Fantasy Index

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Factoid

Position on the rise

Kickers scoring more points than ever

I notice that kickers are scoring more points than they have in the past. They’re more accurate, they have better range, and teams are getting them on the field more often.

The league went to the 16-game schedule in 1978, and in the ensuing 40 years there have been 53 seasons in which teams scored at least 140 points via the kicker. Two thirds of those seasons have come in the last 10 years.

Kickers were particularly prolific in this just-completed season. The Rams scored 168 points, the most ever (if not for a back injury that sidelined him for the final two games, Greg Zuerlein would have bettered David Akers’ single-season scoring record for kickers). Harrison Butker also averaged more points than Akers while playing fewer than 16 games.

Greg Zuerlein and Harrison Butker led the way. Had either played a full 16 games, David Akers’ single-season scoring record for kickers (166 points) might have fallen. But they were still remarkably productive, and there were plenty of others.

Stephen Gostkowski has been remarkably reliable, going over 150 points in five of his last six seasons.

All totaled seven different kickers last year scored at least 140 points. That ties (with 2013) as the most ever.

TEAMS WITH AT LEAST 140 KICKING POINTS
YearTeamPoints
2017Los Angeles Rams168
2011San Francisco 49ers166
1998Minnesota Vikings164
2017Kansas City163
2003St. Louis Rams163
1983Washington 161
2016Atlanta Falcons158
2013New England Patriots158
2003Indianapolis Colts157
2017New England Patriots156
2014New England Patriots156
2012New England Patriots153
2015New England Patriots151
2013Denver Broncos150
2014Philadelphia Eagles150
2005Arizona Cardinals149
2008New York Giants149
1991Washington 149
2008New England Patriots148
2005New York Giants148
2011New Orleans Saints147
2015Carolina Panthers146
2009San Diego Chargers146
2017San Francisco 49ers145
1996Carolina Panthers145
1999Indianapolis Colts145
2012New York Giants145
1985Chicago Bears144
1999Miami Dolphins144
2008Philadelphia Eagles144
2013San Diego Chargers144
2012Atlanta Falcons143
2006Chicago Bears143
2011New England Patriots143
2010Philadelphia Eagles143
2013Seattle Seahawks143
2017Pittsburgh Steelers142
1987New Orleans Saints142
2010Oakland Raiders142
2017Baltimore Ravens141
2016Baltimore Ravens141
2013Green Bay Packers141
2007Green Bay Packers141
2012Minnesota Vikings141
2004New England Patriots141
1995Pittsburgh Steelers141
2017New Orleans Saints140
2013Baltimore Ravens140
1998Buffalo Bills140
2011Green Bay Packers140
2014Indianapolis Colts140
1986New England Patriots140
2013San Francisco 49ers140

Given all those big seasons, I’m surprised that the league total for the position wasn’t a little higher. But there were also some painfully low-scoring players at the position (with the 0-16 Browns leading the way). So league-wide, the average for kickers last year was 114.5 points. There have been six other seasons (all in the last 10 years) in which teams averaged more kicking points.

AVERAGE KICKING POINTS
YearPoints
198795.11
198897.04
1989101.00
199098.82
1991100.50
199293.54
1993103.39
1994100.39
1995108.13
1996105.77
1997103.90
1998105.23
1999106.58
2000104.71
2001103.35
2002104.97
2003105.56
2004102.75
2005107.75
2006107.00
2007110.94
2008115.78
2009107.28
2010112.03
2011116.06
2012118.28
2013120.34
2014115.91
2015114.00
2016114.66
2017114.50

For fantasy purposes, the decision making on draft day still comes down to measuring the payoff of using an earlier draft pick and what you think you might find in the late rounds or on the waiver wire. Kickers like Gostkowski, Tucker and Justin Tucker appear to worth more than a last-round choice. But there should also be some unheralded kickers in 2018 who go over 140 points – question is whether you can identify them before the others in your league.

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index