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Nobody scored more points in '97 than Jacksonville's Mike Hollis. FSM likes his chances to repeat that honor in '98.NFL owners learned a very valuable lesson last year: When spending all of that free agent money, don't risk it on field goal kickers. Instead, spend the big bucks on offensive and defensive starters.

Four teams started last year with rookie kickers ­ including the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers ­ and all four rookies finished in the top 10 in scoring. Rolling the dice last year were Dallas, Green Bay, the New York Jets and Miami, and all were winners.

But two teams who gambled in the lottery in a big way last year lost out. Philadelphia signed former Dallas kicker Chris Boniol to a $2.4 million contract and Boniol's production dropped precipitously, while St. Louis signed former San Francisco kicker Jeff Wilkins to a multi-year contract and received little in return. Wilkins finished fourth in the league in scoring in '96, but was so bad last year that the Rams are thinking about waiving him this year.

Even veteran Chris Jacke, who demanded a multi-million dollar contract from Green Bay, had a forgettable season. The Packers went with rookie Ryan Longwell and Jacke remained a free agent until late in the pre-season, when he signed with Pittsburgh. Jacke then suffered a leg injury that would sideline him for much of the '97 season.

But overall, '97 was a good year for kickers. The number of kickers who topped the 100-point mark increased from 17 in 1997 to 18 in 1998, including four rookies: Longwell, Dallas' Richie Cunningham, the Jets' John Hall and Miami's Olindo Mare. Field goal kickers also converted three-pointers at a 78.1 percent clip, hitting 708 of 906 attempts. The number of made field goals was down by 24 from the previous year, but long-range kicks increased considerably. Kickers converted 41-of-78 from 50 yards or longer, compared to 30-of-58 in 1996.

We'd love to tell you that there is one dominant kicker from this group, but that's just not the case. Detroit's Jason Hanson was our top pick in '96 and he went on to score 72 points that year, while the top-ranked guy last year, Carolina's John Kasay, saw his scoring output drop from 145 to 91. This is a very uncertain position and the kickers are at the mercy of their offensive teammates.

So take the advice we'd give the NFL owners right now: Save your free agent bucks and high draft picks for the offensive skill players and leave the kickers for later. A good one will still be there late in your fantasy-league draft.

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RANKINGS START HERE!!

1. Mike Hollis, Jaguars: This third-year pro made the Pro Bowl team for the first time last year after leading the NFL in scoring with 134 points. The Jaguars finished third in the NFL in scoring with 394 points ­ 69 more points than the year before ­ which led to Hollis' scoring surge. The former University of Idaho star converted 31 of 36 field goal attempts and added 41 extra points for his career-high total. Hollis has one of the strongest legs in the league and he showed it last year by hitting two-of-two from over 50 yards, while converting seven-of-nine from 40-49 yards. Hollis certainly isn't a one-year wonder as he scored 117 points the year before and has now converted 81 of 99 field goal attempts over his career. As long as Mark Brunell is leading this offense, Hollis will get in position enough times to score 120-130 points.

2. Richie Cunningham, Cowboys: Who would have ever thought that the freckled kid from ³Happy Days² would eventually become the kicker for ³America's Team²? Okay, so this isn't THAT Richie C., but it's still a nice story. Cunningham was originally signed by Dallas in 1994, but didn't see his first game action until last year when he was signed to replace Chris Boniol. The former Southwestern Louisiana graduate was stellar last year, leading the NFL with 34 field goals and finishing second with 126 points. As a rookie, Cunningham converted 34 of 37 field goal attempts (91.9%), including one from 53 yards. But the Cowboys' offensive woes were a good news/bad news situation. The Cowboys were so pathetic inside the 20-yard-line that Cunningham converted a league-high 17 of 17 field goals inside the 30. But because of Dallas' scoring woes, Cunningham was limited to 24 extra points. The Cowboys should be much improved in the ³Red Zone² this year, so expect fewer field goals inside the 20-yard-line and more extra points. The end result: 120-130 points in '98.

