Congratulations to James Geist of Overland Park, Kansas. He’s the winner in the Kickers Category of the Fantasy Index Open.
The Fantasy Index Open, recall, is the all-comers competition where we invite everyone to submit their top 20 at each position before the start of the first preseason game back in August. The higher you rank a player, the more he counts towards your score.
Over the next week, we’ll score all of the positions – QB, RB, WR, TE, PK and DEF – and the overall winner will capture a really cool trophy from Affordable Trophies (a leading company in the fantasy sports trophy industry).
The top two finishers (the winner and the runner-up) win at-large berths to compete in the Fantasy Index Experts Poll that appears in the magazine, competing against 18 industry analysts in the pages of the 2015 edition of Fantasy Football Index magazine.
At kicker, Geist came out on top. His key pick, I believe, was ranking Matt Prater 8th. Prater had a lousy year, of course, suspended for four games, then released, then missing some kicks in his early games with the Lions. He scored only 84 points. But Prater showed up in the top 3 on most entries, so Geist benefitted mightily relative to all of those guys.
In this scoring system, recall, you take the player’s production (84 points for Prater), and multiply it against where he was ranked on a 25-6 descending scale. Those who ranked Prater No. 1 received 2,100 points for that pick (25 x 84). Those ranked him second received 2,016 points (24 x 84). Geist had him down at 8th, so just 1,512 points (18 x 84), but he saved those multiplier chips for other players.
Geist also picked up a lot of value by putting Graham Gano in his top 10 kickers. Gano scored 121 points, and he wasn’t even on most of the entries.
Geist’s top 3 kickers were all safe picks, and they all scored at least 134 points, getting him off to a nice start – Gostkowski, Hauschka and Crosby.
FANTASY INDEX OPEN, KICKERS (top 20) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rk | Entry | Occupation | Points |
1. | James Geist | Bartender | 36,077 |
2. | Mathew Straessley | Retail | 35,902 |
3. | Rusty Stephens | Sales Manager | 35,794 |
4. | Mike Clay | Fantasy Football Writer | 35,631 |
5. | Pat Thorman | Writer | 35,578 |
6. | Jim Coventry | Fantasy Football Writer | 35,538 |
7. | Kevin E. Smith | Student | 35,519 |
8. | Steve Tortora | Management | 35,247 |
9. | Victor Kitzes | Accounting | 35,207 |
10. | Sean Sampson | Author | 35,177 |
11. | Greg Resin | Manager, Sales Development | 35,150 |
12. | Scott Liles | Stay-At-Home Dad | 35,109 |
13. | Andy Richardson | Writer/Editor | 35,105 |
14. | Michael Mcaninch | Network Engineer | 35,070 |
15. | Cory J. Bonini | Fantasy Sports (Kffl) | 35,048 |
16. | Paul McCann | Mail Carrier | 35,048 |
17. | Juan Novo | Sales | 34,949 |
