I think you can answer this two ways - Are kickers football players. No question about that. Ummm, let's see. They are on a football field, wearing football clothing, and hemet, and are listed on a football roster. I think this qualifies them as a football player.
Now, a seperate question is are they athletes? Well, many are good athletes, including our own Kris Brown. Others are probably not anywhere near the same class of ahtlete as the other players on the field, but that doesn't mean they are not valuable. One could argue that they are the most important player on the field, bar none, including the QB. They have to be in overall good shape, and in good health to do what they do. I feel they do qualify as athletes, more so than your average golfer, but not as much as the other athletes on the field with them. None of that makes them less valuable though.