3. Jason Elam, Broncos: Denver led the NFL last year in scoring with 472 points and was first in touchdowns as well, scoring 55. The Packers were a distant second with 422 points. All of that scoring made it easy for Elam to finish fourth among kickerswith 124 points as he converted 26-of-36 field goal attempts and added 46 extra points. But even though the overall numbers looked good on paper, Elam was a bit shaky last year, converting only three-of-eight from 40-49 yards and missing three from inside the 40. He did convert three from 50 or more yards ­ including a 53-yarder ­ but his conversion rate of 72.2 percent was his lowest during his five-year career. Still, the 28-year-old is in the perfect situation with Denver and has topped the 108-point mark every year since 1993, so expect another 120-130 point season from the former University of Hawaii star.

4. Ryan Longwell, Packers: The Packers went into last season knowing that they would be starting a rookie kicker, but they had no idea it would be this free agent out of California. Green Bay had used its third-round pick on Penn State kicker Brett Conway, but a torn muscle in his leg sidelined him for the entire season, opening the door for Longwell. This 23-year-old stepped to the plate and delivered, converting 24 of 30 field goal attempts and hitting a league-best 48-of-48 extra point attempts for a total of 120 points. The Packers handled Longwell with kid gloves, however, allowing him only five field goal attempts from beyond 40 yards. The only concern with Longwell right now is that Conway could still be considered for the starting job. But the best bet is that Longwell will be kicking for Green Bay in '98 and racking up a total of 120-130 points once again.

5. Jason Hanson, Lions: After attempting only 17 field goas in 1996 ­ and recording a career-low of only 72 points ­ Hanson got back on track last year by accumulating 117 points. His accuracy was impeccable as he successfully converted 23-of-24 field goal attempts from inside the 50-yard line and hit field goals from 53 and 55 yards. Yes, he missed his first extra point in four years, but his 39 PATs were the second-highest total of his six-year career. As long as Barry Sanders is still headlining this offense, Hanson should be in good position to score 115-125 points. Look for at least that much from one of the league's most accurate field goal kickers.

6. Adam Vinatieri, Patriots: Vinatieri avoided the ³sophomore jinx² last year when he successfully converted 25-of-29 field goal attempts (86.2%) and all 40 PATs for 115 points. His point total was five fewer than during his incredible rookie campaign, but his accuracy was much better than the year before as he hit six-of-eight from 40-49 yards and his only attempt from beyond 50 yards (a 52-yarder against Buffalo). The former free agent out of South Dakota State has now scored 235 points in just two pro seasons and should be good for another 115-125 points in '98.

7. Al Del Greco, Oilers: Del Greco continues to clean up on the celebrity golf tour, but he's not ready for the links on a fulltime basis just yet. The 14-year veteran has been stellar for the Oilers the last seven years, scoring 100 or more points during five of the last six years. Last year, the 36-year-old successfully converted 27-of-35 field goal attempts (77.1%) and all 32 PATs for a total of 113 points. He struggled from 40-49 yards, converting only seven-of-14, but hit both attempts from beyond 50 yards, including a 52-yarder. The Oilers should be a much better team offensively this year, so don't be surprised if he approaches the 120-point mark in '98.

8. Pete Stoyanovich, Chiefs: After bombing with the Chiefs in '96 when he scored only 85 points, Stoyanovich bounced back in a big way last year. The nine-year veteran converted 26-of-27 field goal attempts ­ including 14 of 15 from beyond 40 yards ­ and didn't miss a field goal attempt over the last 13 games of the season. His 54-yard game-winning field goal as time expired in the Chiefs' 24-22 win over Denver on Nov. 16 was probably the most memorable kick of the year. He also hit 35-of-36 PAT attempts to finish with 113 points. Stoyanovich, 31, has now scored 100 or more points in seven of the last eight seasons and should be good for another 110-120 point total with Kansas City in '98.

9. Olindo Mare, Dolphins: The Dolphins cut Joe Nedney before the start of the season and went with this unproven free agent out of Syracuse. But Mare didn't disappoint as he finished seventh in scoring with 117 points. He converted 28-of-36 field goal attempts (77.8%) and all 33 of his PAT attempts. Like Green Bay did with Longwell, the Dolphins kept Mare within his limits, allowing him only nine field goal attempts from 40 yards or more. Mare doesn't have the strongest leg in the league and isn't the most reliable kicker from 40 yards and out (only four-of-nine from that range last year). But with this offense, Mare should be good for another season of 110-120 points.

