In their final round of cuts, the Kansas City Chiefs opted to waive veteran kicker Ryan Succop, saving some costs and also ridding themselves of an inconsistent player. In place of Succop, the Chiefs will go with Cairo Santos. Originally a native of Brazil, Santos came to Florida as a foreign exchange student and developed strong enough kicking abilities to land a scholarship to Tulane. He thrived in New Orleans, earning the Lou Groza Award as college football’s top placekicker in 2012. Will he thrive in Kansas City?
Fantasy Upside
Santos has the leg strength needed to succeed. In his senior season, he drilled a 56-yard field goal in a 31-14 victory over Louisiana-Monroe and a 51-yard try in a 24-15 triumph over Louisiana Tech. He is part of a Kansas City squad that is no longer a pushover, as the Chiefs went from 2-14 in 2012 to 11-5 and a wild card spot in 2013. They also showed a lot of offensive growth late in the year.
Fantasy Downside
Although the Chiefs are a better team and can score some points, they will not be confused with an offensive powerhouse. Succop finished in the middle-of-the-pack last year. Kansas City faces a challenging schedule. Santos needs to start strong or the Chiefs may contemplate other alternatives.
Bottom Line
Unproven kickers for unspectacular offenses are not adored by fantasy owners. Maybe Santos will surprise and be useful at times this year, but needs to start out on the waiver wire.
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