Who Should I Start? Daniel Carlson or Chad Ryland

Friday, October 17, 9:14 PM

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson draws a challenging matchup in Week 7 versus the Kansas City Chiefs, making him a risky fantasy start. The Chiefs have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers this season and continue to limit scoring opportunities with one of the league's stingiest defenses. Meanwhile, Geno Smith and the Raiders offense have struggled to sustain drives or finish in scoring position, further capping Carlson's upside. While the veteran remains a very accurate kicker, his lack of opportunity makes him tough to trust in fantasy lineups this week. Managers should consider streaming a kicker from a more favorable offensive environment until the Raiders show more consistency.

Saturday, November 1, 8:47 PM

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland has bounced all around the fantasy kicker leaderboards this season, which makes sense given how inconsistent this offense can be. In Week 7, he finished as the K5, which was his highest finish since Week 4. Now, after their bye, the Cardinals are set to take on the Dallas Cowboys, who have given up far too many points to almost every team they've faced. That also makes them the 20th-ranked team against opposing kickers, allowing 8.75 fantasy points per matchup. Since Jacoby Brissett has been a bit more successful at moving the ball down the field, Ryland could be in for another solid week, and that makes him a startable option again for those looking for a bye week fill-in.