10. John Hall, Jets: Hall, a free agent signee out of the University of Wisconsin, was one of the biggest surprises at this position last year. His leg is so powerful that last year he easily led the league in touchbacks, which forced opponents to start from the 20-yard-line most of the time. He also led the NFL in field goal distance, converting four-of-six from 50 yards or more, including a league-best 55-yarder. But his 28-of-41 conversion rate ­ including seven misses inside the 40 ­ is a bit concerning. Still, it's hard to argue with last year's 120-point total, and another season of 110-120 points can be expected with Curtis Martin leading the way.

11. Gary Anderson, Vikings: This potential Hall of Famer just keeps getting better and better, with no end in sight. Last year with San Francisco, the 38-year-old converted 29-of-36 field goal attempts and accumulated 125 points, the second-highest point total of his career. He now has topped the 100-point mark during six of the last seven seasons ­ for three different teams, no less. Now he gets the chance to do it with a fourth team as he signed a free agent contract with Minnesota during the off-season. The Vikings struggled last year with Eddie Murray and were more than willing to sign this reliable kicker, who still had enough leg strength last year to convert a 53-yard field goal. In the friendly confines of the Metrodome, while playing for the high-scoring Vikings, Anderson will be good for another season of 110-120 points.

12. Cary Blanchard, Colts: After leading the AFC in '96 with 135 points, Blanchard came back with another strong showing, scoring 117 points. The fifth-year pro out of Oklahoma State attempted a league-high 41 field goals, converting 32 (78%). He successfully converted 10-of-15 from 40-49 yards and one-of-three from 50 yards or more last year, but the Colts' woeful offense left him with only 21 extra point attempts. Blanchard continues to be a solid choice who will again accumulate 110-120 points, but with the rebuilding Colts it will be tough to step up into the top echelon.

13. Norm Johnson, Steelers: The Steelers had no intention of starting last season with Johnson as their place kicker, but an injury to Chris Jacke in pre-season changed those plans. Johnson was brought back in for emergency duty and never relinquished the job, equaling 1996's total of 106 points. The 38-year-old had one of the best seasons of his 16-year career, converting 22-of-25 field goal attempts (88.0%), including a 52-yarder. Over the last three years with Pittsburgh, he's averaged 118 points per year. If he can beat out the competitors once again, another season of 105-115 points should be in the works.

14. Matt Stover, Ravens: Stover has been a consistent, yet not dominant, kicker over his seven-year career with this franchise. He has never scored more than 113 points in a season and has averaged 97 points per year ­ not bad, but not great. Last year, he continued his trend by accumulating 110 points, the third time in the last four years he topped the 100-point barrier. He successfully converted 26-of-34 field goal attempts, but was only six-of-11 from 40-49 yards and 0-2 from 50 yards and beyond. He's a quality backup kicker in fantasy football, but not a front-line starter who can lead your team to a title.

15. Chris Boniol, Eagles: The move from Dallas to Philadelphia was more dramatic than we ever expected as Boniol saw his point total drop from 120 in 1996 to 99 last year. He averaged 120 points per year from 1994-96 with Dallas, but converted only 22-of-31 field goals (71.0%) with Philadelphia after signing the big free agent contract. He was especially poor from 40 yards and longer, hitting only four-of-12. Like Wilkins, Boniol could be looking for work if he doesn't perform early in the year. He was a recommended top five pick last year, but this year he's lucky to make our top 20. Take him as a backup and expect better results in '98.

16. Morten Andersen, Falcons: This future Hall of Famer will likely finish his career with Atlanta after signing a three-year contract during the off-season. The 37-year-old veteran continues to be one of the most accurate ­ and most dependable ­ kickers in NFL history. Last year, he converted 23-of-27 field goal attempts (85.2%) and all 35 PATs to finish with 104 points. He has now scored at least 100 points in six of the last seven seasons and 11 of the last 13. He also hit field goals from 51 and 55 yards, giving him at least one field goal from more than 50 yards in 13 of the last 15 seasons. Andersen has never scored more than 122 points in a single season, but another season of 100-110 points can be expected.

