Sleeper Watch

In the days following the NFL draft, analysts could frequently be heard saying that Doug Brien’s fate was sealed the minute the New York Jets called out Mike Nugent’s name in the middle of the second round. Say what? Didn’t the entire planet know that Brien would never put on a Jets uniform again as soon as Jeff Reed’s 33-yarder sailed through the uprights to eliminate New York from the playoffs last January 15, just minutes after Brien had missed on two chances to win the game?

Be that as it may, Brien now predictably finds himself in football limbo, and his owners in dynasty leagues are making alternate plans for next season. But not so fast – the dependable kicker (in the regular season, at least) may still hook up with an NFL franchise, and if he does, he could have considerable fantasy value.

Perhaps the most likely scenario would see Brien landing in Minnesota. The Vikings are looking for an upgrade at kicker, and at the moment, the former Jet looks like the best option. His playoff woes may have forever branded him a goat in the minds of New Yorkers, but don’t forget that he recorded 105 points in each of the last two seasons, and only missed five of twenty-nine field goal attempts last year, an 82.8% success rate. He also performed well in a six-game stint with the Vikings in 2002, connecting on five of six tries.

If he does wind up playing his home games in the land of ten thousand lakes, Doug Brien should find plenty of opportunities to put the past behind him. Even without Randy Moss, the Vikings will once again put plenty of points on the scoreboard, creating plenty of scoring chances for their kicker. Of course, it’s far from certain that Brien will be Minnesota’s kicker of choice, but if you’re lacking at the position and can pick him up for a song in your dynasty league, doing so might not be a bad gamble.