Who Should I Start? Austin Seibert or Rodrigo Blankenship

Tuesday, November 26, 4:30 PM

The Washington Commanders placed kicker Austin Seibert (hip) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, meaning he will have to miss at least the next four games. Seibert was held out of action in Weeks 10 and 11 due to a right-hip injury and returned for the Week 12 loss to the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, where he missed a 50-plus yard field goal and two extra-points -- one at the end of the contest that would have tied the game. The 28-year-old didn't look right and now won't be eligible to return to Washington until the regular-season finale in Week 18 versus the Cowboys. With Seibert on the shelf, the Commanders will most likely bring Zane Gonzalez back to the active roster after he filled in for Seibert in Weeks 10 and 11. The 29-year-old Gonzalez made his return to the NFL this year for the first time since 2021 and went 3-for-3 on FGs and 4-for-4 on extra points in his two games recently for Washington.

Monday, August 21, 6:14 PM

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived kicker Rodrigo Blankenship on Monday. Blankenship lost the kicking battle to Chase McLaughlin in training camp this summer and will now look to latch on with another team before the start of the 2023 regular season. The 26-year-old spent last year with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, going 4-for-5 on his field-goal tries and 4-for-5 on extra points in just three total games. As long as Tampa doesn't bring in more competition for McLaughlin to close out the preseason, he should enter Week 1 as the team's starting kicker. McLaughlin, 27, made 83.3 percent of his 36 field-goal attempts and made all 21 of his extra-point tries in 16 games with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. The kicking position in Tampa won't be as exciting in fantasy now that Tom Brady isn't running the offense in 2023.