Mason Crosby

The Packers truly have stuck with Crosby through thick and thin, including five missed kicks in an eight-point loss to Detroit last season. He actually was quite good the rest of the year, but he still has a lengthy track record that says the 34-year-old is a subpar kicker by modern standards. Crosby's attachment to an Aaron Rodgers offense always sounds promising, but the result tends to disappoint.

Crosby may seem tempting because he's attached to Aaron Rodgers, but consider that the long-time Packers kicker finished 15th or lower in fantasy scoring each of the last three seasons. Rodgers' efficiency in the red zone limits the number of chip shots, and Crosby has converted just 29 of 57 attempts (50.9 percent) from 50-plus yards in his career. He simply isn't a good kicker, yet the Packers always stick with him.

Crosby's 86.7 field-goal percentage last season was the second best of his career, and only three players attempted more PATs. Unfortunately, he was still only tied for 10th in field-goal accuracy while finishing 20th in attempts -- a combination that allowed 12 kickers to score more points. Aaron Rodgers' strong work in the red zone typically limits Crosby's field-goal attempts to fewer than what is expected for a kicker attached to a top offense. Given that he's attempted fewer than 34 field goals in four of the last five seasons, Crosby doesn't figure to emerge as an elite kicker this year.

The Packers ranked in the top 5 for kicker points in both 2013 and 2014, but injuries on offense in 2015 limited both their overall scoring and their points from kickers, dropping all the way to 19th with 108. Crosby's accuracy last year was in the range of his career numbers, but he took five fewer field goals and 19 fewer PATs (he hit all of the latter) due to the Packers' inability to move the ball the way they did in prior years. Nevertheless, all of the important pieces are expected back, so there's no reason to believe that Crosby won't elevate his production enough to reclaim his spot as one of the better fantasy kicker options.

The Packers weren't particularly great in the red zone last season, scoring on 57.1 percent (11th) of their trips inside the 20. However, they were fifth in red-zone opportunities, which helped them lead the NFL in points scored. That was a great combination for Crosby, whose 134 points ranked fourth. And that was with missing some field-goal opportunities because of Green Bay's 15 long-distance touchdowns (4th). The Packers return all of their skill players, which should ensure little, if any, drop in offensive production. Weather is always a concern late in the season at Lambeau Field, but Crosby will benefit from three road games in December that should produce decent kicking conditions (Week 13 at Detroit, Week 15 at Oakland, Week 16 at Arizona).

On shaky ground after missing 12 field goals a season before, Crosby made significant strides in 2013, hitting 33 field goals at a 89.2 percent clip, both personal bests. The dramatic uptick in proficiency helped Crosby finish fifth in scoring with 141 points, despite accruing a career-low 42 PATs. Much of that was a byproduct of Aaron Rodgers missing seven games due to injury, but with the quarterback healthy to open the season, Crosby’s PATs should creep closer to his career average of 49.7 per season, while his attempts from the field may notice a subsequent dip. It might be difficult for Crosby to reach 140 points again, but his excellent offense, improved accuracy and capabilities from 50-plus yards (5-for-7 in 2013) make him a serviceable fantasy option.

Thought to be one of the safer fantasy options, Crosby imploded last season, missing 12 field goals and kicking a league-low 63.6 percent. But things are not as bad as they appear. Seven of his misses came from 50-plus where he attempted a career-high nine kicks. And had he converted just one more field goal inside 50 yards, he would have been right on his career rate at that distance. In fact, his 113 points were actually one more than what he scored in 2010. His 140 points in 2011 were inflated by an unrealistic 69 PATs; last season's 50 PATs still ranked fourth. The Packers have given Crosby no fewer than 46 PATs in any of his six years in Green Bay. Another season like that coupled with a handful more field goals inside 50 yards, and Crosby will again meet expectations. Crosby is expected to face training-camp competition, but coach Mike McCarthy hasn't waivered yet in his support of him.

Crosby benefited last season from the NFL’s top scoring offense, which should be nearly as potent in 2012. Crosby finished with 140 points, fourth overall, on the strength of 68 PAT conversions, the second highest total in league history. It’s too much to expect another all-time performance, but that could help Crosby. His 28 field goal attempts ranked just 20th in the league last season (24 makes on a career-high 85.7 percent accuracy). A handful fewer touchdowns resulting in more field goals would have vaulted Crosby to second in the league in scoring last season. Either way, the dominance of the Packers offense makes Crosby one of the safest kickers around.

Crosby scored 112 points last season for the Super Bowl champions, but inaccuracy continues to depress his value. Crosby has never topped 80 percent kicking in his four-year career and hit only 78.6 percent of his field-goal attempts (22-of-28) last season. His 28 attempts were a career-low, thanks to the Packers' 60.4-percent touchdown efficiency in the red-zone (up from 54.8 percent in 2009), but his 46 PATs ranked third, lifting him to 11th in scoring. And as long as Aaron Rodgers is around to direct a prolific Packers offense, Crosby can rely on PATs to prop up his fantasy value when field goals don't – he's pushed 50 extra-point attempts in each of his four years. Crosby ends the season with five potential bad-weather games, though last season he was 6-of-7 in cold weather. Crosby has to make up in volume what he lacks in accuracy. But that's possible if the Packers' red-zone production drops slightly to its 2009 level when 20 red-zone drives resulted in field goals, as opposed to just 12 last season.

As long as Aaron Rodgers is at the helm in Green Bay, Crosby is a threat to be one of the top scoring kickers in fantasy. The Packers scored 49 touchdowns and Crosby made 27 field goals in 2009, tied for sixth-most in the league. Crosby’s downfall, as it is every year, is his accuracy. Crosby missed nine field goals last season and has missed at least seven field goals in each of his three seasons, a remarkably high total in today’s NFL. Crosby was just 6-of- 13 last season from beyond 40 yards and has never made 80 percent of his kicks in any season. He did improve last season in December as he made 6-of-9 field goals after being just 5-of-10 in the previous two years.

Crosby may never be the most accurate kicker, but with the Packers high-scoring offense and his 37 field-goal attempt average per season, fantasy owners can live with the misses.

Crosby dipped a bit last season from his league-leading 141 points the previous year, but he still scored 127 points, good for seventh. The culprit was five fewer field-goal attempts and two fewer extra-point attempts in the Packers’ first post-Brett Favre season. Crosby would help himself, though, if he were more accurate. In his first two years, he kicked a nearly identical 79.5 percent in 2007 and 79.4 percent in 2008. One factor is December weather – he’s just 5-of-10 at cold-weather sites in December the last two years. This season, Crosby has four potential bad-weather games in December. Crosby has a strong leg, though, and notched three field goals of 50-plus yards again last season.

Had Brett Favre not retired, Crosby would be ranked No. 1, and he still might finish that way. Crosby is an example of why it's not necessary to draft a kicker early. Last season, Crosby wasn't even assured the starting job, but once he got it, he blossomed into the league's top scorer (141 points). Crosby has a strong leg and should be moved up in leagues that reward points for makes beyond 50 yards. Of some concern are three potential bad weather games in December, but with Ryan Grant, a good defense and solid receivers to help Aaron Rodgers, Crosby should have plenty of scoring opportunities.

Many critics attribute Crosby's ability to kick 50+ yard field goals consistantly to him playing his collegiate career in the mountain air of Colorado. Nevertheless, Crosby still holds the NCAA Division I-A record for a field goal at sea level when he nailed 58-yard field goal against Miami in 2005. He'll certainly give current Packers kicker Dave Rayner a run for his money for the starting job in 2007.