Lawrence Tynes

Tynes continues to be stymied by the Giants offense, posting identical numbers to the previous year’s – 19 FGM, 43 PAT, 100 points. The Giants again proved strong in the red zone, giving Tynes just eight attempts total in the 30-39 range the last two seasons. Tynes doesn’t possess great accuracy, either, checking in at an 80.9-percent career mark. The Giants have scored 44-48 touchdowns in each of the last five seasons, but only twice have they topped 27 field-goal attempts. Until that happens, Tynes’ value likely will be limited.

Tynes' point total dropped by 26 in 2010 thanks to an offense that limited his opportunities with turnovers. His PAT attempts fell by only two, but his 23 field-goal attempts (30th in the league) were nine fewer than in 2009. He attempted a league-low 11 field goals beyond 30 yards as the Giants posted 42 turnovers compared to 31 in 2009 and suffered through injuries to key offensive weapons Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks. Tynes' accuracy, though, 82.6 percent (19-of-23), was about in line with his previous two full seasons. The Giants have the potential to be a very good offense, as they still ranked fifth in yards, fifth in yards per play and seventh in points per game. Tynes has four likely bad-weather games down the stretch, but he's a career 9-of-9 in temperatures less than 40 degrees. If the Giants avoid excessive turnovers and severe injuries this season, Tynes is a good bet to be a useful fantasy kicker.

Tynes returned to full-time duty last season and totaled a career-high 126 points, fifth in the NFL. He ranked 14th in field-goal percentage at 84.4, but the Giants offense gave him plenty of scoring opportunities, including 45 PATs and 32 field-goal attempts. Tynes won’t offer many bonus points for long kicks, as kicking in the Meadowlands limits long-distance opportunities. Giants kickers have attempted just two 50- yarders the last three years, both of which came on the road (one in a dome, the other in the thin air of Denver). Tynes hit one of those last year, but that was a far cry from his days in Kansas City when he was 6-of-11 from 50 yards in three years. Additionally, Tynes attempted only six field goals from 40-49 yards, making five.

The volume of scoring chances provided by the Giants offense, though, makes up for any limitations. A potentially difficult late-season schedule looms with four of the last five games in cold-weather cities, but a similar slate didn’t bother him last season.

Tynes was mostly inactive last season as John Carney scored 143 points as the Giants’ field-goal kicker. Carney’s a free agent, however, and the job now belongs to Tynes, who scored 109 points as the Giants’ kicker in 2007. Tynes isn’t the most accurate kicker (79.8 percent as a full-timer), and while he has a stronger leg than Carney, long-distance field goals are difficult at the Meadowlands. The only 50-yarder attempted by either kicker the last two years came on the road in a dome. Also, the departure of Plaxico Burress makes for uncertainty in the passing game.

While Tynes plays for the Super Bowl champions, who have plenty of offensive weapons, he was just 18th in kicker points last season. Expect about the same this season. Kicking in the Meadowlands is difficult, especially from long distance, which accounts for Tynes attempting just three field goals of 40-plus yards at home last season and not one 50-plus-yard attempt, despite a 55-percent career mark in Kansas City (6-of-11 in three seasons). Tynes has two December home games, which are especially tough due to the Meadowlands' swirling winds.

Going from Kansas City to New York is essentially a lateral move – both are bad-weather cities, and both teams have questions on offense. The Giants are more dynamic in the passing game, but their windy home stadium is one of the tougher venues to kick in late in the year. Tynes finished 2006 making less than 80 percent of his attempts, but did improve his accuracy from more than 40 yards, making 9-of-13 attempts, including 2-of-4 from 50-plus.

Tynes is blessed to be kicking for a team that generates a lot of offense and he’s responded with 234 points in his two NFL seasons. He hasn’t been effective from 40-49 (7-for-14), but it’s still early in his career.

Tynes was one of three rookie kickers to make an impact in 2004. The Chiefs have no problem scoring and have averaged 57 offensive touchdowns the last three seasons. However, during that time, their kickers have averaged a below-average 23.3 field goal attempts. The team should continue to give Tynes a lot of extra points in 2005, so his 73.9 FG percent can be hidden. He shouldn’t need a lot of field goals to surpass 100 points.

Unseated Morten Andersen as the Chiefs' placekicker in 2004.