Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps, calf) has been cleared to kick in the Divisional Round this Saturday against his former team, the Denver Broncos. Prater was held out of Tuesday's practice, was a full-go on Wednesday, and was limited on Thursday. The 41-year-old veteran aggravated a quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets, but he was active last weekend and handled field goals and extra points in the Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Prater made both of his field goals (one from 50-plus yards) and all three of his extra points against the Jags. He'll have the thin air in Denver to his advantage on Saturday, but at less than 100% in a tough matchup, Prater is on the lower end of kicking options this weekend. The Broncos allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to placekickers in 2025.
Jan 15, 2026 3:53 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps, calf) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. Prater played through a right-quad injury in the Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, but he didn't handle kickoffs. He was a non-participant in practice on Tuesday, but all signs point to him being active for the Divisional Round on Saturday against the Denver Broncos now that he's back to a full practice. The 41-year-old veteran made both of his field-goal tries and all three of his extra-point opportunities against the Jags despite being less than 100%. Although Prater will be kicking in the thin air of Denver this weekend, he'll be on the low end of fantasy kicking options in playoff leagues, with his quad injury being a factor.
Jan 14, 2026 4:12 PM EST
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) "is in a good spot" going into the Divisional Round of the playoffs this Saturday against the Denver Broncos, according to The Buffalo News' Katherine Fitzgerald. Prater will have a similar practice schedule to last week, but he might do more this week. The 41-year-old veteran placekicker kicked field goals and extra points in Sunday's Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he was not available for kickoffs. Prater aggravated a right-quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets, but he was able to play on Sunday against the Jags and made both his field-goal attempts (one from 50-plus yards) and all three of his extra points. Prater will have the altitude on his side in Denver this weekend, making him slightly more attractive to fantasy managers.
Jan 12, 2026 6:56 PM EST
As expected, Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) is officially active on Sunday to take on the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars on Wild-Card weekend, according to The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia. Prater aggravated a right-quad injury last weekend that had sidelined him for a few games late in the season, but he will give it a go in the first round of the playoffs. The 41-year-old veteran won't be a great kicking option in fantasy playoff formats while likely operating at less than 100 percent. During 15 games in the regular season for the Bills while filling in for the injured Tyler Bass (hip, groin), Prater made 18 of his 20 field-goal attempts and 46 of his 49 extra-point opportunities. The Jaguars' defense allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers during the 2025 regular season.
Jan 11, 2026 11:41 AM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) is considered questionable for the Wild-Card playoff game on Sunday versus the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars. Prater aggravated a right-quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets after missing several games due to the injury late in the year. The 41-year-old didn't practice on Wednesday, was a full-go on Thursday, and didn't practice again on Friday. Prater said he felt pretty good about his chances of playing this weekend in Jacksonville, but he's still very much up in the air to play. If the Bills hold Prater out, journeyman kicker Matthew Wright would do the kicking for the Bills on Sunday. In fantasy football playoff leagues, you're better off ignoring Buffalo's kicking situation this weekend in a bad matchup.
Jan 9, 2026 4:14 PM EST
Updating a previous report, Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, according to Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News. Prater was a DNP in the first practice of the week on Wednesday after he aggravated a right-quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets. The 41-year-old veteran missed Weeks 16 and 17 due to the injury, but it appears he's making good progress and will have a good chance to play on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs. As a fallback option, Buffalo signed Matthew Wright to their practice squad on Tuesday. Prater seemingly is on the right side of questionable for this weekend's game right now, but he'll be a pretty risky fantasy option against a Jags team that allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers in 2025.
Jan 8, 2026 3:42 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) was seen at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday, and The Buffalo News' Katherine Fitzgerald reports that Prater is "pretty confident" that he'll be ready to go for Sunday's Wild-Card tilt on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 41-year-old veteran placekicker aggravated a right-quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets. It's the same injury that caused him to miss Weeks 16 and 17. For insurance, the Bills added Matthew Wright to their practice squad earlier this week. It sounds like Prater is planning to play this weekend, but he could be listed as questionable on the team's final injury report on Friday. Prater was the 24th-ranked kicker in overall fantasy points in 2025, and he'll face a tough matchup if he's active. The Jags allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers.
