Kickers….The Accuracy of Shaq at the Free-Throw Line

12/08/2009 9:44 PM -  Mike Woellert

I know, there’s a basketball reference, but it holds true in this case.  As discussed on the radio show today, we got into a discussion about kickers and their accuracy and there’s nothing better than getting into a deep conversation about place-kickers.  The place-kicker is often the fat-kid of fantasy football….usually the last person taken when picking teams.  Just ask Peyton Manning what he thinks of Matt Vanderjagt.  However, they are required on your fantasy team and, in case you haven’t noticed, kicker accuracy seems to be worsening quicker than security at the White House.  Last night, we saw Mason Crosby miss a 38 yard FG, Shaun Suisham miss a 27 yarder that would have all but clinched a win against the undefeated Saints and John Carney miss a chip, by his standards.  This article will look at the top 20 (actually 21 because of some ties) kickers this season in terms of FG attempted, under 40 yards, and their accuracy over the past few seasons:

Through week 13 of the 2009 season, there have been 495 total field goal attempts by the top 21 kickers, 310 of those attempts have been from under 40 yards and 285 of those have been successful attempts, which is a 91.9% accuracy rate.  Kickers are only 87% accurate from 30-39, which is quite alarming, since that distance, for a pro kicker, is not that far is a very common FG attempt.  Rob Bironas, who was one of the top kickers taken in 2009, is 50% from between 30-39 yards making 2 out of 4.  Recently cut kicker, Shaun Suisham was 100% from 40-49 and was 8-9 from 20-29 (that last miss, led to him no longer being a part of the Redskins).  The kickers this season have been under a microscope because of the misses recently from such a short distance and, the impact these misses have had on their games.

In the 2008 season, there were 720 field goal attempts by the top 21 kickers.  Of the 720 attempts, 432 attempts were from less than 40 yards and of the 432 attempts, there were 411 made, which was an accuracy rate of 95%.  Kickers were much more accurate across the board from  30-39 yards than in 2009 (so far).  They were also a bit more accurate from 20-29 yards compared to 2009 (97.6% to 96.2%).

Lastly, in the 2007 season, there were 685 attempts made by the top 21 kickers.  Of those 685 attempts, 408 were attempted from less than 40 yards and of 432 attempts, 381 were good, which was an accuracy rate of 93.4%.  Field goal percentages from 30-39 yards were made at an 91.8% clip, while the percentages from 20-29 were at 94.5%.

If you have made it this far, I congratulate and thank you for reading this.  This might also prove the point that you don’t need to reach for a kicker and that you can wait till the last round of your draft.  Just in case you needed more statistical analysis, here’s a bit more(Because I know you can’t get enough of this subject):

-From 2007 to 2008, FG attempts under 40 yards increased by 5%

-From 2007 to 2008, FG accuracy under 40 yards increased 2%

-From 2007 to 2008, FG accuracy from 20-29 yards increased by 3%

-If the 2009 season continues the way it is, there will be decrease in accuracy along the board for FG kickers

