I notice that there’s been more fluctuation with kickers of late. More teams have been able to pull off the worst-to-first kind of moves.
Of the 10 teams finishing with the most kicking points last year, for example, half the previous season finished in the bottom 10. That’s the most ever, I imagine (though I didn’t check the numbers prior to the move to 32 teams in 2002).
In both 2020 and 2023 seasons, four teams were able to pull off that level of movement. In each of the last nine years, in fact, multiple teams have been able to climb from bottom 10 to top 10. In all but two of those seasons, at least three did it.
That being the case, I suppose we should be looking at the bottom 10 teams from last year and picking out about three that will be dramatically improved. But it’s not a promising bunch: Seahawks, Saints, Jaguars, Titans, Patriots, Panthers, Giants, Bears, Jets, Browns.
KICKERS MOVING FROM BOTTOM 10 TO TOP 10 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Points | Rk | Prev Yr | Rk |
2024 | • Washington | 147 | 5 | 89 | 31 |
2024 | • Detroit | 142 | 7t | 105 | 28 |
2024 | • Minnesota | 150 | 2t | 108 | 26 |
2024 | • Pittsburgh | 158 | 1 | 114 | 24 |
2024 | • Green Bay | 142 | 7t | 115 | 22t |
2023 | Chicago | 136 | 5 | 102 | 29t |
2023 | New Orleans | 130 | 10t | 102 | 29t |
2023 | Cleveland | 132 | 9 | 107 | 28 |
2023 | Houston | 133 | 8 | 111 | 25 |
2022 | Seattle | 143 | 1 | 95 | 28 |
2022 | Carolina | 129 | 7t | 104 | 25t |
2021 | Philadelphia | 134 | 9t | 66 | 32 |
2021 | Minnesota | 135 | 6t | 82 | 30 |
2021 | New England | 150 | 1t | 108 | 23t |
2020 | Buffalo | 141 | 4 | 96 | 26t |
2020 | Chicago | 126 | 9t | 96 | 26t |
2020 | Miami | 144 | 2t | 98 | 25 |
2020 | Indianapolis | 139 | 5 | 99 | 24 |
2019 | Arizona | 127 | 6 | 59 | 32 |
2019 | Tampa Bay | 124 | 8 | 100 | 23 |
2018 | NY Giants | 127 | 8 | 74 | 30t |
2018 | Green Bay | 124 | 10 | 78 | 29 |
2018 | Houston | 150 | 2 | 92 | 25 |
2017 | LA Rams | 168 | 1 | 80 | 32 |
2017 | San Francisco | 145 | 4 | 87 | 29 |
2017 | Tennessee | 136 | 9 | 105 | 23t |
2016 | New Orleans | 133 | 5 | 98 | 28 |
2016 | Houston | 127 | 8t | 101 | 26t |
2016 | Philadelphia | 135 | 4 | 105 | 23 |
This is more movement than in the past. Looking at the other 14 seasons in which the league had 32 teams, I see five seasons with either no team or just one team making the climb up from bottom 10 to top 10. In only three of those seasons were three teams able to do it.
For totaled numbers, only 24 teams in those 14 years were able to make the big move up. Now it’s happened 29 times in nine years.
I don’t know why this is occurring. I suppose it’s tied to the labor agreement changes made in 2011, with teams tending to change more rapidly.
For fantasy purposes, I it means you’re more likely to see a good kicker who isn’t even selected in your draft.
The Steelers were a bottom-10 kicking team in 2023 but Chris Boswell last year led the league with 158 points.
KICKERS MOVING FROM BOTTOM 10 TO TOP 10 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Points | Rk | Prev Yr | Rk |
2015 | Chicago | 127 | 9t | 69 | 32 |
2014 | Houston | 130 | 9 | 104 | 25 |
2013 | Buffalo | 131 | 9t | 102 | 25 |
2012 | Denver | 133 | 7t | 87 | 31 |
2012 | NY Giants | 145 | 2 | 100 | 25 |
2011 | San Francisco | 166 | 1 | 99 | 28 |
2011 | Cincinnati | 132 | 7 | 102 | 24t |
2010 | St. Louis | 125 | 8t | 73 | 31 |
2010 | Oakland | 142 | 2 | 95 | 26 |
2009 | no teams | -- | -- | -- | -- |
2008 | Carolina | 130 | 5 | 99 | 24t |
2008 | Minnesota | 127 | 7t | 99 | 24t |
2008 | Atlanta | 129 | 6 | 103 | 23 |
2007 | Tampa Bay | 118 | 10t | 73 | 31 |
2007 | Cleveland | 120 | 9 | 88 | 29 |
2007 | Tennessee | 133 | 3 | 98 | 26 |
2006 | Detroit | 117 | 7 | 84 | 32 |
2006 | Chicago | 143 | 1 | 92 | 28 |
2006 | New Orleans | 115 | 10t | 97 | 25 |
2005 | St. Louis | 117 | 7t | 89 | 26 |
2005 | Arizona | 149 | 1 | 94 | 22t |
2004 | Buffalo | 117 | 8t | 75 | 31 |
2004 | San Diego | 114 | 10 | 81 | 28t |
2003 | Carolina | 125 | 5t | 74 | 29t |
2003 | St. Louis | 163 | 1 | 94 | 24 |
2002 | no teams | -- | -- | -- | -- |
—Ian Allan