Jan 8, 2026 2:00 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) was unable to practice on Wednesday. Prater aggravated a quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets on Sunday and is now questionable to be able to kick in the first round of the playoffs this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Head coach Sean McDermott said that the team is planning to have Prater return to practice on Thursday, which will give him a chance to play on Wild-Card weekend. As insurance, the Bills added journeyman kicker Matthew Wright to their practice squad on Tuesday. If Prater doesn't get cleared to play against the Jags, Wright will fill in as the team's placekicker on Sunday. Given the 41-year-old Prater's injury going into the postseason, fantasy managers should consider him a weak option for lineups this week.
Jan 7, 2026 3:42 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) suffered "a little bit of an injury" in the Week 18 blowout win over the New York Jets on Sunday and is day-to-day, according to Matthew Bove. The Bills will bring in kickers on Tuesday for workouts if Prater cannot play on Wild-Card weekend of the playoffs this Sunday versus the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars. The 41-year-old veteran did not return to Sunday's regular-season finale after missing the previous two games with a similar injury. Prater has been solid for the Bills this year while filling in for Tyler Bass, who has missed the entire year due to a hip injury. Prater has gone 18-for-20 on his field-goal attempts (1-for-2 from 50-plus yards out) and 46-for-49 on his extra-point tries in 15 games in his first year in Buffalo. Because of his injury heading into the postseason, fantasy managers competing in playoff leagues should consider him pretty risky.
Jan 5, 2026 6:31 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) won't return for Sunday's Week 18 matchup versus the New York Jets. Prater missed the last two games due to a quad injury and aggravated the issue while attempting an extra point on Sunday. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky will take over on kickoffs for the rest of the game. The Bills will likely go for two-point conversions after touchdowns with Prater unavailable. Buffalo is already without kicker Tyler Bass (hip), who is currently on Injured Reserve. The Bills would have to find another kicker for the postseason if Prater is forced to miss time.
Jan 4, 2026 6:40 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. The Bills only held a walkthrough practice on Wednesday, but Prater's full participation is a sign that he could return to action as the team's placekicker for the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival New York Jets. The 41-year-old veteran has missed the last two games with a right-quad injury. Prater has been solid for fantasy football managers in 2025 in his first year with the Bills when he's been healthy, making 90% of his 20 field-goal attempts while going 43-for-46 on his extra-point tries in 14 games. However, with the Bills potentially resting key pieces on offense this weekend, Prater won't come highly recommended for starting lineups in Week 18 if he makes his return.
Dec 31, 2025 3:18 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 41-year-old was unable to step on the practice field this week and will now miss his second-straight contest due to this quadriceps injury. Instead, fantasy managers should expect Michael Badgley to get the starting nod once again. Prater has served as a reliable kicking option for the Bills this season, going 18-for-20 on field goals and 43-for-46 on extra point attempts. Last weekend, Badgley went 1-for-1 and hit two of his three extra points during their victory over the Cleveland Browns. Badgley profiles as a risky option for those in standard formats this weekend, facing the Eagles, who have allowed the 14th-fewest PPR points to opposing kickers.
Dec 26, 2025 1:31 PM EST
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps) will be out in Week 16 versus the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, according to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. McDermott described Prater's injury as week-to-week, meaning there's a chance he could miss multiple games. The Bills will bring in a new kicker for this week and possibly beyond. Prater was successful on all five of his extra-point opportunities in the win over the New England Patriots in Week 15, but he picked up a quad injury along the way and will now be sidelined for at least one game. Fantasy managers still battling in the playoffs this week will need to search for a replacement for the 41-year-old placekicker. Prater has filled in nicely for Tyler Bass (hip), who is out for the entire season, making 18 of his 20 field-goal tries and 43 of his 46 extra points in 14 games.