18. | Nathan Priest | Tech Support Specialist | 34,947 |
19. | Richard Jackson | Attorney | 34,908 |
20. | Michael Desario | Teacher | 34,890 |
Here are the other entries, listed alphabetically by first name …
FANTASY INDEX OPEN, KICKERS (alphabetical) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Entry | Loction | Points | Rank |
Aaron Weaver | Buffalo, N.Y. | 31,516 | 156 |
Adam Holtz | Rochester, Minn. | 32,754 | 117 |
Adam Renzoni | Buffalo, N.Y. | 33,258 | 97 |
Adam Taylor | Media, Pa. | 32,304 | 139 |
Adam Thygeson | Portland, Ore. | 30,052 | 166 |
Andy Gough | Dallas, Texas | 33,680 | 85 |
Andy Noll | Oakdale, Minn. | 32,544 | 132 |
Andy Richardson | Port Chester, N.Y. | 35,105 | 13 |
Andy Waxman | Flower Mound, Texas | 33,762 | 80 |
Ben MacLeod | Manchester, N.H. | 32,653 | 125 |
Bill D'Allesandro | Huntington, N.Y. | 34,457 | 39 |
Bill Zullo | Mount Laurel, N.J. | 31,352 | 160 |
Billy Friedrich | Raleigh, N.C. | 32,715 | 122 |
Bob Henry | White Lake, Mich. | 33,815 | 78 |
Bob Tecca | Buffalo, Minn. | 34,169 | 53 |
Brack Varnon | Houston, Texas | 31,633 | 154 |
Brad Henderson | Louisville, Ken. | 29,900 | 168 |
Bradley Wolfrum | Alpharetta, Ga. | 32,558 | 131 |
Brent Miles | Pasco, Wash. | 34,293 | 48 |
Brian Sauber | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 32,344 | 137 |
Brian Staines | Mars, Pa. | 34,622 | 30 |
Calvron Wachter | Nashville, Tenn. | 31,290 | 162 |
Chris Hertzberg | Austin, Texas | 33,146 | 103 |
Chris Vansant | Fairfield, Pa. | 34,732 | 27 |
Chris Whitney | San Jose, Calif. | 33,853 | 76 |
Chris Winder | San Ramon, Calif. | 33,753 | 81 |
Cory J. Bonini | San Diego, Calif. | 35,048 | 15 |
Craig Leedy | Sacramento, Calif. | 33,419 | 93 |
Dan Martinez | Yuba City, Calif. | 34,216 | 51 |
Dan Schneier | New York City, N.Y. | 33,188 | 100 |
Dana Duffield | Rochester, Minn. | 33,519 | 91 |
Daniel Bowman | Liberty, Mo. | 34,813 | 24 |
Daniel Olsen | Jacksonville, Fla. | 33,989 | 60 |
Daniel Williams | Murrieta, Calif. | 34,368 | 45 |
Dave Cohen | Brooklyn, N.Y. | 33,881 | 70 |
Dave Pratt | Geneva, Ill. | 29,965 | 167 |
David "Mojo" Smith | Walls, Miss. | 33,961 | 61 |
Dish Adams | Los Angeles, Calif. | 33,426 | 92 |
Don Pavelka | Plainview, Minn. | 34,751 | 26 |
Ed Weiss | Parsippany, N.J. | 32,562 | 130 |
Eddie Tietchen | Sicklerville , N.J. | 34,063 | 56 |
Eric Gustitus | Exeter, Pa. | 32,669 | 124 |
Eric Hotz | Fremont, Ohio | 33,118 | 105 |
Eric Scolnick | Redmond, Wash. | 33,868 | 74 |
Gary Allen | Charleston, S.C. | 33,099 | 106 |
Geoff Maleman | Redondo Beach, Calif. | 32,718 | 120 |
Greg Heminway | Sacramento, Calif. | 33,590 | 89 |
Greg Resin | Santa Barbara, Calif. | 35,150 | 11 |
Henry Goers | Bartlett, Ill. | 32,798 | 115 |
Ian Allan (Corrected) | Seattle, Wash. | 33,623 | 86 |
Ian Allan (Official) | Seattle, Wash. | 33,623 | 87 |
