As can be expected a slew of new names was on the field returning punts and kickoffs. If you play in an ultra-competitive league that takes into account KR/PR scoring, this list should be invaluable. The best news? For those leagues that use defensive players, there are even a few diamonds in the rough in this list, i.e. defensive players who return kickoffs.
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Top 2012 Kick Returners and Punt Returners in terms of total yardage
| Rank | Name | Pos | Team | Kick Ret Yards |
Kick Ret TD |
Punt Ret Yards |
Punt Ret TD |
Total Ret Yards |
| 1 | Joshua Cribbs | WR | CLE | 256 | 0 | 87 | 0 | 343 |
| 2 | Marcus Thigpen | RB | MIA | 137 | 0 | 150 | 1 | 287 |
| 3 | Leon Washington | RB | SEA | 153 | 0 | 58 | 0 | 211 |
| 4 | Darren Sproles | RB | NO | 155 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 199 |
| 5 | Trindon Holliday | WR | HOU | 105 | 0 | 91 | 0 | 196 |
| 6 | Leodis McKelvin | CB | BUF | 71 | 0 | 125 | 0 | 196 |
| 7 | Randall Cobb | WR | GB | 94 | 0 | 96 | 1 | 190 |
| 8 | Deonte Thompson | WR | BAL | 188 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 188 |
| 9 | Arrelious Benn | WR | TB | 180 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180 |
| 10 | Darius Reynaud | WR | TEN | 145 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 175 |
| 11 | Javier Arenas | CB | KC | 119 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 173 |
| 12 | Felix Jones | RB | DAL | 170 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170 |
| 13 | Percy Harvin | WR | MIN | 166 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 166 |
| 14 | David Wilson | RB | NYG | 157 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 157 |
| 15 | Brandon Tate | WR | CIN | 136 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 155 |
| 16 | Richard Goodman | WR | SD | 150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 150 |
| 17 | Joe Adams | WR | CAR | 103 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 145 |
| 18 | Jalen Parmele | RB | JAC | 142 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 142 |
| 19 | Devin Hester | WR | CHI | 106 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 137 |
| 20 | Joe McKnight | RB | NYJ | 136 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 136 |
| 21 | Brandon Banks | WR | WAS | 102 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 133 |
| 22 | Lavelle Hawkins | WR | TEN | 130 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 130 |
| 23 | Adam Jones | CB | CIN | 31 | 0 | 90 | 1 | 121 |
| 24 | Kendall Hunter | RB | SF | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 116 |
| 25 | Stefan Logan | WR | DET | 82 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 103 |
| 26 | Marcus Sherels | CB | MIN | 23 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 96 |
| 27 | Brandon Boykin | CB | PHI | 94 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 94 |
| 28 | Devin McCourty | CB | NE | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 |
| 29 | Jeremy Kerley | WR | NYJ | 0 | 0 | 74 | 1 | 74 |
| 30 | Philip Adams | CB | OAK | 0 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 73 |
| 31 | Chris Rainey | RB | PIT | 45 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58 |
| 32 | Michael Smith | RB | TB | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 33 | LaRod Stephens-Howling | RB | ARI | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 |
| 34 | Julian Edelman | WR | NE | 0 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 52 |
| 35 | Cassius Vaughn | CB | IND | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 |
| 36 | Mike Thomas | WR | JAC | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 48 |
| 37 | Omar Bolden | CB | DEN | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| 38 | Jacoby Jones | WR | BAL | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 43 |
| 39 | Mike Goodson | WR | OAK | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| 40 | Matt Asiata | FB | MIN | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 41 | Patrick Peterson | CB | ARI | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 |
| 42 | Isaiah Pead | RB | STL | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| 43 | Danny Amendola | WR | STL | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 35 |
| 44 | Antonio Brown | WR | PIT | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| 45 | T.Y. Hilton | WR | IND | 19 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 30 |
| 46 | Andre Brown | RB | NYG | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| 47 | Kyle Williams | WR | SF | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 28 |
| 48 | Emmanuel Sanders | WR | PIT | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| 49 | Jim Leonhard | S | DEN | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| 50 | Lousaka Polite | FB | ATL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
News and Notes about our kick returners and punt returners from week 2
Omar Bolden – CB - Denver Broncos
Bolden returned two kicks for the Broncos in their Monday night game against the Falcons. As a CB, he should be a valuable pickup for fantasy owners looking for a defensive player who returns kickoffs, sadly the Broncos still go with Leonhard and Decker at PR, so Bolden isn’t exactly a must-start
Joshua Cribbs – WR – Cleveland Browns
Cribbs should obviously be a top return specialist all season in 2012, and he has already opened up a sizeable lead of nearly 60 yards over the second place KR/PR in Marcus Thigpen. Obviously in terms of fantasy scoring, Thigpen’s return TD makes him the slightly higher scorer, but Cribbs will likely find the end zone on multiple occasions this season.
Obviously no two leagues are created equal, especially when it comes to leagues involving return yardage. Hit up the forums if you aren’t sure who the best pickup is for you.
GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 01: Runningback LaRod Stephens-Howling #36 of the Arizona Cardinals rushes the football against the Denver Broncos during the preseason NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Broncos 26-7. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