Dec 15, 2025 5:32 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater has filled in admirably for Tyler Bass (hip, groin) this season, but he's not a must-start fantasy option for Week 15 against the New England Patriots. Prater hasn't scored double-digit fantasy points since Week 8, and he ranks as the overall K20 in total scoring through 14 weeks this season. To his credit, the veteran kicker has been mostly accurate, going 18-for-20 on field goals and 38-for-41 on extra points. However, with just 1.4 field goals per game and only one successful attempt from beyond 50 yards, Prater hasn't delivered very many high-scoring kicks. He'll also get a tougher matchup this week against the Patriots, who have allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers in 2025. Furthermore, he'll face questionable weather conditions with cold temperatures and snow forecasted for Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday afternoon. Prater ranks as the #14 kicker in RotoBaller's Week 15 fantasy football rankings. Managers in leagues with 12 or fewer teams can find better options to fill the kicker spot this week.
Dec 13, 2025 10:12 AM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater has been a reliable player through 11 games this season, connecting on 15 of 17 field goal attempts and 32 out of 34 extra-point tries. The 41-year-old may have limited range at this point in his career, as he's attempted just two field goals from 50-plus yards out on the season, making one and missing one. In Week 13, the Bills will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. Through 12 weeks, Pittsburgh ranks 19th in the NFL in points per game allowed (23.9). While that points to the Bills being able to move the ball on Sunday, the weather in Pittsburgh may play a factor in the kicking game. The current forecast calls for precipitation and colder weather in western Pennsylvania. Prater profiles as a borderline starting kicker option in Week 13, but fantasy managers should be mindful of potential weather issues and check the forecast before lineups lock on Sunday.
Nov 29, 2025 12:51 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater has continued to flash just enough potential in the team's high-powered offense to remain relevant in fantasy football. The 41-year-old will look to rack up double-digit points against the Houston Texans on Thursday night for the first time since Week 8. Prater has totaled just 13 points over his last three games. Meanwhile, the Texans are allowing just 5.1 points per game to opposing kickers, the lowest total in the league. With Josh Allen leading the way, expect the Bills to find the endzone multiple times, but Prater's value will come from field goal opportunities, which are shaky at best. Despite the tough matchup, Prater can be used as a streamer in Week 12 and is ranked 10th among all kickers in the latest RotoBaller rankings.
Nov 20, 2025 12:11 AM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater did not attempt a field goal in his team's surprising 13-point performance in their Week 10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Prater has now gone two consecutive weeks without a made field goal, as he missed both of his attempts in Buffalo's Week 9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, the 41-year-old has generally been solid this season, knocking in 12 of 14 field goal attempts and 26 of 27 extra-point tries across nine games. He should have some chances to get back on the board when the Bills host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. Through 10 weeks, both Buffalo and Tampa Bay rank in the top 11 in the NFL in per-game scoring. One possible concern for Prater's fantasy outlook in Week 11 is the potential for windy weather in Buffalo, so managers should monitor the forecast on Sunday. Still, Prater profiles as a low-end starting kicker option in Week 11.
Nov 15, 2025 2:24 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater has been a victim of the offense's success at times this season. The team consistently moves the ball downfield and scores, but the high touchdown percentage has limited Prater's field goal opportunities. The kicker is fourth in the league with 25 extra points made, but ranks just 20th with 12 field goals. Prater's 85.7% conversion rate is adequate, but his lack of opportunities has frustrated fantasy owners throughout the season. Week 10 should bring another positive matchup where Prater maintains a high floor, but will unlikely emerge as a top-tier kicker this week. Despite the lack of high-end scoring, he does remain a steady play for teams in need of a five-to-ten point week from their kicker.
Nov 8, 2025 1:14 AM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater remains a high-value kicker heading into a matchup with a Chiefs defense that ranks third against kickers in fantasy scoring this season. Prater has managed to score seven or more points in all but one matchup this season. With the Bills offense running at full speed, Prater has managed to connect on 12 of 13 field goals this season. He has averaged over 9 points per game for fantasy purposes, and should see multiple field goal opportunities in a game that will likely be decided in the fourth quarter. The weather outlook is clear skies tomorrow, setting up for a high-scoring matchup between two high-powered offenses.
Nov 1, 2025 6:02 PM EST
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (calf) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Prater was limited in practice throughout the week, but that won't stop him from playing this weekend. It doesn't sound like Prater is 100 percent healthy, but he'll be able to kick through the pain. Prater has been a viable option as he has only missed two kicks heading into Week 9. He'll be a viable streaming option for this tough matchup against the Chiefs.
Oct 31, 2025 9:29 PM EST