Ian MacEwen | Seven Hills, Ohio | 34,012 | 58 |
James Geist | Overland Park, Kan. | 36,077 | 1 |
Jared Smola | Rochester, N.Y. | 33,030 | 109 |
Jason Flatley | Cohoes, N.Y. | 34,871 | 21 |
Jason Mattern | Wintersville, Ohio | 33,257 | 98 |
Jason Pilon | Columbia Heights, Minn. | 33,570 | 90 |
Jay Wimmers | Lincolnton, N.C. | 34,427 | 41 |
Jeff Alberts | Sturgeon Bay, Wis. | 32,716 | 121 |
Jeff Fossett | Newburgh, Ind. | 31,317 | 161 |
Jeff Friedrich | Greenville, N.C. | 33,256 | 99 |
Jeff Slawson | Buffalo, N.Y. | 32,622 | 126 |
Jeffery Lebeouf | Crowley, La. | 32,732 | 119 |
Jeremy Schwartz | Edison, N.J. | 33,417 | 95 |
Jim Bukowski | Chicago, Ill. | 31,912 | 147 |
Jim Carvin | Mount Laurel, N.J. | 34,204 | 52 |
Jim Coventry | Chicago, Ill. | 35,538 | 6 |
Jim Heroux | Neenah, Wis. | 33,046 | 108 |
Joe Pizzica | Wynnewood, Pa. | 33,188 | 101 |
John D. Smith | Willow Grove, Pa. | 33,961 | 62 |
John Duggins | Piedmont, S.C. | 34,443 | 40 |
John Moore | Sea Isle City, N.J. | 31,933 | 146 |
John Ruppe | Fort Myers, Fla. | 33,848 | 77 |
John Stolzmann | Las Vegas, Nev. | 34,265 | 50 |
John Wilkinson | San Carlos, Calif. | 33,052 | 107 |
Jon Hansen | Reno, Nev. | 30,053 | 165 |
Jonathan Klanderud | Shrewsbury, Pa. | 33,718 | 82 |
Jonathan Mick | Santa Maria, Calif. | 33,363 | 96 |
Jonathan Mora | Miami, Fla. | 33,866 | 75 |
Joseph Michelangelo | Oceanside, N.Y. | 33,809 | 79 |
Josh Jackson | Lincoln, Calif. | 31,935 | 145 |
Josh Smith | Olympia, Wash. | 32,372 | 136 |
Juan Novo | Miami, Fla. | 34,949 | 17 |
Keith Burdick | San Diego, Calif. | 33,131 | 104 |
Kenneth Jones | New Orleans, La. | 32,972 | 110 |
Kenneth Yuen | Arlington Heights, Ill. | 33,181 | 102 |
Kevin Cuozzo | Concord, Mass. | 32,780 | 116 |
Kevin E. Smith | Philadelphia, Pa. | 35,519 | 7 |
Kevin Weakland | Tracy, Calif. | 34,125 | 55 |
Kirk Kennedy | Beulaville, N.C. | 32,413 | 135 |
Kyle Soppe | Rochester, N.Y. | 34,426 | 42 |
Mark Becker | New York City, N.Y. | 32,872 | 113 |
Mark Maloney | Andover, Minn. | 32,296 | 140 |
Mary Mulholland-Goers | Bartlett, Ill. | 31,587 | 155 |
Mathew Straessley | Pittsburgh, Pa. | 35,902 | 2 |
Matthew Kenerly | Fresno, Calif. | 33,702 | 83 |
Michael Crow | Orion, Ill. | 32,703 | 123 |
Michael Desario | Las Vegas, Nev. | 34,890 | 20 |
Michael Knorowski | Wesley Chapel, Fla. | 31,796 | 150 |
Michael Kolton | Green Bay, Wis. | 31,379 | 158 |
Michael Livengood | Ward, Ark. | 33,419 | 94 |
Michael Mcaninch | Naperville, Ill. | 35,070 | 14 |
Michael McIlraith | Los Angeles, Calif. | 32,799 | 114 |
Michael Murillo | Tampa, Fla. | 33,915 | 66 |
Michael O'Brien | Brighton, Colo. | 33,617 | 88 |
Michael Stanco | Sunrise, Fla. | 34,489 | 37 |
Miguel Tames | Miami, Fla. | 34,521 | 35 |
Mike Clay | Fleetwood, Pa. | 35,631 | 4 |
Mike Craig | Kokomo, Ind. | 33,932 | 64 |
Mike McCleary | Roseville, Calif. | 30,851 | 164 |
