Graham Gano

Gano was one of the best kickers in the NFL throughout his first three seasons with the Giants, making 91.8 percent of his field goal attempts between 2020 and 2022. He then got off to a bad start in 2023 -- including two missed FGs in Week 1 right after signing a contract extension -- with the struggles continuing until an injury to his non-kicking knee ended his season after Week 8 and led to surgery. The 37-year-old is due $5.085 million in guaranteed compensation for 2024, giving the Giants every incentive to bring him back even after an 11-for-17 showing on field goals in 2023. Fantasy value might be hard to come by even if he returns healthy and regains his form, as the Giants offense fell off hard between 2022 to 2023 and still appears lacking in terms of both QBs and playmakers.

Gano has been in the league since 2009 and was essentially an average kicker for eight years, but he led the league in FG percentage in 2017 and hasn't looked back since. He's converted at least 87.5 percent of FGAs and 90.9 percent of PATs each of his last five seasons, with nearly identical numbers for the former as the latter over that stretch while largely attached to lousy or mediocre offenses. The Giants improved under Brian Daboll last year, and a list of offseason additions led by TE Darren Waller could mean another step forward this year, though they still look shaky at wide receiver and on the interior offensive line. If nothing else, Gano has job security and accuracy working in his favor.

Gano has missed just five kicks since joining the Giants in 2020, but a consistently moribund offense has limited the veteran kicker to 40 extra-point attempts during that stretch. After going seven of 10 from 50-plus yards last season, there’s reason to believe the 35-year-old could regress somewhat from long range, considering Gano previously went a combined 9 of 18 from 50-plus yards from 2014-2018.

After a knee injury cost him the entire 2019 season and his starting job, Gano bounced back in the best way possible last season, missing just three kicks all year for the Giants. The team's feeble 46.2 percent TD rate in the red zone (31st) led to a huge disparity, with Gano ranking 11th in FGAs and 30th in PAT tries. That should balance out a bit this season, but the Giants offense still needs far better play from QB Daniel Jones.

Sidelined all of last season due to a knee injury, Gano watched rookie Joey Slye finish ranked 15th among kickers in scoring. After being cut by the Panthers at the end of July, Gano caught on with the Giants in mid-August, joining a team that finished tied for 18th in scoring last year (21.3 points per game).

Gano was on pace for his least productive season in Carolina even before he missed the final four games of 2018 with a knee injury. It was a matter of opportunity rather than accuracy, so he should be back for another year with his knee returning to health. But between his pronounced home-road splits and middling team context, Gano is tough to rely on.

Gano finished 14th to 16th among kickers in fantasy scoring four of the last five seasons, mixing in a No. 2 finish in 2015 when the Panthers went 15-1. Until the Carolina offense shows any sign of regaining its 2015 form, Gano should merely be the guy taken with the last pick of a draft, or else left on waivers as an eventual bye-week replacement. He's hit only 17 of 31 tries from 50-plus yards in his career.

Gano's 38 field-goal attempts last year were a career high and good for fifth in the NFL, but his 78.9 percent success rate ranked 25th. Additionally, his PAT conversion rate ranked 23rd, leaving him as the No. 15 scoring kicker despite a high number of opportunities. A heel injury on his plant foot hampered him much of the season, and he underwent surgery in January. Gano is healthy now, but following roster cut-downs, seventh-round pick Harrison Butker was retained, thus clouding the team's kicking situation in advance of Week 1.

The Panthers had the highest-scoring offense in the NFL last season, and their kicking game followed suit, as only the Patriots got more production from their kicker. In fact, Gano's 146 points was closer to the Patriots' production (151) than to third-place finishers Pittsburgh and Arizona, who tied for 137. Gano tied Stephen Gostkowski for the fourth-most field goal attempts, while his league-high 56 PATs closed the gap for the top spot. Accuracy was the issue for Gano, who hit just 83.3 percent of his field-goal attempts, which trailed 19 other kickers who played at least six games. He's only finished above 84 percent once during his time in Carolina, but his volume certainly keeps him near the top for fantasy consideration.

Gano tied for seventh in field-goal attempts last season, but an 82.9-percent conversion rate left him 13th in scoring. His accuracy from long distance continues to lag, as his 6-of-6 mark from at least 50 yards in 2013 is an outlier. Gano connected on just 10-of-15 kicks from more than 40 yards last year (1-of-3 from 50-plus). Carolina wasn't particularly good in the red zone, ranking 27th in touchdown efficiency at 46.8 percent, and while Gano took advantage of those opportunities (19-of-20 from inside 40 yards), he needs to improve his range for a fantasy bump.

Gano entered last season on uncertain ground with the Panthers, but after hitting 88.9 percent of his field goals, he earned some long-term security with a four-year contract extension. Though he won’t have to fight for his job, Gano’s career conversion rate of 78 percent raises the question of whether 2013 was a step forward or a fluke. His leg strength leaves little room for dispute, however, as he has a 59-yarder on his career resume and was 6-for-6 from over 50 yards last season. Even if Gano retains his newfound accuracy, he could still be headed for a noticeable downgrade in PATs after the Panthers lost several key offensive personnel in the offseason.

After the Panthers received unsatisfactory kicking from Justin Medlock, Gano was signed in Week 12, turning in healthy numbers when Cam Newton and the offense took off late in the season. While the PATs should continue to trickle in nicely, Gano’s historically poor accuracy could capsize his value. Sitting at a 74.7 percent on field-goal attempts for his career (including an alarmingly bad 63.2 percent mark from 30-39 yards), Gano has yet to prove he can consistently make kicks from anywhere on the field.

Gano has a very powerful leg but has been inconsistent at times. He missed 10 field goals, five of which were blocked, however he was 4 of 5 from 50+ yards. He broke his back trying to make a tackle in the final game of 2012. He is healthy in training camp. He will compete with veteran Neil Rackers for the place kicking job. If he wins the job expect him to be on a very short leash in 2012.

Gano finished 2010 as the league's most inaccurate kicker, making only 24-of-35 attempts (68.6 percent) and missing five kicks of less than 40 yards. As a result, Gano faces a training camp battle with Shayne Graham. Even if Gano keeps the job, his prospects for 2011 aren't bright. The Redskins have major issues at quarterback, as Donovan McNabb was sent to Minnesota, leaving John Beck, Rex Grossman and Kellen Clemens to compete for the starting job. After they solve the QB issue, the Redskins then will have to fix an offense that has been one of the poorer scoring units in the league the last few seasons, averaging less than 21 points per game since 2007.

Gano has made just four field goals in his NFL career but goes into the season as the Redskins starter. Donovan McNabb replaces Jason Campbell at quarterback in one of the many moves made by the Redskins in the offseason. Head coach Jim Zorn was fired and replaced by Mike Shanahan while the running game could get a complete overhaul with the addition of Larry Johnson, Willie Parker and Ryan Torain. The Redskins kicking position put up just 92 points last season, with the rookie Gano taking over in Week 14. While there’s room for optimism, the Redskins still lack playmakers in the passing game, and the top three running backs on the roster are all past their prime. McNabb could make a difference in Washington, but there are too many factors that suggest it will be a minimal one for Gano.

Gano won the Lou Groza Award his senior season at Florida State as the best kicker in college football. He'll compete with Steven Hauschka for field goal duties following the departure of Matt Stover.