Who Should I Start? Chad Ryland or Blake Grupe

Tuesday, October 22, 11:45 AM

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland drilled his only attempt, which was the 32-yard game-winning field goal for the Cardinals on Monday night. Ryland also hit two extra points to go along with the game-winning field goal. This was a grinding matchup between two offenses that played at a slower pace, and the Cardinals' offense didn't find themselves in a field goal situation until the end of the game, limiting Ryland's opportunities. With the Cardinals' offense still struggling to find consistency, Ryland doesn't yet crack the list of fantasy-relevant kickers. However, the Cardinals will face some mid- to lower-tier defenses in the coming weeks, which could make Ryland a potential streaming option in the future.

Saturday, November 16, 3:27 AM

New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe was perfect in Week 10, converting both of his field goal attempts and both extra point tries. He scored the first points of the game against the Falcons with a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter and hit another from 26 yards out in the third quarter. On the season he has missed just one of his 19 field goal attempts and is now 21-for-23 on extra points. Grupe offers a solid floor, rarely straying far from his average 7.5 fantasy points per game. In Week 11, the Saints face the Browns, who have offered little to opposing kickers this season, though that may be because they are allowing teams to reach the end zone more often than they are stopping them short, particularly in close range. Cleveland has only seen five field goals attempted at a distance of 39 yards or fewer. They have also had the good fortune of opponents going 8-for-14 from 40 yards out or more, with just one block to their credit. Grupe is 8-for-9 from that range. Grupe isn't an option to get excited about but a top-12 finish isn't out of the question. He is worth a look for fantasy managers seeking a kicker in Week 11.