Mike Nease | West Chicago, Ill. | 34,359 | 46 |
Mike Rickel | Ira, Mich. | 31,676 | 153 |
Mike Taylor | Meridian, Idaho | 34,814 | 23 |
Mike Todd | Otis, Ore. | 34,645 | 29 |
Mike Wells | Good Thunder, Minn. | 33,884 | 69 |
Moishe Steigmann | Milwaukee, Wis. | 34,338 | 47 |
Monte McDonald | Las Vegas, Nev. | 31,754 | 151 |
Nathan Kline | Topton, Pa. | 32,309 | 138 |
Nathan Priest | Waynesboro, Pa. | 34,947 | 18 |
Nathan Roberts | Lucasville, Ohio | 34,008 | 59 |
Norm Foisy | Walnut Creek, Calif. | 28,520 | 169 |
Pat Thorman | Boston, Mass. | 35,578 | 5 |
Paul Hazen | Granada Hills, Calif. | 31,502 | 157 |
Paul McCann | Moon Twp., Pa. | 35,048 | 16 |
Paul Owers | West Palm Beach, Fla. | 32,967 | 111 |
Pete Collins | Orland Park, Ill. | 34,552 | 33 |
Peter Owers | West Palm Beach, Fla. | 34,276 | 49 |
Peter Steinke | Redmond, Wash. | 32,114 | 143 |
Rey Diaz | Miami, Fla. | 32,286 | 141 |
Rich Wolff | San Diego, Calif. | 34,796 | 25 |
Richard Fechter | Miami, Fla. | 34,854 | 22 |
Richard Jackson | San Francisco, Calif. | 34,908 | 19 |
Richard Meadors | Seymour , Ind. | 33,686 | 84 |
Richard Meyers | Gurley, Ala. | 34,414 | 43 |
Rob Dammers | Ringwood, N.J. | 31,901 | 148 |
Rob Reiber | Randolph, N.J. | 34,558 | 32 |
Rocky Petrella | Philadelphia, Pa. | 32,744 | 118 |
Roger Hallquist | Hiawatha, Iowa | 33,915 | 67 |
Rusty Stephens | Atlanta, Ga. | 35,794 | 3 |
Sam Hendricks | Lynchburg, Va. | 33,946 | 63 |
Scott Kopischke | Menomonee Falls, Wis. | 33,932 | 65 |
Scott Liles | Russellville, Ark. | 35,109 | 12 |
Scott Rigsby | Saint Anne, Ill. | 31,893 | 149 |
Scott Sachs | Canton, Ohio | 34,136 | 54 |
Scott Yannich | Valencia, Calif. | 34,485 | 38 |
Sean Chi | Flushing, N.Y. | 33,871 | 73 |
Sean Sampson | Liberty, Mo. | 35,177 | 10 |
Shane Scott | Toronto, Ont. | 32,582 | 129 |
Stephen Fisse | Mandeville, La. | 33,876 | 71 |
Stephen McKenzie | New Richmond, Wis. | 33,909 | 68 |
Steve Blenker | Sloan, N.Y. | 32,963 | 112 |
Steve Hoyt | Buffalo Grove, Ill. | 34,587 | 31 |
Steve Moyer | Oakland, Calif. | 34,692 | 28 |
Steve Tortora | Wallingford, Conn. | 35,247 | 8 |
Tim Travis | Glendora, Calif. | 31,374 | 159 |
Tim Wandling | Rohnert Park, Calif. | 31,739 | 152 |
Todd Blinn | Obetz, Ohio | 32,153 | 142 |
Todd Hinesley | Weston, Fla. | 33,875 | 72 |
Todd Voorhees | Chula Vista, Calif. | 34,369 | 44 |
Tom Deskovitz | South Lyon, Mich. | 32,487 | 133 |
Tom Morande | Chicago, Ill. | 34,520 | 36 |
Tom Overberger | Bedminster, Pa. | 32,607 | 127 |
Tony Zeller | Dundalk, Md. | 32,467 | 134 |
Travis Gray | Wellington, Fla. | 31,975 | 144 |
Treavor Phipps | Salem, Ind. | 31,173 | 163 |
Victor Kitzes | Maple Valley, Wash. | 35,207 | 9 |
Will Sayre | Sacramento, Calif. | 34,051 | 57 |
Zach Leavitt | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 34,550 | 34 |
Zach Nizolek | Kansas City, Mo. | 32,588 | 128 |