Who Should I Start? Chris Boswell or Jake Bates

Friday, December 26, 9:33 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell converted all three of his extra-point tries and drilled two of his three field goal attempts in a Week 16 win over the Detroit Lions. His miss from 37 yards out was nearly costly, as he failed to put Pittsburgh up by eight points with just over two minutes remaining, but the Steelers were ultimately able to close out the victory with a five-point lead. Boswell will look to bounce back against the Cleveland Browns this week. When he last faced Cleveland in Week 6, Boswell was incredibly productive for fantasy purposes in a 23-9 win. Sunday's contest carries an extremely low projected point total, which could signal limited touchdown opportunities and increased involvement for the kicker. Furthermore, Pittsburgh may not have much to play for if the Green Bay Packers defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. If the Steelers rest some starters or adopt a conservative approach, Boswell could be called upon early and often. Fantasy managers can continue to roll with the 34-year-old in Week 17.

Wednesday, December 24, 10:39 PM

Across 15 games this season, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has converted on 22 of 28 field goal attempts and 52 out of 54 extra-point tries. Bates has the benefit of being tied to the Detroit offense, which enters Week 17 ranked second in the NFL in points per game (30.1). However, Bates and the Lions will face one of the league's top scoring defenses in Week 17 when they travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. Over the last three weeks, Minnesota has allowed opponents to score an average of just 13 points per game. In the first matchup between the two NFC North division rivals this season in Week 9, the Lions were held to 24 points, their fourth-lowest mark in a game in 2025. If there's one benefit for Bates, the game will be played indoors, which eliminates any weather concerns for the kicking game. Bates remains a viable starting kicker for fantasy managers in Week 17, but he profiles as a low-end option rather than a must-start player at the position against Minnesota.