Fantasy Football Week Eight Rankings: Kickers

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Don’t think kickers can bring any real value to your fantasy squad? Well, the next time you lose a close fantasy contest, let us know if that changes. As we continue to move forward in this 2009 season, remember not to sleep on the kicker position. With that said, let’s move into the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Eight Kicker Rankings .

1. Nate Kaeding (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland

Nate Kaeding is second in the league with 14 field goals made and is kicking at a 82.4 percent clip. He faces an Oakland Raiders special team that is tied for the league worst in field goals yielded with 14. San Diego always has nice weather by the way. So what do you get when you mix one of the best kickers with one of the worst special teams defenses and nice weather? The top kicking option for the Bruno Boys. That’s what.
Point Projection:

2. Jason Hanson (Detroit Lions) vs. St. Louis

Old man Jason Hanson has been kicking for the Detroit Lions longer than the Model-T has been in existence. Ok, while that is an exaggeration, what isn’t is the fact that he is still kicking like he was in his mid-20’s. That should play in well this week as he faces a St. Louis Rams special teams that has allowed 1.5 field goals a game and plenty of point after’s. While the Lions may not throw up a ton of touchdowns against the Rams, we expect Hanson to have a good handful of FG opportunities.
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3. Ryan Longwell (Minnesota Vikings) @ Green Bay

The Minnesota Vikings offense is very explosive and a beneficiary of that is Ryan Longwell who always finds himself with plenty of scoring opportunities. In fact Longwell has missed only one FG, connecting on 12 of them and as expected is second in the league with 24 XP’s. This week he faces division rival Green Bay Packers. Expect for a lot of emotion and scoring making Longwell a no-brainer in week eight.
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4. Nick Folk (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Seattle

The Dallas Cowboys should be able to pass and run at will against the Seattle Seahawks defense which will create plenty of opportunity for Nick Folk and his big leg. While the Cowboys have gotten off to somewhat of a slow start for 2009, they definitely have picked it up as a offensive unit as of late. That should help translate Folk and his FG percentage of 84.6 into solid numbers making him a nice PK1 this week.
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5. Mason Crosby (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota

Mason Crosby has had a pretty successful season so far nailing 12 field goals and considering that his opposition, the Minnesota Vikings, have allowed double-digit field goals and allow a 90 percent plus clip makes one to tend to believe that Crosby should be able to capture at least two FG and a handful of XP’s making Crosby a solid play that has an opportunity at double-digit fantasy points this week.
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6. Matt Prater (Denver Broncos) @ Baltimore

Entering the week Matt Prater is tied for fourth in the league in FG’s with 12 but that is misleading some as he has been kicking at an average 75 percent clip. That shouldn’t matter much this week though as Prater faces a Baltimore Ravens special teams unit that have allowed 13 of the opposition’s 14 FG’s to get through the uprights. Play Prater with confidence as he will finish with enough points to qualify him as a PK1 in deeper leagues.
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7. Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) vs. Jacksonville

What a difference one year makes. In 2008 there were very few PK’s that were hotter than Rob Bironas; fast forward a year and he is near the bottom of the league in production. What does that mean for you? Well, for one Bironas has stunk it up all season but at the same time even though he is facing a tough Jacksonville Jaguars special teams unit who have allowed only seven field goals all year, there is a sneaking suspicion that he snaps out of his funk this week.
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8. Robbie Gould (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

Robbie Gould has been on and off all season as the Chicago Bears have had some tough matchups, yet this week he gets to breathe a little. The Cleveland Browns rank seventh in the league with allowing 11 field goals and have also allowed 20 XP’s. How can you go wrong here? While there is no science to kickers, Gould is one of those plays who have a shot at a fairly nice week. Plug him in if you have him with confidence.
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9. Olindo Mare (Seattle Seahawks) @ Dallas

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