Who Should I Start? Cairo Santos or Riley Patterson

Saturday, November 16, 5:36 AM

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos is a solid, if somewhat unexciting, fantasy option for Week 11 as he prepares to face the Green Bay Packers. Santos had a reasonably typical performance in his most recent outing, converting his only field goal attempt from 33 yards out. While Santos didn't have a game-changing performance, he remains reliable in accuracy and consistency. This week, there is a significant shake-up in Chicago's offense, as the team fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron just nine games into his tenure. The hope is that the change in leadership will spark a more productive offense, which could result in more scoring opportunities for Santos. Santos should see more chances for field goals and extra points if the Bears' offense improves. While he's still a somewhat average fantasy kicker, the potential for increased usage could make him a slightly more appealing option in Week 11, especially if the coaching change leads to an uptick in overall offensive efficiency.

Friday, November 8, 12:50 PM

The New York Jets have signed free-agent kicker Anders Carlson to the practice squad and waived kicker Riley Patterson, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Patterson made his New York Jets debut last Thursday against the Houston Texans as No. 1 option Greg Zuerlein (knee) was on Injured Reserve. In that game, Patterson went a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points and did not attempt any field goals. The Jets will now likely turn to Carlson to serve as the starting kicker this weekend when they face the Arizona Cardinals. Carlson spent time in San Francisco earlier this season and went 5-for-5 on field-goal attempts and 3-for-4 on extra points. Fantasy managers in deeper formats could consider Carlson as a streaming option, as the Jets may have ample scoring opportunities this weekend against the Cardinals.