17. John Kasay, Panthers: The biggest flop of last year's draft from this position was Kasay, who led the NFL in 1996 with 145 points. But don't put the blame on Kasay, who saw his point total drop to 91 last year. The Panthers' offense under QB Kerry Collins was so poor that their scoring dropped 102 points from the year before. As a result, Kasay was limited to only 25 PATs and 26 field goal attempts, after attempting a league-high 45 field goals the year before. Kasay wound up hitting 22-of-26 field goal attempts (84.6%), including bombs from 52, 53 and 54 yards. Kasay is a solid sleeper pick on Draft Day, as long as Carolina gets its offense under control.

18. Jeff Wilkins, Rams: The Rams signed Wilkins to a multi-year free agent contract in 1997, but he was a bust last year despite scoring 107 points. In fact, head coach Dick Vermeil hinted that the Rams would look at a replacement for Wilkins if the four-year veteran doesn't improve in this year's training camp. The 26-year-old scored 130 points in 1996 with San Francisco, but converted only 25-of-37 field goal attempts last year (67.6%), including eight-of-12 from 30-39 yards and seven-of-14 from 40-49 yards. Wilkins must improve from mid-range if he wants to earn his keep in St. Louis. Select Wilkins as a backup kicker for your fantasy-league team and hope for the best.

19. John Carney, Chargers: Carney was perfect through four games last year, hitting all seven field goal attempts and all five PATs for 26 points. But a torn leg muscle ended his season after four games, the first serious injury of his 10-year career. Carney scored 118 points in '96 and averaged 117 points from 1992-96, so he could be a sleeper pick on Draft Day. If the Chargers decide to go with Carney this year instead of Greg Davis, a return to the 100-point plateau is a reachable goal.

20. Steve Christie, Bills: The once mighty Bills' offense reached a new low last year when it scored only 255 points, 29th in the NFL. The pathetic offense naturally hurt Christie's value as he failed to top the 100-point mark for the first time since 1991. Christie converted 24-of-30 field goal attempts (80.0%) and even hit a 55-yarder against Denver, but was limited to only 21 PATs. Christie can't be faulted for his sub-par point total last year, but a new offense should produce better results in '98. With Rob Johnson leading the revamped offense, Christie should produce 105-115 points this year.

21. Todd Peterson, Seahawks: This four-year veteran topped the 100-point plateau for the third straight season, but still got lost in a talented field of kickers. Peterson converted 22-of-28 field goal attempts (78.6%) and all 37 PATs, but was limited to only nine field goal attempts from more than 40 yards. The former University of Georgia standout will continue to excel for the Seahawks; just not enough to warrant a starting job on your fantasy-league team.

22. Brad Daluiso, Giants: Daluiso's inconsistency almost cost the Giants a divisional title and he will have to fight for his job this year. The seven-year veteran converted a paltry 22-of-32 field goal attempts (68.8%) and missed nine-of-18 from beyond 40 yards. Yes, Daluiso has one of the strongest legs in the league, but it doesn't help if his long kicks are always wide right and wide left. His 93 points last year was about as good as it gets, so leave this inconsistent performer alone on Draft Day.

23. Doug Brien, Saints: Can you name the kicker who led the league last year in field goals from 50 yards and beyond? Twenty guesses later you'd probably say ³Doug Brien,² which is the right answer. Brien successfully hit four-of-five from beyond 50 yards, including two from 51 and two from 53. Overall, he converted 23-of-27 field goals (85.2) and is now 44-of-52 (84.6%) over the last two years. But the Saints' pathetic offense limited Brien to only 22 PATs, which kept his point total at 91. As long as Brien remains with the 'Aints, he's barely a consideration as a backup on Draft Day.

24. Jeff Jaeger, Bears: This 10-year veteran has been a steady force at this position for Chicago, but the Bears don't get in scoring position enough to make him a factor in fantasy football. Jaeger accumulated only 20 PATs in 16 games last year and finished with 83 points after scoring 80 the year before. Even though he successfully converted 21-of-26 field goals last year (80.8%), kicking for this sorry team has its limitations. Leave Jaeger alone on Draft Day until the Bears show a speck of promise on offense.