Here are some raw numbers that I compiled from NFL.com

2009 Season
Kicker	30-39 A	30-39 M		Accuracy	20-29 A	20-29 M	Accuracy	1-19 A	1-19 M	Accuracy
David Akers	8	7		87.5%	7	7	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Mason Crosby	7	6		85.7%	10	10	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Lawrence Tynes	12	10		83.3%	11	9	81.8%	0	0	0.0%
Nate Kaeding	2	2		100.0%	15	15	100.0%	2	2	100.0%
Stephen Gostowski	12	11		91.7%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Matt Prater	7	5		71.4%	10	10	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Jay Feely	11	10		90.9%	4	4	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Nick Folk	6	5		83.3%	5	5	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Rob Bironas	4	2		50.0%	6	6	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Shayne Graham	9	7		77.8%	7	6	85.7%	0	0	0.0%
Rian Lindell	5	5		100.0%	10	10	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Olindo Mare	10	9		90.0%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Josh Scobee	4	4		100.0%	7	6	85.7%	0	0	0.0%
Ryan Succop	4	4		100.0%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Robbie Gould	5	5		100.0%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Shaun Suisham	6	5		83.3%	9	8	88.9%	0	0	0.0%
Kris Brown	7	5		71.4%	7	6	85.7%	0	0	0.0%
Dan Carpenter	6	6		100.0%	5	5	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
John Kasay	6	5		83.3%	6	6	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Ryan Longwell	4	4		100.0%	7	7	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Jeff Reed	11	10		90.9%	3	3	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Totals	146	127		87.0%	157	151	96.2%	7	7	100.0%
2008 Season
Kicker	30-39 A	30-39 M		Accuracy	20-29 A	20-29 M	Accuracy	1-19 A	1-19 M	Accuracy
David Akers	12	10		83.3%	11	11	100.0%	2	2	100.0%
Stephen Gostowski	16	16		100.0%	12	10	83.3%	0	0	0.0%
Matt Bryant	15	15		100.0%	12	12	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
John Carney	15	14		93.3%	15	15	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Rian Lindell	11	11		100.0%	8	7	87.5%	1	1	100.0%
Josh Brown	7	7		100.0%	8	8	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Phil Dawson	14	12		85.7%	10	10	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Shaun Suisham	9	7		77.8%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Mason Crosby	13	10		76.9%	8	8	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Ryan Longwell	9	7		77.8%	10	10	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Matt Prater	9	8		88.9%	8	7	87.5%	0	0	0.0%
Rob Bironas	7	7		100.0%	6	6	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Kris Brown	10	10		100.0%	10	9	90.0%	0	0	0.0%
Joe Nedney	10	10		100.0%	9	9	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Matt Stover	12	11		91.7%	11	11	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Nate Kaeding	10	10		100.0%	13	13	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Jason Elam	8	7		87.5%	11	11	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
John Kasay	9	9		100.0%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Jeff Reed	9	8		88.9%	9	9	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Sebastian Janikowski	8	8		100.0%	11	11	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Robbie Gould	12	12		100.0%	6	6	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Totals	225	209		92.9%	202	197	97.5%	5	5	100.0%
2007 Season
Kicker	30-39 A	30-39 M		Accuracy	20-29 A	20-29 M	Accuracy	1-19 A	1-19 M	Accuracy
Rob Bironas	12	12		100.0%	12	10	83.3%	0	0	0.0%
Mason Crosby	11	10		90.9%	8	8	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Robbie Gould	13	12		92.3%	7	7	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Mike Nugent	12	10		83.3%	11	11	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Jason Hanson	12	10		83.3%	5	4	80.0%	1	1	100.0%
Shaun Suisham	10	8		80.0%	10	10	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Josh Brown	5	5		100.0%	12	12	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Shayne Graham	13	13		100.0%	12	11	91.7%	1	1	100.0%
Matt Bryant	11	11		100.0%	12	11	91.7%	0	0	0.0%
David Akers	10	10		100.0%	12	12	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Sebastian Janikowski	7	6		85.7%	4	4	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Matt Stover	7	7		100.0%	11	11	100.0%	1	1	100.0%
Jeff Wilkins	7	6		85.7%	8	7	87.5%	0	0	0.0%
Jason Elam	6	6		100.0%	11	11	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
Nick Folk	7	7		100.0%	12	10	83.3%	0	0	0.0%
Phil Dawson	8	7		87.5%	10	9	90.0%	2	2	100.0%
Neil Rackers	8	6		75.0%	5	5	100.0%	2	2	100.0%
Kris Brown	6	6		100.0%	7	6	85.7%	1	1	100.0%
Adam Vinatieri	10	8		80.0%	15	14	93.3%	1	1	100.0%
Morten Andersen	12	12		100.0%	9	9	100.0%	0	0	0.0%
John Kasay	9	8		88.9%	6	6	100.0%	2	2	100.0%
Totals	196	180		91.8%	199	188	94.5%	13	13	100.0%