Who Should I Start? Cairo Santos or Evan McPherson

Saturday, September 27, 12:44 PM

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos has had a quiet start to his 17th NFL season, making just two field goals and adding 10 extra points through three games. He currently ranks 29th in fantasy points among kickers, despite Chicago's offense performing well. Head coach Ben Johnson's aggressive approach (going for four fourth downs in field-goal range in the first three games) has limited Santos' opportunities. Week 4 brings a potential high-scoring matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, which could lead to more attempts. Still, his lack of production early in 2025 makes him unstartable in most fantasy formats this week.

Saturday, October 4, 2:13 PM

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has been a victim of the team's offensive struggles in 2025. While he has yet to miss a kick, McPherson has only four attempts through four games, ranking 28th among all kickers. The Bengals' offense has been one of the least efficient in the NFL, sitting 30th in points per game (15.3), last in total yards per game (205.3), and dead last in time of possession (25:32). Simply put, McPherson isn't getting opportunities. The Week 5 matchup doesn't offer much upside either, as the Detroit Lions have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to kickers this season. With backup Jake Browning leading the Bengals' offense, scoring chances are unlikely to improve. McPherson remains a reliable kicker in terms of accuracy, but the lack of volume makes him unplayable in fantasy. He should be left out of starting lineups in Week 5.