25. Scott Blanton, Redskins: The ³sophomore jinx² affected Blanton last year and his job could be in jeopardy. The former free agent out of Oklahoma scored 118 points as a rookie in '96, but finished with only 82 last year as he converted 16-of-24 field goals (66.7%) and 34 PATs. Blanton was inconsistent from long range, hitting only four-of-eight from 40-49 yards and one-of-four from 50 yards or longer. Even during his rookie season, Blanton was a bit shaky, hitting only two-of-seven from 40-49 yards. The Redskins will be a much better team this year, but our optimism is limited when it comes to Blanton.

26. Doug Pelfrey, Bengals: Pelfrey broke Hanson's record for fewest field goal attempts in a 16-game season with only 16 last year, which led to a career-low total of 77 points. The five-year veteran scored 110 points in '96 and averaged 113 points from 1994-96, but the Bengals' ineptness on offense last year led to the big scoring drop as he was limited to 12 made field goals and 41 PATs. Pelfrey is still a top-flight kicker, however, who can top the 100-point plateau this year if he's given more field goal attempts.

27. Cole Ford, Raiders: Ford struggled mightily during his third season with the Raiders and could be fighting for a job this year. The former USC star successfully converted only 13-of-22 field goal attempts (59.1%) and even missed a pair of kicks from inside the 30-yard-line. Ford also missed two-of-35 PATs and was limited to only 72 points, a drop of 36 points from the year before. Ford, 25, is way too shaky to gamble on in '98 and could be looking for work by the start of the season.

28. Michael Husted, Buccaneers: Even though the Bucs turned things around last year and qualified for the playoffs, Husted didn't benefit at all. In fact, his scoring total dropped from 93 points in '96 to 71 last year as he was limited to 17 field goal attempts (making 13) and missed three-of-35 PATs. Husted, 27, has never topped the 100-point plateau and won't do it again this year unless his field goal attempts increase drastically. There are too many other quality kickers around to gamble on this stumbling Buccaneer.

29. Greg Davis, Chargers: It was an interesting season, to say the least, for this 11-year veteran. After struggling through four games with the Vikings last year, Davis was cut and immediately signed by San Diego, who lost Carney to a leg injury. Davis went on to hit 19-of-24 field goal attempts with the Chargers to finish the year with 109 points, a career high. Davis hit six-of-six against the Raiders during his second game and never looked back, even though he failed to kick a field goal from beyond 45 yards. Davis, 32, showed promise last year, but Carney is still the kicker of choice in San Diego.

30. Joe Nedney, Cardinals: The Cardinals should be a much improved team this year, but if they want to take the next step up they will have to upgrade their kicking position. Nedney is not the answer here. Signed for the last 10 weeks of the season after Kevin Butler was released, Nedney connected on only 11-of-17 field goal attempts (64.7%), bringing his career average to 63.0%. The left-footed kicker accumulated only 52 points for Arizona and missed six-of-nine field goals from 40 yards or more. Forget about him.

31. Chris Jacke, unsigned: Filling in for the Redskins for one game last year, Jacke hit all five PATs for five points. He has the potential to be a top 20 scorer if he signs with the right team, but for now his options are limited. Watch the waiver wire closely before committing to this nine-year veteran, who scored more than 100 points three times with Green Bay.

32. Scott Bentley, Falcons: Bentley filled in for Elam for one game last year and scored 10 points on Monday Night Football against New England. The former Florida State star later signed with Atlanta and appeared in two games with the Falcons kicking off. But that won't get the job done in fantasy football, so leave him alone on Draft Day.

33. Eddie Murray, unsigned: This 17-year veteran was signed by Minnesota in Week 5 when Greg Davis was released, but his performance over the last 12 weeks wasn't convincing. He connected on 12-of-17 field goal attempts and 23-of-24 PATs before being released. At the age of 41, Murray's career could finally be over.

34. Kevin Butler, unsigned: After a career that included 13 NFL seasons and a Super Bowl ring with Chicago, the end has arrived for Butler. The 35-year-old cost the Cardinals at least two wins last year, missing four-of-12 field goals in six games, and was quickly released. Nobody will sign him this year.

Others To Watch: Brett Conway was Green Bay's third-round pick in '97, who missed all of last season with a leg injury. Longwell is now the established starter, so Conway could be traded.