his team lost 35-9. Or the offense can keep reaching the end zone, yet your kicker only ends with four or five points. All that being said, here's my best guess:

1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE vs BUF
2. Nate Kaeding, SD at OAK
3. John Carney, NO vs DET
4. Neil Rackers, ARI vs SF
5. Jason Elam, ATL vs MIA

---

---

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

After generating a significant amount of hype over the past few years, the 49ers will enter 2009 with no expectations on the board. Division rival Arizona went to the Super Bowl, while many expect a rebound from long-time division champion Seattle. To me, this makes the 49ers a dangerous team.

With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.

Meet the ...
Perennial sleepers. It seems like almost every season, people are discussing the fact that the 49ers are ready to break out and surprise people and win the NFC West. And then, almost every season, they suck. They might not be great this year either. Mike Singletary brings a more disciplined approach than even Mike Nolan, but you can't possibly expect Shaun Hill or Alex Smith to lead a team to the playoffs. Or can you? Well, actually, for fantasy purposes, who cares? There's going to be a lot of running and a lot of surprises on defense in San Fran this year, and that's going to be where you pick up the value.

---

---

Parys Haralson may not be a household name across the NFL, but that doesn't mean he can't become one. After a strong season as a part-time player in 2008 with the 49ers, the 25-year-old linebacker signed a four-year contract extension Thursday, originally reported by Aaron Wilson at Pro Football Talk.

Per Wilson, the deal is worth $15 million total, while $6.5 million is guaranteed.

Thanks to a 39-yard Joe Nedney field goal as time expired, the 49ers closed out their season with a 27-24 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, San Francisco ends the season with a 7-9 mark, which was capped off with a 5-4 run under interim head coach Mike Singletary.

After some speculation earlier in the week that Singletary would be remaining with the team in 2009, the 49ers confirmed it following Sunday's win, and signed Singletary to a four-year, $10 million contract, as reported by Matt Maiocco of the Press Democrat.

49ers president Jed York on the signing: "This is the last time our season ends in December."

You know, as long as the 49ers play in the NFC West, he might be right. I mean, just look at that division this season, and ask yourself if it's likely to get any better next season. Is it entirely out of the question for this team to enter 2009 as a legitimate contender for the division title? I mean, they only finished two games out this season despite the 2-5 hole Mike Nolan and J.T. O'Sullivan helped them dig over the first seven weeks.

It may be another losing season for the San Francisco 49ers, but you can't say they didn't try to shake things up. They fired Mike Nolan and replaced him with Mike Singletary, who tried to fire up his charges by benching them and showing them his hindquarters. And, now, the entire team is growing mustaches in advance of Sunday's season finale with the Redskins.

Actually, the reason for the follicle fervor isn't about getting a victory. The 49ers are holding an 80s throwback game and are extending the fun to 80s throwback facial hair. The idea came from the offensive line, who were inspired by photos of 80s stars like Randy Cross, John Ayers and Ray Wersching.

Quarterback Shaun Hill, brooding after his three interceptions against the Rams, said he came to work Monday and was inspired by the burgeoning lip neighbors his teammates were sporting.

"The only stat that matters is the stat at the end of the game, and we won that stat," Hill said. "So, I woke up very happy about that and to walk into work today and see all the glorious mustaches, I mean that just brightens your day."

Hill's favorite is kicker Joe Nedney's. Hill described it as a "garage full of broom bristles."

Alas, their 6-9 record provides a reminder that it was more than mustaches that made the 80's Niners football royalty. Should still be a lot of fun, though.

It's playoff time! In what should be championship week, FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled in order to provide answers to your possible lineup dilemmas. If you need further assistance, please feel free to shoot us an email question.

Joe Nedney is only 11th in kicker points, which means he's useful as a low-end kicker in most leagues.

The thing about Nedney, though, is that he doesn't miss often. He's 26-of-29 on field goals this season, and hasn't missed an extra point. The reason he's not higher in scoring is because he hasn't had as many opportunities as the higher scorers (he's 12th in FG attempts).

Nedney's getting to play the hapless Rams indoors in St. Louis this weekend. The Rams are near the bottom in scoring defense and have allowed 29 field goals, which places them 27th in the league.

In fact, I'm making him number one. No guts, no glory.

More notes after the rankings.

1. Joe Nedney, at StL
2. Stephen Gostkowski, vs. ARI
3. Rob Bironas, vs. PIT
4. John Carney, vs. CAR
5. Jason Elam, at MIN